-
Jedi Knight
Graflex Saber building - updated 4/13/06
At the request of a couple of our members, I am starting a thread where I will document, step by step, the process I go through when creating a saber for one of my customers.
Before I do that, formal introductions are in order. I am Jon, owner and head sabersmith of Judge Sabersmith...
I build custom lightsabers for my customers, from mild to wild. I would like to say I am in business, but businesses tend to turn a profit, and I make very, very, very little off of the sabers I create. It is more of a hobby for me, and customers finance my hobby. I think off of my last saber I built, my net profit was $25 or some such amount.
I have digressed.
I am in the process of building two sabers for a customer right now. One is an approximation of Anakin's saber from ROTS and the other is an approximation of Obi-Wan's from ROTS. This tutorial will document the creation of Anakin's.
Here's the sketch I made that I will use as reference when building. It's not 100% accurate, but this saber is an "approximation", not a replica...I don't want to infringe on copyrights.
A ruler laid out by the drawing shows approximately 272mm for the total length of the saber.
A 1.5" 20 gauge sink tube has been clamped in the vise. I am using jaw protectors which securely grip the tubing without nicking or scratching the chrome.
Transferring the length measurement from the drawing to the tube.
This is the template I am using for this project. I am not going to drill all the holes you see, but this template is easy to locate and gives me enough flexibility to decide where...and what I want to drill out for different versions of Graflex-based saber creations.
Lining up the forward-most part of the template with the mark on the tubing, I draw around the tube with a permanent marker.
Like so...
My weapon of choice is a Dremel with a heavy-duty cut-off wheel.
Here's the secret to working with a Dremel. Take your time when cutting. You CANNOT cut tight curves with the cut-off wheels. You'll break your wheels or cause the wheel to bind then jump out of the cut and scratch your saber...take your time. We can clean this up...I'll show you how.
Keep taking straight cuts around the tubing. Take your time.
It's rough, I know. But, we have cut the waste piece out and have not scratched our saber, nor have we broken a cut-off wheel. Keep the cut-off wheel handy, we're not done yet.
At low speed, the cut-off whell can act as a nice grinder. Use the flat face of the wheel and steadily approache your drawn line. This is as far as I dare go towards final shape with the cut-off wheel. Now, it takes something a bit more delicate.
Your standard, 80-grit sanding drum for the Dremel. Use this at medium speed to clean up and smooth your cuts.
Like so. Notice I have not crossed my drawn line. The remainder of the sanding and filing will be done by hand, with a series of jeweler's files and varying grits of sandpaper on sanding blocks or wrapped around tubing. That part is for the next update to this thread.
Let's cut some holes, shall we? You can see my hammer, center-punch, 1/8" drill bit and both of my step bits.
You MUST centerpunch all holes that you are going to drill...especially on tubing. Secured tightly in the vise, give the center-punch a good whack and make your dimple.
An 1/8" hole being drilled to allow for the first step-bit to do its work.
The first step bit is used to the third notch, which equates to 3/8"...and allows the second, larger step bit, to do its work.
The larger step bit is chucked up and used to drill the holes to 1/2". Repeat for all the holes needed (red button, glass eye, both recharge port holes).
Four holes, all 1/2" diameter. Very minimal cleanup needed on the inside of the tube. Looks good so far.
Here's how it matches up with my drawing. Not bad, not bad at all...especially considering I did the drawing from memory and the holes were drilled from a template from an actual Graflex.
One more shot for the road. It has possibilities...definite possibilities.
Next update will include fine tuning the cuts, cleaning up the inside of the saber tube, drilling the tube and the LED holder for screws and maybe some decorative elements. Enjoy!
Update 3/29/06
Well, a couple of plans fell through this evening, so I decided to work on the saber project a bit more before I go out of town this weekend.
In this update, we're going to clean up our cuts, make everything nice and even, cut our pipe and do some test fit of parts.
Here is our tube as we left it the last time. Looking good, but still some final shaping to do. We're in for a long stretch.
Instead of having this saber be one continuous piece, I am going to have it in 2/3 separate sections. The bottom will be permanently affixed to the midband and that sub-assembly will be fastened to the top section. I decided to split the saber so the batteries are easily changed without having to remove the sound module from the saber and risk messing something up. It will all make sense when we get to that part...much later.
I am using my trusty pipe/tubing cutter to cut the tube. I have placed tape around the tube to protect the delicate chrome finish, since the guide wheels on the cutter tend to scratch the finish if it is not protected. A word of advice: When using a tubing cutter on thin-wall tubing such as sink tubes...GO SLOWLY! Do not try cutting in one rotation of the tool. I will tighten the tool until the cutter is contacting the tubing, then slowly rotate the tool around the tubing to make sure the cutter tracks straight, then a 1/8 turn of the tightening wheel, then another rotation, rinse, repeat.
By going slowly, I have cut the tubing without distorting it's shape, without scratching the chrome. It took me about 5 minutes to cut this tubing...DO NOT GET IN A BIG HURRY! I now have two separate pieces to my Graflex approximation. Both pieces are within 1mm of length of an actual Graflex.
Hard to see, but there are small ridges around all the holes I drilled and around the emitter cut I made. Let's see if we can clean these up, shall we?
My wepaon of choice for this saber is 100-grit sandpaper wrapped around a 3/8" diameter tube. I can follow contours and get all the nasties sanded off.
I work slowly and check my work periodically.
Here, I am making sure I am removing the ridge left by drilling holes in the tubing. The inside of the tube must be PERFECTLY smooth in order to proceed with the project.
Still sanding. Notice how smooth everything is becoming? I use 100-grit, 150-grit then 320-grit wet-or-dry sandpaper when sanding.
Tube is done! You will notice I have one of Tim's MHS LED/Blade Holders and MHS to 1.5" sink tube adapters also. I had Tim cut the adapter and LED holder to 1.440" diameter, which is the nominal ID of a 20 gauge sinktube.
It fits like a glove. Not difficult to insert at all, but not "sloppy" either.
The actual section of the LED/Blade Holder that stick away from the emitter will be polished to resemble the chrome finish of the tube.
Here's the saber thusfar. The midband will be made out of 1.25" 160psi PVC. I will most likely use chrome or stainless steel button-head screws to fasten the midband to the sections, and the same fastener to secure the MHS to 1.5" sinktube adapter to my tube. The midband will be covered in aluminum "bumper repair" tape that will be burnished and polished. That stuff is for another update, however.
Heres the top half of the saber and a reproduction Graflex button. This update, we'll be looking at some of the cosmetic details.
The button will not fit the hole adequately, at least, not without milling a flat spot in the MHS parts. I am trying to keep the cost down, so I am going to build an adapter out of suitable plastic - in this case, a marker.
A piece was cut from the marker and the button was installed. Now we need to shape it to fit the contour of the 1.5" sink tube.
Like so...
Looking pretty good so far.
The surround for the "glass-eye" is made from the cap of the marker I used for the button surround. This also needs shaped to contour.
Here is is installed. I am contemplating part of an acrylic half-ball for the eye, or perhaps a plastic bumper of some sort that will serve as a lens.
Both pieces installed. Looks good so far.
For the "ears" of the saber, I am using some sheet styrene and a piece of styrene I-beam to serve as the basis.
Mocked up, it is beginning to look like a set of "ears". There will be tons of work to do on this part, but you get the basic idea.
Comparison shot. It's fairly close...as least, as close as I can get and still use Tim's awesome parts.
Another comparison shot.
The money shot for this update. Note the balsa wood in the "ears" piece? It is only there to brace the ears as the glue dries...it is not a permanent fixture.
Next update, we begin the fun, fun, fun of electronics and getting this sucker wired up!
-
Council Member
Jedi Council Member
-
Really cool! I look forward to the future updates. Thanks for sharing this.
Randy
-
I agree, nice work. It's always cool to have talented people share some methods with us.
-
-
Jedi Knight
Template can be found at:
http://www.elvistrooper.com/dvrotj/temp.htm
...how will you know the light unless you have seen the dark? How will you know the good unless you have flirted with the evil?
-
Jon-Jon McClaine, now; Snake vs. The Crane Style...
<div align="right">-Method Man</div id="right">
Jon, you helpful b@$t@rd!!! Thanks so much for posting a step-by-step for what has to be my most favoritest hilt. The template, too! Your place in the heavens is assured...
Thanks again.
You don't need to see any identification.
-
-
Jedi Knight
I thank you for the kind words. I am happy to be of whatever assistance I can. I ask that you be patient with this tutorial. Between two full time jobs and a new girlfriend, I have little time for saber building. The next update to this tutorial will be along next week sometime.
...how will you know the light unless you have seen the dark? How will you know the good unless you have flirted with the evil?
-
Council Member
Jedi Council Member
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules
Reply With Quote
]
</center>
Bookmarks