HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 cell!

How cool is this
I recently got back into photography, and asked my father if he had any old lenses or cameras laying around. My Grandfather was the premier wedding photographer during ww2 in New York, and My dad said his old go to camera might be stashed away somewhere. As I rummage through the attic and pry open a box, I see a large clear plastic bag with something shiny in it. I lift it out, and immediately realize what I had just found- an original graflex flash 3 cell with patent- which I believe is the exact model used to make Anakin/ Luke/ Rey's lightsaber.

I'm going to do a "non destructive" conversion, and I'd like some advice.

Anyone who's purchased Roman Props ANH graflex conversion kit- have you ever taken off your self adhesive grips from your graflex? That couldn't have possibly damaged it, right?

The idea is to attach the grips, and use a magnet on the interior of the graflex to attach the D-ring. Whether or not the D-ring is magnetic is not an issue, I'll add a steel shim to the bottom if it isn't, and cut the rivet's head off, add a piece of black flock paper to the back of the hole, and glue it to the D- ring.

If anyone thinks the strips could possibly peel any part of plating off, I'll just end up buying a replica 3 cell bottom so as not to take a chance.

Are Graflex flashes made of solid metal? Or are they plated?


My other question is- the "Glass Eye" button- is there any source to buy just the acrylic lense without the threaded button and spring? This baby was the synchronized version with the flash cord coming out, not the glass eye. (The flash cord disintegrated in my hands and fell out.)

I'd like to use the original threaded button housing instead of buying a new one, and if the lense is available somewhere alone that would be ideal.

If not, then the next question is, if I buy a replacement glass eye button, is the lense removable so I can add it to the original, or is it glued in?

Thanks so much for all the help, this is so, so, cool.

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Hi, nice find!
to answer one of your questions already, the graflexes are made of brass and chrome plated.
have fun with your build

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Beautiful find!! And what a story and history with it!

I agree if it were my grand dads I couldn't drill into the flash either

Heck I'd probably display the flash beside a replica. I don't think I even have the stones to tape on the grips


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Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

That's awesome!! You could use carpet tape to attach the grips but, in your shoes, I'd just get one of Roman's replica end caps so you won't impact the original. Or, like halliwax suggests, just go with a Roman's replica for the saber hilt and display the camera next to it for a fantastic story

Cheers,

Dave

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

First of all, congrats on the find! To answer your question regarding the glass eye - yes and no. Yes the glass lens is removable but it's held in by the spring. You could purchase a replica glass eye and just use the glass lens and spring, however, your synchro cord version may require a whole new glass eye assembly anyway since I don't believe that version is capable of holding a lens at all.

Regarding the 3-cell bottom, if it were mine and had that kind of history I would would not take any chances. I would preserve it as is and buy either an entire flash replica or at the very least a replica bottom from Roman or TGS and then have at it with the replica. When the vintage bug finally bit me recently I decided to buy 2-cells and use replica 3-cell bottoms with them. I can drill, epoxy, rivet (or screw...? :lol), etc. without feeling the slightest bit guilty that I'm ruining a piece of history. Also, I've recently purchased two absolutely mint 2 cells for what it would cost to get one 3-cell on today's market. :thumbsup

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

halliwax said:

Beautiful find!! And what a story and history with it!

I agree if it were my grand dads I couldn't drill into the flash either

Heck I'd probably display the flash beside a replica. I don't think I even have the stones to tape on the grips


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Click to expand...

I usually never chime in on these things, the argument that this is antique technology that would have been thrown out is a very valid one. However, in this case, I agree with halliwax - don't mess with it. You'll regret it some day. It's your family history, much different than if you found this in a junk shop.

If you go ahead, then do it in a way that adhesives could be removed and no harm, no foul...

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

The grips won't hurt anything. But I'd just do without a D ring... you're not hanging it from your belt, and you're preserving it, so if you really want to lightsaber it up, just leave the D ring off.

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Great find, touching story. Wow.

I like the magnet idea and think if you can pull off the non destructive build or "NDB" go for it. If not, save that puppy for posterity.

You can find another vintage to build if you really want it.

So cool!

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

I used VHB tape on some of my sabers. it holds metal car decals on for years. With force, it peels off leaving nearly no residue

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Hey jefflogg ! Well, if you're gonna wait almost 3 years to make your first post, that's a great way to do it!!!

Congratulations on your find, that's truly a rare scenario that you've found yourself in. I'm in the "Put it back on the camera and in a display case Camp".

I believe the Glass Eye Blade Holders like the ones at TCSS are sticky domes that self adhere to their aluminum knurled/turned bits.

If you don't want to buy a replica Glass Eye from Roman's Empire or The Graflex Shop, try looking through Michael's and Jo-Ann's for "clear glass domed magnifying cabochons". I bet you could make one of those fit, they come in many different sizes. If you find one in acrylic, you could always sand it to fit!

Awesome idea with the magnets for the D-Ring by the way! I still wouldn't monkey with this particular GRAFLEX though if I were in your shoes.

Post up some close-up pics of the "Sync-chord Holder Eye", inside, and whatever's left on the outside. Maybe it's close enough to accept a Glass Eye Lense if you really had to make the change.

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Congrats on your find!

I've removed adhesive backed grips from a Graflex before, and it leaves no damage. A plastic razor blade, a toothbrush and some Goo-Gone will take all the glue off.

I also did a non-destructive conversion with my ANH Graflex, D-ring included. The head is cut off of the rivet, and everything is glued on with Liquid Nails. (Which comes off clean if you ever want it to. I know because it popped off and I had to redo it once. The dried glue chips right off cleanly.) There is a dot of black acrylic paint beneath the rivet head for the "hole", but I suppose you could use black paper just as well.

You could do the same with an ESB Kobold D-ring. Mine already had holes in the bottom (from an unfortunate 90's era ANH conversion) so I drilled it, but my grip screws only go through the grips.

Also, it is brass with nickel plating, not chrome.

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Leave it totally as is. It has such a great story. Just buy a replica Graflex if you want to build one. I bought a Graflex a few years ago on eBay to convert but I couldn't bring myself to modding it. I'm glad I made that decision. It's in such great shape and I enjoy it as it is. I have since bought a few replicas and they make me happy as well. It's the best of both worlds.

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

The era of vintage flashguns is gone ... eventhough I realise this vintage flash is coming from your grandfather and makes it a bit more special ... yet by the end of the day it's just a G R A F L E X flashgun . . . opposed to other members here I would have no issues with a full on conversion as the propmakers did ... just drill that hole for your D-ring and add a better more accurate set of plastic grips from Roy at wannawanga.com ... then track down an Exactra 19 or 20 for the vintage bubblestrip and even another vintage redbutton if need be ... when finally done then you can show your Luke ANH lightsaber to all and boast about 'It's my grandfather's lightsaber' which called to me

Chaïm

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

...however, if there's no real reason to poke holes in it, why poke holes in it.

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

I would pick up one of Roman's converted bottoms.

Cheap, easy to swap out, won't tell the difference and the vintage bottom remains untouched.

Not to mention you will have both a solid d ring and little to no worry about the grips coming off!

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

I've decided to start with the replica 3 cell bottom from roman, and his glass eye button which i'll take the acrylic lense from and pop into the original button housing- keep it as original as possible. I'm also going to snag roman's conversion kit, ( grips, bubble, d- ring.) I'll fully convert the original bottom, and slowly compile the actual screen used bubble as time goes on. I'll put up some pics of the build soon. In the mean time- here's a pic of the original Graflex:

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

nice!

who would've thought you had a Graflex sitting just above your head for so many years?

PS I am also a fan of "non-destructive" as well

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Awesome find and story. I would start out by figuring out which version you are going to make. ANH you don't have to represent screws in the grips and probably the easiest (my favorite) to build. You can use epoxy to attach the grips, if you ever need to remove them you can stick the lower in the freezer and they should pop off the the different shrink rates of metal, plastic and epoxy (I have done this, it does work). You can also epoxy on the d-ring tab and cut off a rivet head to put in the hole.

Re: HELP! My lightsaber found me! My grandfathers camera had an original graflex 3 c

Heres a little movie I made about the story, with the finished saber. Thanks for all the tips, guys. No more lurking for me.

If the embedded vid doesn't play, you can click the vimeo symbol to view it on the site itself.

[video=vimeo;222774894]https://vimeo.com/222774894[/video]