Obi ANH Sabers: What do you have?

Gyroscopic? Maybe for the actual working lightsaber props used in the Original Trilogy, since they had motors to spin the blades, but the blade on a "real" lightsaber would be nothing more than an energy/light projection that would not require a gyroscope. It would be like swinging a flashlight around (as Tan Djarka suggested); the blade itself would have no weight.

And, yes, I do have far too much time on my hands to think about stuff like this. :D

According to the Visual Dictonary:

"while the pure energy blade has no mass, the electromagnetically generated arc wave creates a strong gyroscopic effect that makes the lightsaber a distinct challenge to handle."

IMHO......

I think it takes a fair amount of jedi mental focus to weild one safely. This is why non Jedi dont swing them around- the blade could gyroscopically spin back on you and kill or injure you.

Notice how Han Solo operated it when he sliced open a Taun Taun? He had to use two hands and all his concentration.

......I think a lot of us have too much time on our hands! lol
 
The blade of a lightsaber is plasma suspended in a maginetic field. The gyroscopic effect is created by the moving (spinning) elements of the magnetic field generator in the emitter of the saber. Ever wonder what the ring of holes on the Obi emitter are? Mag field generator!

By the way, it's not the gyroscopic effect but the blade's lack of mass that makes a lightsaber so dangerous. Those unfamiliar with a lightsaber will assume it handles like a sword. The problem is, wielding a sword relies heavily on the blade's mass. A Jedi must use the Force to effectively create mass where there is none, for proper handling.

Come on now...This is just basic lightsaber theory!
 
Wow. It has been just over 2 years since this journey started, and I have finally completed my Obi-Wan ANH Lightsaber.
I received my pommel yesterday (quite nice!)
Here are some pics - thanks again Russ!

Obi_ANH_001.jpg
Obi_ANH_002.jpg
Obi_ANH_003.jpg
Obi_ANH_004.jpg

and just for the heck of it:

Obi_WAN_Set.jpg

The set! :)
 
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Looks great, Chris!

Do you plan on roughing up the pommel with a scotch brite or steel wool?

I did it to a Roman's per my wifes recommendation (yes, my wife is awesome)
and it was hard to do, but it turned out great!
 
No plans to rough it up any more at the moment, but you have me thinking about it now!
I think I'll probably weather the clamp and add the black paint to the embossed letters etc. I may even add some chrome tape to the clamp after seeing your beauty!

Thanks :)
 
Here is a Roman's that I used a Scotchbrite on, then I wet sanded with 1,000 grit to put a mirrior shine back on the high spots.
pommel.jpg



Here are some extreme close ups of my clamp... not for everyone, I'm sure.

A few things....I had painted it a few years ago to simulate rust, but it wore off. I used acryllic, next time I will use enamel....and yes I am using white clay to hold on the transistors at the moment. lol

IMG_2142.jpg

IMG_2143.jpg

IMG_2144.jpg

IMG_2145.jpg

IMG_2146.jpg

IMG_2147.jpg
 
If anyone has a source for foil tape that doesn't show every scratch and ding, please let me know.
 
Well, it's been some time since this has seen any action. I finally finished the hardware Obi ANH I started in 2002. The other "mostly hardware" version based around a resin grenade is almost no hardware now. After rotating a variety of parts in and out of the project (THREE different pommels!) I finally fixed on the version I like.

The emitter is a lightly weathered version from a run by Darth Hez. It used to be more weathered, but when I considered putting it on another saber, I tried cleaning it up (unsucessfully). It is now neither "clean" nor entirely weathered. The grenade is a resin piece of unknown origin. When I aquired it, the windvane was cast solid and the neck was broken off on the end. At some point I knocked it off the workbench and broke most of what remained of the neck off, so I fabricated a new one from CPVC and dremelled out the windvane and made some "fins" out of Everegreen "L" channel. The clamp is a work in progress, but will be entirely hardware. The gear is a machined peice of unknown origin recently aquired in trade, though it's about 4mm short per Darth Saber's excellent blueprint. Finally, the pommel is an older but reasonably accurate offering from Roman's Empire.

I plan to post pics when I update my site (hopefully).
 
I figure I should jump in at this point, too...

I never had an interest in building a saber, until I saw a couple pieces that Orange_Blend had placed in the Pay It Forward thread. For some reason, the OWK ANH started growing on me, and fast! I had to have my own, so in a very short amount of time (two months?) I collected everything I would need.

2011-11-11013200.jpg


Roman's emitter, grenade/windvane, Parks clamp w/russrep transistors, russrep booster and scratch-built booster bearing, and a resin pomel (which will be replaced by a proper one at a later date)

I haven't come across a clamp spacer yet, but I may not need it...

2011-11-11013645.jpg


I am going for an AFBB, but clearly I still have a lot of work to do! I need to finish the grenade, chrome the pommel, and insert the d-ring.

As far as the grenade goes, what is the best method of getting it black? Paint? Powder coat? Help me out! And for the pommel, I found an electroplating service that will do it for $20... As long as it comes out OK, it should definitely tide me over until I can replace it.

Once it is finished, I of course need to find a display case for it. All the hobby acrylic displays I have found are just a little too small. Outside of the MR display cases, what does everyone use?
 
I had started my own Obi-Wan build thread here: http://www.therpf.com/f9/my-obi-wan-lightsaber-build-130892/

...but I've also pasted my post here in case someone doesn't want to follow the link.


I've had various versions of Obi-Wan's lightsaber over the years. I started with an Icons, which I traded away quite some time ago.

After that, I purchased the MR. It is still one of my favorite pieces in my collection (I will have to take pictures of the whole collection some day once it's unpacked and displayed nicely again).

About five or six years ago, I purchased a set of parts from Roman's Empire. The multi-piece emitter, brass windvane, "weathered" anodized aluminum grenade, spacer, weathered aluminum booster, and chromed pommel were the most accurate I could afford at the time, and I had a great time putting this piece together.

Now, over the course of the past year I have been collecting Russ' parts. I have a steel emitter which I blued and then burnished with steel wool (just did this today, so I'm not sure if I'm done or how much more work I'll do on it at this point). For the grenade section, I soaked this in water, buried it in the yard, removed most of the rust with steel wool, let it sit around for a bit, kicked it around the driveway, blued the steel, burnished it with steel wool and did some weathering with a ball peen hammer. The brass was soaked in "Easy Off" oven cleaner and rubbed with steel wool until I was happy with the finish. I just started on the clamp today. I've drilled some holes and added one of Phillip's bubble strips, but there is still plenty of work left to do until I'm happy with it. The booster is one of Russ' anodized aluminum pieces. I've knocked it around a bit to remove some of the black and add a few dents, but it probably could use some more work. The tap has made it through unharmed up until now. The entire piece is held together by one of simplyprops adapters.

From top to bottom: MR>Roman>Russ> Russ spare parts

I'm considering putting together a display that shows each part separately, along with a completed lightsaber, and having each of the parts identified from their original source.

 
As far as the grenade goes, what is the best method of getting it black? ...Once it is finished, I of course need to find a display case for it. All the hobby acrylic displays I have found are just a little too small. Outside of the MR display cases, what does everyone use?

From what I've seen here, the best bet for aluminum would either be annodizing or a chemical treatment called "Aluminum Black". I've found most hobby shops carry display cases for die cast cars. The ones suited to 1/18th scale are about 14" long, and should be a good fit.
 
I've collected a variety of parts over the years for different projects. All of them were at one point made as Obi ANH parts, but there seems to be a very wide variation in their design. Some ar so far off, that even to a non-expert casual observer, the deviations are patently obvious.

I can understand that reference material has been sparse over the years, but what can possibly account for the wide disparity in the parts? I've got four different pommels and three different emitters. None of them are identical, and none of them are exactly right either. Not to insult any of the individuals who put the effort in to the parts runs, but I look at some of them and wonder, "What were they thinking?"
 
here is mine,and what it looks like for the moment:

obion10.jpg


All Russ except clamp and bubble strip that are real.
The grenade is getting closer and closer to a real one everyday.
The clap begins to have a good patina.

The saber with be highly modified in the future to let it work(lightd and sound),and the parts to be removable,the main problem is "how to hide the soundboard..."
 
I need to finish the grenade, chrome the pommel, and insert the d-ring.

I don't know what it costs to vaccuum metalize a resin pommel, which is likely the only good way to acheive a good looking durable chrome finish, but it seems to me it would be cheaper and easier to just get a machined metal one.
 
Hi there,

I recently read that some artist in the JY just offered his services for i.e. chroming all kinds of materials. Check it out!

-Chaim
 
I don't know what it costs to vaccuum metalize a resin pommel, which is likely the only good way to acheive a good looking durable chrome finish, but it seems to me it would be cheaper and easier to just get a machined metal one.

The screnused Armitage Shanks was the real metal version, but AS also offered a line made from chromed plastic. Usually it sells cheap.
 
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