UNO v1.2 (Starkiller) WIP

[CorellianBada**]

OK, here's where I am in the rebuild, I got rid of most of the plastic and rubber hose off the "prototype" and ditched the BH4 for a Pom-1 which I'm modding as a bladeholder with the sink tube adapter.

It still has to be drilled for switches and screws, needs painting, clearcoat, polishing, etc., and overall clean-up, but if I can find a good way of mounting the lensholder/lens, then it's good to go! Aside from the fact that the BH/Shroud isn't attached, will post more when it's all in 1 piece.

All i have for blade colors at the moment are a Green LuxIII and a Cyan LuxIII bin I (thanks Eastern :))

So, here it is for the moment! Any questions,comments, ideas, etc. are appreciated :)

p.s. I put a pic of the prototype in for comparison

[Tom Starkiller]

Looks cool, be sure to post more pics as you update. :D

[DDanDevious]

so the first two pics are the new one and the last is the original or... ??

Im always confused.

DDD

[CorellianBada**]

yup, u got it DDD

[CorellianBada**]

alrighty, here's a couple of it stuck together for measuring purposes.

the main 1.25 tube's getting another .5 inch cut off so it'll be around 11.5 inches overall length. i put a wrap of electrical tape under the lip of the emitter just to see how the black looks vs. aluminum on that part.

still need the main switch hole and i'd love some ideas for accents i could fix into the 8x32 screw holes in the lower section of the emitter. If any of you have any ideas on where to take it from here, i'd love to hear em!

will post more when i got more to show :)

[CorellianBada**]

since the response has been so overwhelming.....lol, jk......

ok, i'm done with the hilt construction. all holes are drilled, save the blade-screw holder.

the handgrip section still needs some cleaning up, but that'll come later with the final cosmetics. also undecided on keeping the chrome or sanding it down to the brass.....

btw, threw in the inspiration pic for this one.

I'd planned on using the BIN-1 Cyan in here, but something about it is just screaming RED!!RED!!RED!!! so what do you guys think?

[Angelus Lupus]

Bassed on the underside of your shroud, the covertech style knob, the original picture and the fact that I like it.. I say Brass!

[DDanDevious]

I think sanding it to brass would look better, but its alot of work... but it could be worth it, and it would look more like the inspiration pic.

I think this hilt would be good with any color... if you do the brass look green always looks snazzy and red would keep it appropriately evil.

DDD

[Hasid Lafre]

This

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1287721&cp=&fbn=StorePrice%7CUnder+%2425.00&fbc=1&fr=StorePrice%2FACE%2F00000000%2F00002500&kw=sanding&parentPage=search&searchId=29369447673

And a drill and your set to strip the chrome off any sink tube.

[CorellianBada**]

thank you gentlemen!

as this is my 1st "real" saber build, i was kinda hesitant to go down to the brass at 1st, but it really would get rid of some of the minor scratches or what i like to call "unintentional weathering :)"

i also came across some copper-foil tape my wife picked up at a craft store. it's pretty thin and flimsy, but if i take this down to brass it might be a good accent if i clear coat over it, assuming i can get it on straight.

[xl97]

I actually wouldnt recommend the sanding disk myself..

I do however recommend you get a sanding drum ... put some doubel sided or reverse tape on it..and stick the sink tube OVER it nice and tight.. put it in the drill and SPIN IT..

in the other hand get some LOW grit 4-60 and and hold it while you spin the tube sanding off the chrome to reveal the bras underneath.. this way wont leave marks or gouges in the tube...

becarefull just using your hand/fingers..maybe a stiffer padded back or somethign to keep the sandpaper straight/level.. and not leave dips with yoru fingers..

thats how I got my Jay-Gon copy cats done a while back.. that coupled with his pipe cutter trick..things can be very nice looking.

gloves and face mask are a must..

[CorellianBada**]

yeah, i saw that pipe cutter trick in his tutorial, does make it look great but as cool as the brass sabers are, that's kinda Jay's thing and I'm not comfy enough with my craftmanship skills to sand that much off.

The brass tubes rock tho, I'd just get too pi$$ed off after ruining one for what they cost. Maybe later on. I'll leave this one chromed and pretty sure it's gonna be red.

Sad, my 1st saber falls to the darkside......

Oh well...on to the electronics!

[Braxus]

brass would look great on that saber. love the design. i knew i saw that before but i couldnt place it. then i saw the SWG pic. made me smile :D

[Hasid Lafre]

Actually the sanding disk works extreamly well, Ive done it to 3 sinktubes now and it may take a bit but not as much as anyother amount of time it takes.

O nly problem is it will heat up a bit so keep hand at the opposit end your working on.

[CorellianBada**]

ok, ordered the Red LuxIII for this baby, i'm gonna get a brass tube that i won't have to sand and remake it for the cyan.

should make a lovely matching set.

[Novastar]

Nice, Corellian, this reminds me quite a bit of how I did the Flange III sabers. Well, up until you have the thicker OD emitter on the top. But... if I'm looking at it correctly, I see (from the rear forward): 1.5" tube, MHS "Sink 2 MHS), 1.25" tube... and then the thicker emitter... :)

[CorellianBada**]

you got it Nova!

the emitter/pommel piece really turned out well. a 10x32 tap right thru the emitter shroud and a small 1" OD rubber washer does fine at holding in the optics. it's not exactly BMW-quality craftmanship, but it's working great.

hopefully the brassy job will be a bit cleaner, but eh, this was my 1st real effort. :D

i'm pleased with it.

[CorellianBada**]

just an update on the brass version so far. expecting the parts to get here from Tim tomorrow or wednesday'ish. Should have a matched set after i get back from PA this weekend.

As for the finish,I've used the grinding stone, the little cylindrical, pink dremel bit with some great results thus far. it took the sink tubes to down to the brass nice and easy and as long as you're gentle, it won't gouge or streak as far as I've seen. just using a "paintbrush" motion and with a little post-dremel sanding it's doing a helluva job!

[Jay-gon Jinn]

yeah, i saw that pipe cutter trick in his tutorial, does make it look great but as cool as the brass sabers are, that's kinda Jay's thing and I'm not comfy enough with my craftmanship skills to sand that much off.


Hey, if I didn't want people copying my stuff, I wouldn't post pictures of it and tell you how I did it! Brass sabers rock, I don't care who builds 'em, either!

Seriously, though, this would look really good in brass, and using a non-sanded, pre-polished brass tube is probably the best way to go if you're going to use it. The brass saber I kept for myself, BS#2, had to have some sanding on it to reduce that scar I left when the dremel skipped on me during the cutting of the grip window. Now, those pipes came with a coating on them to reduce oxidizing/tarnishing....with the sanding/polishing I had to do, guess what happened to the protective coating? You guess it, GONE! So now that saber has to be wiped down after I've used it to keep the "as first built" shine on it. So I've started to let it tarnish, because it's a pain in the butt to keep polishing the darn thing.

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

That's looking pretty good, CB. I like that design.

I agree with Jay-gon, brass sabers rock! I can't wait to see how it looks when you're done.

As for mine, I deliberately let the brass and copper get tarnished. I love the weathered look, but that's a matter of taste. I totally understand why some people like to keep their sabers shiny. Do what's right for you.

Keep up the good work, and keep posting pictures.

[CorellianBada**]

thanks alot guys!

the saga continues in my next thread.......:p

[CorellianBada**]

Done :)

The camera wasn't too cooperative, but i hope these are good enough.

Here she is!

I'll put more when I get the 2nd up and running.... thanks!

[Braxus]

that saber is AWESOME ON SOOO MANY LEVELS!!!!!

iwantiwantiwant :D

[Lord Dottore Matto]

Done :)

The camera wasn't too cooperative, but i hope these are good enough.

Here she is!

I'll put more when I get the 2nd up and running.... thanks!

Nice work!