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View Full Version : What have you used to build your saber???



Firebird21
03-13-2006, 02:45 PM
What are some of the more obscure things you have used to make your sabers.

I love looking at photos of people’s custom sabers and trying to guess what they are made out of. I was surprised to find that the sink tube was the medium of choice when I first started looking into saber building.

Abstract info on the actual movie props are good too. Most of us know that Darth Vader’s saber is made from a lighting fixture (Edit:Vader sabers in Ep. IV were most likely built from a British camera flashgun called the MPP), and (correct me if I’m wrong) Obi Wan’s saber was made out of a British Fragmenting grenade.

And pics are encouraged!

http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_needpics.gif
lol I love that gif!

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xwingband
03-13-2006, 02:54 PM
If by a "lighting fixture" you mean a camera flash then sure.[:D]

Sink tubes are kind of the de facto since all sabers have been tubes except those milled out.

I had a little bit of inspiration last night and I really want to do a clear hilt. I know Corbin did one but I want mine to be like those hyper-realistic ones that unnamed saber builder makes (I don't like them but the hilts are pretty detailed). I figured I have the Weld-on skills to do it so I just need to find PolyC in all the sizes I want that won't cost me an arm and leg...[:p]

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Firebird21
03-13-2006, 03:10 PM
Found this online...

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">There is a common mistake that Darth Vader's lightsaber was only made from the Heiland Synchronar flashgun. Actually4 flashguns were used in both the films and publicity photos.

1. The Heiland Synchronar

2. The Heiland 3-cell (same as the Synchronar except for less rounded sync-plugs and slightly different test button)

3. The Micro Precision Products Microflash (a Heiland look a like made in England)

4. The Graflex 3-cell modified to look like a Heiland (Used in "Return of the Jedi").<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

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xwingband
03-13-2006, 03:37 PM
That's true but it's up to debate. There is never enough on screen in ANH or ESB to confirm a Heiland ever being used. The only ones that can for sure be said is the graflex and MPP versions. There is also the King Sol flash but that one is even more up to debate.

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Tenric Starkindler
03-13-2006, 08:42 PM
hmmm.
some of the unusual stuff I've used has been:

Floppy drive anchor screw
brass Mother Board Spacers
small red Mother Board washers
amputated wheel hub from a toy truck
Jewelry case drawer knob
picture hanging hooks
small sink basket

at least they seem unusual to me from reading the forums.....

Reality often interferes with what would otherwise be an idyllic delusion.

LAN-ED-TUL
03-13-2006, 10:46 PM
mpp for sure and a graflex too. it is possible on the heiland to cuz it is a very close matchup to a mpp. just a bit different in the plugin holes oval and squared. thats what i read. and the sol, i dont think so. some claim it, but no evidence to support that claim has been captured from the movies.

You dont know the POWER, of the dark side...

Umi_Ryuzuki
03-14-2006, 11:37 AM
If you look at the Vader master replica emitter head, THAT is a Heiland 7 inch reflector mount. Graflex never produced a reflector mount styled in that manner. That mount is also how a graflex would be made to "look" like a Heiland.

As for the odd parts, pretty much as "The big yellow box" states, except car door trim was added to elminate a sharp edge.
(it was hazardous to children.)
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2305/zacsaberconversion1mb.md.jpg
Shown with the original plastic blade head, and the new LED emitter head. (I couldn't break the orginal emitter, so I had to rebuild it.)[xx(]
Reused the master replica battery pack, battery contacts and base ring with threads cast into the base of the sink pipe.


Nyow!
/
=^o^=

LAN-ED-TUL
03-15-2006, 03:56 AM
at one time i read exactly what shroud they used for vader saber. and it wasnt a heilend. it was off anotherflash handle, because of its single step instead of a heilands 2 steps. just cant remember what it was off of, but it wasnt a heilands shroud.

You dont know the POWER, of the dark side...

Mur-Pa DiLos
03-15-2006, 10:23 AM
I have a question, I've been going through my home depot here in Flagstaff, and all the PVC is either too tight or too loose. How do you guys get them to fit right? Is it me, or is it my stupid home depot!?!?![:(]

Mur-Pa DiLos
03-15-2006, 10:24 AM
Yay, I'm a knight now!!![:D]

xwingband
03-15-2006, 10:32 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mur-Pa DiLos

I have a question, I've been going through my home depot here in Flagstaff, and all the PVC is either too tight or too loose. How do you guys get them to fit right? Is it me, or is it my stupid home depot!?!?![:(]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Well, most of the time don't use it for the hilt, but PVC is very variable otherwise there'd be no reason for plumbers having joint sealer. lol You might want to wait a while to check the new shipment they get. Tim special orders his PolyC and it's still slightly variable.[:(]

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Tenric Starkindler
03-15-2006, 05:15 PM
I had trouble finding the pipe myself.
A member of another forum was kind enough to not only send me some, but post the info:

From Lowe's
PW Pipe
1 1/4" x 10' 160 psi pvc pressure
item# 23996
model# 23996
bar code# 098179101550

It fit very nicely over the 1.5" sink tube. Don't let the difference of diameter worry you.

Reality often interferes with what would otherwise be an idyllic delusion.

Umi_Ryuzuki
03-15-2006, 05:51 PM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by LAN-ED-TUL

at one time i read exactly what shroud they used for vader saber. and it wasnt a heilend. it was off anotherflash handle, because of its single step instead of a heilands 2 steps. just cant remember what it was off of, but it wasnt a heilands shroud.

You dont know the POWER, of the dark side...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I suppose it depends on which movie saber you prefer.
http://www.racprops.com/issue4/saberfordarkside/
I guess I can say I trust Racprops, they took the time to completely slam a phaser I built.[:D][:D]

http://www.thelightsaber.com/historyD.htm
You are correct, the blocky one is definitely not a heiland, which is what MR actually reproduces. But I believe the early version in ANH and ESB were Heilands

Nyow!
/
=^o^=

xwingband
03-15-2006, 07:01 PM
That rac article is so old. It goes to a heck of a lot of work to get what a MPP flash is. It really is debatable on whether a Heiland was used because in ANH the best shots we get are partials (opening scenes). There can be no doubt though because the MPP hits it straight on and is British (The Heiland was the american version).

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headwound
03-15-2006, 10:00 PM
parts used on lightsaber is a topic im interested in, could we move the what was origanally used to the "what is vader's saber made from" thread.

the most interesting parts that I have used when constructing my lightsaber is a brass tubing end piece for an emitter and an air compressor coupling for an end piece. unfortuanatly I have no pics as of yet

987654321a
03-15-2006, 10:53 PM
1) sink tube
2)suede grip
3)orings
4)wooden blade (its for my movie)
5)copper pipe for emmiter and blade holder.

The Dark Side will kill you
www.starwarscustoms.bravehost.com
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LAN-ED-TUL
03-15-2006, 11:42 PM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Umi_Ryuzuki

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by LAN-ED-TUL

at one time i read exactly what shroud they used for vader saber. and it wasnt a heilend. it was off anotherflash handle, because of its single step instead of a heilands 2 steps. just cant remember what it was off of, but it wasnt a heilands shroud.

You dont know the POWER, of the dark side...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I suppose it depends on which movie saber you prefer.
http://www.racprops.com/issue4/saberfordarkside/
I guess I can say I trust Racprops, they took the time to completely slam a phaser I built.[:D][:D]

http://www.thelightsaber.com/historyD.htm
You are correct, the blocky one is definitely not a heiland, which is what MR actually reproduces. But I believe the early version in ANH and ESB were Heilands

Nyow!
/
=^o^=
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

well. i know the rotj saber was a graflex, and it had a made up shroud part. but in anh and esb, putting aside which handle was used, the fact is the shroud on both those sabers were from a different flash, i seen the article that showed a picture of the flash it came from and told about it, but that was several years back, and i forgot the name of that handle. im sure it did start with a L tho.

You dont know the POWER, of the dark side...

xwingband
03-16-2006, 11:52 AM
[?]Lan, I'm going to respect headwounds request because this really isn't a vader's saber thread. www.partsofsw.com, let's try to stay on topic.

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seth22
03-25-2006, 12:10 PM
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dawn_kassa/album?.dir=/bd93
This is a lightsaber I built for my daughter. I used a smaller flashgun I bought off ebay, The blade I made for a el saber but robbed it for this, the lights are a force fx light strip that had lights out at the tip and I had to cut the strip to the length of the blade and cut off the broken lights. Its mainly stuff I wasnt using.

the_steve
03-25-2006, 12:44 PM
My bladeless hardware/garage saber is made from a chromed aluminum umbrella pole, an EMT clamp, an EMT hangar, a showerhead, a pvc coupling, a red tack, foam tape and reivets.