MR 05 Vader mod, like it or hate it?

[jjshumpert]

the vader switch box assembly i thought needed some improvement, and could benefit from a little better looking setup than the pins that are used so i browsed parts and found a reproduction heiland clamp rod that looked as though it would fit what i wanted to do with this hilt.

http://a38.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/37/l_f3c00d4d62f61819fae5fcbf9d376c65.jpg

first off all the photos i have seen of the vader hilt had the clamp rod lever on the right side of the box so i figured out how i would go about getting it there. the heiland rod is threaded on one side and i wanted to have this not only look better but work better than the mr setup so i went to the hardware store and picked up a bag of 10/32 zinc hex nuts to fit. after removing the pins and plates from the vader i decided that i wanted to grind down the nut so it would fit back into the recesion where the flat side of the stock pin would seat. using a conical grinder bit on my dremel and a pair of vise grips i cut down the nut till it fit inside the plate with just enough clearance that i could turn it with my finger without binding.

http://a974.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/28/l_42e3940fc9348012a660944f1036b3cd.jpg
http://a699.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/19/l_c132db1cedf45d416d15ae93539337b2.jpg

the plastic center of the mr box has small plastic t's which match cutouts on the plates and help hold everything together. if i were to assemble the box at this point the clamp rod would be on the left of the box. since i wanted it on the right i cut off the t's.

http://a230.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/45/l_2bc13a055ab5aaa914f9b4b444455385.jpg

before putting the center piece back in i turned the switch around so that it activated towards the pommel instead of the emitter. the clamp rod is made to fit on a flat surface so you will need to lightly grind the side that sits against the switch box nearest to the hilt body to make it sit flush when assembled. replace the bubble strip and the plates, making shure your plate and nut combo is on the left of your box, insert the threaded end of the clamp rod into the hole in the right plate. with the arm of the rod at an angle from the box turn it till it faces the pommel and has moderate tension, then push the rear side of the arm down to lock it into place.

http://a304.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/35/l_d0005f21be1ab08b332f5c837a30672f.jpg
http://a257.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/12/l_cdedda70c71e81b9933e5e1fa7cd3a10.jpg

tell me what you think of this mod ppl, im trying to decide if i want to make this an option to customers in the future. total cost for adding this setup is around 20.00 and takes about an hour.

[supertrogdor]

I like it, i think it looks rather sleek

[MasterStoney]

i likey

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Looks good!

[james3]

Like I told ya before bro. They Rock! I want to do that to my cyan Vader.

[jjshumpert]

im trying to find you one at the moment james, i only have one supplier for this part at the moment and he is currently out of stock... but as soon as i can get my hands on them your first on the list

[MasterStoney]

20 dollars for parts and labor? how much does one of those lever clamps cost? I think blast tech has them for like $15 don't they?

[xwingband]

Blastech sells the clamp and sidebars. I suspect jjs is probably not getting it from them. "king of parts" on ebay usually has just the clamp.

[jjshumpert]

as usual xwing is right on the money! i got this lever from king of parts for about 8.00 shipped, the pack of zinc hex nuts was just under 2.00, and for customers i think 10.00 for the agrivation of trimming the nut and assembling it is resonable...

forum members are on your own. i can often help in locating parts at a fair price, but it stands to reason if you werent capable of picking up a dremel and working on a custom lightsaber then you wouldnt be a member in the first place, and i am in no way offering to replicate this setup for any forum member at any cost...

[MasterStoney]

yeah ok, i just went on blast tech and looked. i wonder if you can just buy those lever clamps from a pressure valve.

[jjshumpert]

i cant quite picture what your talkin bout stone, but the part i used is 1.250 in long x .250 wide on top x .250 wide at the sides and .375 at the hinge pin with a 1 in threaded rod into the switch box. if there is a comon hinge part that will be compairable that can be purchased locally for less that 8.00 even better!

[vortextwist]

yes real nice.

[Lord Maul]

looks sweet man 8)
great work :D

[MasterStoney]

here's what i'm talkin about

http://i18.tinypic.com/2rptrwp.jpg

[jjshumpert]

thanks for the opinions guys, so far im leaning towards making this a customer option. stoney i have to stop by the hardware store for cut off wheels tonight, ill find the part your talking about and let you know if i think it will work

[987654321a]

i love it, its soo cool

[Lord Maul]

sorry to bring back the old thread but how did you get out the tiny little pin on the side of the clamp? i'm thinking i'll do this mod but i don't know how to get out the pin without screwin up the paint :?

[Firebird21]

sorry to bring back the old thread but how did you get out the tiny little pin on the side of the clamp? i'm thinking i'll do this mod but i don't know how to get out the pin without screwin up the paint :?


Push on the rod from the other side to relive the pressure. Then pull out the pin w/ some pliers.

[Lord Maul]

i got the pin halfway out but i can't keep enough pressure on the pin while pulling :(
any ideas on how to keep pressure on the pin?

[vortextwist]

the easiest way I found was to make sure the pin was pointing away from the hilt. since where it is mounted is at an angle that would be the narrowest part.

[Firebird21]

i got the pin halfway out but i can't keep enough pressure on the pin while pulling :(
any ideas on how to keep pressure on the pin?


Get help...


A second person to hold the pressure on the rod while you pull out the pin.

[jjshumpert]

the paint on mine got all chewed up maul, i just stripped it off and blued the whole thing... no worries of scratches then!

im working on a new shroud now, one of the chrome parts off ebay... here is the current progress...

http://a699.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/41/l_0a25b65536540a6dbde0f0a8f9473582.jpg
http://a341.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/11/l_cd649ba156d299cc065599ae1dec2b1c.jpg

as you can see its not the best made part, and being sized for a 1.5 tube your gonna need to do alot of trimming with a high speed carbide cutter, but im confident once the chrome is stripped and the part blued its gonna look awesome, not to mention the fact i seriously doubt i will break this one in training my students... ive gone thru too many mr plastic shrouds since this is my favorite mr hilt. more to come as i make progress

btw i think im gonna need a dr. p for the assist maul! :twisted:

[Lord Maul]

you got it...it'll be at your house in about 5 years. stupid fedex takes forever :lol: :shock: :D

and FB, i think i'll do that. i managed to get the pin 1/2 way out by myself. now just the other half and i'll be done :)

[jjshumpert]

which way is your small pin facing now? make shure the loose half is facing away from the hilt, you might also try taking a micro chisel and pushing the pin out from the side that is empty of the retainer pin... i guess im a brute or something but i just grabbed ahold of the little bugger with a pair of side dikes and pulled em right on out. the problem i had with the setup is when i tried to put the d@mn thing back together!

[Jedi-Loreen]

FB, where did you get that pic in your sig? And did it have that caption already?

I believe that's actually a baby's skull and a female pelvis, probably showing the proportions of each and why it's so difficult to give birth to human babies and their large heads, because of our big brains.

Besides, if that was a Politician, the head's in the wrong orientation, it would be right side up, since it would have been inserted rectally. :P

[Lord Maul]

which way is your small pin facing now? make shure the loose half is facing away from the hilt, you might also try taking a micro chisel and pushing the pin out from the side that is empty of the retainer pin... i guess im a brute or something but i just grabbed ahold of the little bugger with a pair of side dikes and pulled em right on out. the problem i had with the setup is when i tried to put the d@mn thing back together!

how do you tell which end is the "loose end"?

[Firebird21]

[color=blue][size=16]FB, where did you get that pic in your sig? And did it have that caption already?


I got it in an email with the caption so I can't take any credit for it. And you may be right that it's a baby because it appears that the skull joints have yet to fuse together. I'm no forensic guru, but I think I've got that assumption correct.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Yes, that's the first thing I noticed about the skull. That, and the fact that it has no teeth, or tooth sockets.

[jjshumpert]

loose end = the half that is no longer in the large pin... i got the retainer pin (small one) half out with a micro chisel with the retainer facing down and turned the main pin so it faced towards the bubble strip, then grasped the half that was visible with a pair of side dikes, flat side toward the main pin and pried towards the bubble strip with a sort of outward circular motion. the little pin bent slightly but came right out without much effort. like i said before i had much more trouble getting the little bugger back together after the initial conversion. if need be i can take a vid to better show you how i pulled it, may be easier to see it than read it... let me know if your still needing some help and ill upload something for you

[vortextwist]

man I don't know why people have trouble betting that little pin out. Mine damn near fell out by itself and it was brand new. I just used a pair of needle nose plyers.

[jjshumpert]

vt, it may be the difference in hands between large men and younger men... guess our hands are just made a little tougher and stronger! :twisted:

[vortextwist]

lol ya maybe your right.

[xwingband]

Sometimes pliers aren't enough. I never bother though. I have a nice little piece of music wire scraps that happened to be the same diameter. Give it a tap or two and the pin pops out like butter.

[Lord Maul]

yup, for mine the pin was stuck. whenever i tugged the whole clamp fixture flexed. i ended up just cutting it really close to the big pin. i don't really care about that thing cause i'll be doing the clamp mod.
JJ, don't your side plates move around a bit since you cut off the T or is it still fine?

[ti-el_terall]

Where are you getting the lever? I want to do this to both of my Vaders and I would just like to know where you got them.

[jjshumpert]

the plates dont move a bit maul, and i got the clamp rod from king of parts on ebay

[Lord Maul]

and it looks like you cleaned him out too JJ :x :? :roll:
yet another delay :(

[Lord Maul]

yeah, i just did the hex nut grinding. talk about fun :P
now i just need to wait for the king of parts to get that clamp back in stock :x

[Anakin_Skywalker]

Real cool. :D

[ti-el_terall]

Theres one left for sale on his store. I cleane dout the rest :twisted: .

[Lord Maul]

he he he, i got one too :twisted: :twisted:
should be here hopefully on monday :D

[Lord Maul]

DONE!!!!!
this thing is so fricken cool
here are some pics
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n187/aluke_2006/IMG_0185.jpg
i have some minor touch up painting to do here. kinda hard to tell by my pic

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n187/aluke_2006/IMG_0183.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n187/aluke_2006/IMG_0182.jpg

overall, a fun project and it looks superb