Can I Recreate the Original Star Wars Lightsaber?
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- I love the lightsaber Obi-Wan gives Luke. Can I take a vintage Graflex flash handle and make it the same way they did for the original movies?
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Can I Recreate the Original 1977 Star Wars Lightsaber
• Can I Recreate the Ori...
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There are some tiny difference between the Episode 4 and Episode 5 lightsaber. I used the original plans, but made mine reflect the Empire Strikes Back version.
What can’t WD40 do! I just love that stuff. And the fact that it’s original purpose was for corrosion prevention of US ICBMs in the late 40s and 50s
This is constructive critique because you asked us to respond. If you really want this to be screen accurate,
There should be a second red button on the front instead of the glass eye
There should be a single strip of mylar tape to cover the word "graflex" on the clamp
The screws should be black, or you should be using silver rivets
The bottom is missing the Graflex 3 cell production info stamp
and the Grips should be flush with the end of the 3 cell bottom
I hope that helps. This was an amazing video, I am SO looking forward to you finishing your Karmann Ghia!
You need a second red button in place of the glass eye... and you need to remove the beertab off of the original red button...
@@DoaTheJackalope There were silver screws in some scenes
@@DoaTheJackalope I'm not sure I'd consider the 3 cell info stamp necessary
I love that something clearly made on a budget from random parts that the lighting/prop crew had lying around in the mid 70s is now being replicated as faithfully as possible.
So true like those prop makers back then just used whatever they could find laying on the shelf, little did they know they would turn random objects into sought after super valuable collectables lol
Yeah! And for a fukuvalot more money!
A budget?
@@Scrapla1 yup, tho subsequently it ended up biting vintage camera collectors in the ass because they can never find the cameras with flashes cos Star Wars collectors are always buying them xD
honestly, the only non accurate piece (so far, im not too far into the video) is the pcb part that goes in the clamp section. The actual part is gold though, and is probably stupid expensive. And copper looks cool too.
Fun Fact: You didn't need to deal with all that hassle for the grips.. the originals were made from plastic display case t-track. The propmakers at ILM literally used junk from bins they had around, to make the lightsabers in the original trilogy. The activation plate is made from the display of an old calculator....it was replaced with a piece of circuit board for ESB.
True - but I wanted to make them.
@@Iliketomakestuff Fair enough
I heard they were wiper blades
The grips were british military wiper blades. Not t-track
The activation strip was from a Texas Instruments LED scientific calculator (the old kind with red numbers, I don'trecall the model number anymore).
@@Kommander_Rahnn Common mistake.... thought they were wiper blades too, for the longest time.
A million photography buffs just screamed out in pain and were silenced forever.
I think photography buffs reluctantly resigned themselves to the fact geeks were going to "destroy" all the Graflex flashes a few decades back. Though the photography buff who sold me two of them back in 2001 thought it was cool what I planned to do with them, so there is that
@@UnrealizedReality yeah most camera buffs hate us lightsaber guys. Although most of us have found a happy middle ground where we use replica lowers on vintage tops since the only thing that needs permanent modification is the bottom.
🤣
I'm a photography buff and I bought the 3 Cell Graflex back in 1996 to turn into Luke's lightsaber. I never did make it into that. I did find the calculator plastic clear bubbles for the originsl buttons
I’m a SW fan and bought a graflex 3 cell. Ended up leaving it alone because I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
That’s awesome!! As for the ferric chloride, as a bladesmith who uses Ferric a good deal, be careful if you intend on using it for steel at some point. When you mix copper in with the acid it will turn your steel pink; a general rule of thumb is to have a separate tank of ferric for copper projects and then a separate for steel. Just a random bit of info! I was nerding out so hard because I love the graflex saber. Such an amazing build! God bless - Ian Z😀
Thanks for the tip!
That would explain a palpatine saber replica I saw at a convention where the gold portion had somehow turned pink! They were still selling the saber for a profit, but it was pretty cool anyhow
I know this has been pointed out before, but the Empire Strikes Back lightsaber has a second red button instead of the glass eye. What you’ve made is a very good replica of the version seen in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi
You can tell that Bob enjoys the Star Wars projects just a LITTLE bit more... 🚀🚀🚀
Definitely my favorite!
Was that Destin that I heard laughing in the bloopers? If so, its cool to see some of my favorite YT creators hanging out and being friends to share ideas. Awesome build, this is on my bucket list to do one of these days. Just finished watching Adam Savage build his own custom saber.
Not this time. Thanks for watching though!
This was an awesome video and I enjoyed watching you make a replica of the Ep.5 lightsaber, but when serious collectors refer to the "screen accurate" version they're talking about going through the process of finding all those old parts and assembling it. I don't do it myself but I have looked into it a bit: Firstly you'll need a graflex 3 cell flash tube, as you observed. Depending on whether you're looking to recreate the Ep. 4 or 5 version you'll either need to scavenge calculator buttons or a SNES game cartridge for the activator switch and the grips are windshield wipers though you might have to do some serious looking to find the right ones.
Most of these recreated versions are passion projects that take years to gather parts for and can be fun just to know you built a lightsaber the same way as the prop guys on set.
I was fairly certain that it was not windshield wipers but cabinet T track that was used.
The grips were never flexible rubber on the surviving original props...as they would be if they were wiper blades.
Uh oh, the Graflex nerds are gonna attack soon!
I needed this video today. Thanks Bob! So freak'n cool!
Glad you liked it!
Printed circuit board needs to either be coated to keep it from corroding, or you need to go find pretty any old ISA card from the computer recyclers, and then cut the edge connector off it. Will give you the right contacts and also a gold plate on them as well so they stay shiny.
Would the connector on an NES cartridge work?
@@mrsir92i want know that
Bob wrenching to the beat at 4:08 is epic. Great sound design as always by the editors!
Thanks for that! I have the best team.
@@Iliketomakestuff Who's doing the editing? Is that part of Anthony's job?
@@SanderMakes I'm pretty sure its still Forbe (I only hear his name, I've never seen it spelled. Sorry Forbe!)
Star Wars pissed off so many photographers by making vintage Graflex Flashguns harder to find
Cue lightsaber nerds telling you that your T track is inaccurate, and 1/32 of a millimeter off.
Awesome stuff Bob! Congrats on having a sweet saber. Loved all the techniques and methods you used for this project.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I know you were going for an authentic look, but I think it would be awesome to have the circuit board have your ILTMS circuitry on it.
Awesome project!
If you are going to modify an incorrect Graflex (and fabricate pieces in order to make it visually look like the correct Graflex) why not just buy a replica Graflex kit and start from there?
Because he’s ignorant and wanted to lie and say he has a screen accurate graflex for the views
Lots of places to start, this is where I started.
Amuses me that the photo stuff turns up over and over in 80s sci-fi (says the guy cobbling together an Alien's shoulder lamp.)
Actually, not sure if it's totally screen accurate, but it is cool AND it's fun to see you figuring out how to use your "beast" CC machine.
Love seeing Frank Ippolito featured. Loved him when he was working with Tested years back.
definitely looks pretty accurate to me... and it's interesting to see how little they modified it to make the lightsaber
I’m happy to see you making some fun projects with your mill! I noticed that your spindle speeds were pretty slow for Aluminum. (Yes I realize some of the video was slowed down haha) You may have better luck shifting the mill to high gear, especially for the smaller drills and endmills that you were using. Can’t wait to hear about your experience using the machine shop for this project on Making IT!
I still want a Mace Windu Light Saber and My original Yoda and Darth Maul sabers XD
If you want to get the best results etching Star Wars PCBs you need to use dank ferric chloride. 🥁🥁👏
FYI for future casting projects. If you sprue up you parts in a straight line you can then construct a mold box around them that will allow you to cut the mold for easier demolding. Plus since the mold is basically in a rectangle you can clamp the mold shut with a few rubber bands and a couple of pieces of plexiglass when you cast. It will make casting a gang mold much easier.
Going to have a lot of jealous comments. The original Graflex sabers are amazing
This project was such a wonderful showcase of the enormous variety of skills that you've developed, refined, started learning, etc. A single-skill expert couldn't have done this on their own, but a generalist jack-of-many-trades made it look fun an approachable. This may have just surpassed Soundwave as my favorite build.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The extending Disney Saber is Retro Reflective Tape on an extending tape measure with stage lighting hitting it. If you want to build one like that, I suggest a telescoping car antenna covered in retro reflective material, with a base LED light to illuminate it.
The absolute excitement I felt seeing frank. He is a master of his craft!
Turned out great Bob! a great project for the mill.
Long time viewer, love your videos. I appreciate the different types of projects without going too far outside of your topics/depth. Great job on use your lathe (sp?) to make the handle click-in part after your buddy. Question: when did you get a new chop saw?
Really cool build. The only comment I would have to improve it would be to not 3D print the grip detail. The black grip pieces were originally windscreen wiper blades and it would have been great to see you use those. I also thought they were attached with pop rivets so would be good to see that detail too.
A couple tiny details, for ESB they put an aluminium or metal tape around the clamp to hide the ‘Graflex’ word around it, it’s definitely part of the look.
Another detail, and this, I understand some people don’t want it, but it is actually visible in Empire Strikes Back, you can actually see the Graflex patent with New York etc written on the pommel during the ice cave scene on Hoth.
Great work though!
This is by far the most I have enjoyed one of your videos. There was so much that I didn't know that I didn't know...
...I enjoy them all but this is on another level. Thanks Bob!
Do not destroy antique flash guns. Graflex will sell you modern parts to make your lightsabre 🤷🏻♀️🎬
Awesome job man. Make On my Friends.
Not bad, I’d say as it is you’re about 70% there. The biggest one (as others have pointed out) is that the Empire prop had 2 red buttons instead of a glass eye on the front. As it stands right now you have a Force Awakens replica. Then there’s the thin Mylar strip covering the “graflex” stamping around the clamp, black Phillips head screws in the grips, and the grip ends should be flush with the bottom of the hilt. The “beer tab” and small pin on the underside of the back red button should also be removed. If you want to get really nitpicky, then the bottom half should also be nickel-plated brass instead of aluminum. And the tiniest detail would be the shape of the 4 small brass pins in the 2 black circles by the emitter.
Hope that was helpful! Definitely a fun build to see you put together, and would be neat to see small updates made here and there over time should you decide to go that route
Looks like you did a great job, looks fairly accurate to me. Also looks like you're getting more confident with that drill press.
Awesome seein a build as it was made back then! But correct me if I'm wrong, isn't the PCB part an ISA card?
I see you have constructed a new lightsaber. Your skills are complete, indeed you are powerful as Jimmy has foreseen.
HAHA!
I've been looking forward to this video since you first mentioned it on the Making It Podcast (annnnd the After Show!)
there is a mismatch of the stainless finish.
T Track wasn’t rubber, it was a very hard plastic. Awesome job on this!
you must have paid a fortune for the flash handle...
they are pretty scarce and some people really need them to use them with their vintage camera. the camera people are (at least here in germany) not really keen on selling the flashes to stranger, as they fear they would get "converted".
you have to actually meet up with the seller and proof your vintage camera collection and so on, it is crazy.
Always love lightsaber making but every time I see a real Graflex used there’s a photographer screaming somewhere 😂
Rochester, NY reporting in for this epic build .. Kodak lightsaber ;)
The printed circuit board looks like the connector of an ISA style computer board.
no you did not use the proper screws
Couldn’t you make the grips with a windshield wiper and a sharp blade? Isn’t that what the original was?
Why not use winsheild wiper blades like the original so it is more authentic for black handle grips.
I'm just now coming back to this channel because I thought about it randomly in my explanation of why I decided I wanted to be an engineer, I remember watching Bob make stuff in like 4th or 5th grade and thinking it was so cool and here I am 6 or 7 years later with a mechanical design certificate and thinking about where it began, thank you Bob for giving me a dream to act on, I hope some day I come back as a colonel in the air force with my dream job as an engineer and seeing Bob still make stuff. Thanks again, Bob, for giving me a goal to work to
Wonderful job, it looks great. Nice to see the one tiny part of Frank's shop that isn't secret.
It was a pretty cool place. Sorry we couldn't share too much more of it!
A boring bar, I dunno... seems like it has an interesting job... it probably just needs to open up a bit more at parties.
READ SOME TIME BACK THEY USED WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES FOR THE LONG HANDLE-GRIPS.
the donut media low team shirt was the most unexpected crossover. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one
Fantastic work, Bob! Nicely done! 😃
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
I didn’t know the lightsaver was made from a old camera flash how interesting
I realized I've been missing Frank.. I need to check out the tested podcast again.
I see all the replica prop perfectionists and angry camera collectors have arrived
Looks awesome Bob, and it looks like you are getting comfortable with the machine tools which is awesome
I’m really jealous that you got a hold of an original flash.
I don’t even have the vocabulary to express how cool I think this is. All of your Star Wars builds have been so spot on. Bravo. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Amazing! A genuine graflex saber is such a dream of a lot of lightsaber lovers, myself included, so it's super awesome to see this one come together.
make the blue blade next
Fitting that you used blue milk to make your silicon mold.
you should make it a working lightsaber
Which 14x40 lathe was that in Frank’s shop? Looked like maybe one of the older Precision Matthews ultra precision models but I couldn’t tell for sure.
Oh, I get the "Hates JET Lathes" now. Looked at it on my computer instead of my TV and could see the model GH-1440B that way. Nice.
Did they use windshield wiper blades for grips?
or a light coat of spray paint will do the same trick.
Anybody catched the Donut Media Shirt?
Nope nope it's all wrong, you'll just have to send it to me so I can properly display, I mean dispose of it. Lmbo JK it's totally awesome, great job Bob.
haha!
That pcb reminds a lot a pci express connector.
When I was in university that acid sucked so bad, or we just didn't use it properly, turns out mixing muriatic acid with hydrogen peroxide, works faster and last longer
Thanks!
Enjoyed watching this , I used to go to Hollywood frequently for my work in the late Seventies and early 80’s to pick up technical supplies for the Live Theater I worked at . I saw an original screen used light saber for sale in a Hollywood shop for only $20 and kept procrastinating. It eventually sold and I have regrets . It looked pretty close to yours .
That's really cool!
Great now they are going to become harder to find again
If you like it, that’s the important part.
I recommend anyone who wants to try this for themselves buy a replica flash handle instead. Cheaper and you won't make vintage camera collectors mad.
True, but I wanted to use the Graflex.
Josh, Anthony, or Megan: Could one of you mock Bob for how he pronounces "tin?"
Thank you in advance.
We're on it - Meg
This absolutely made my day. Awesome prop build!
Windshield wiper blades, you did not have to go thru all that printing/casting. Look up Episode 4 build
True, but that was the process I wanted to go through.
Repping the Donut Media shirt!!!! Awesome to see two of my favorite channels overlap!
You know it!
Oh no windshield wipers like the original
My verdict is it looks amazing
Love the project in my opinion of you are trying to make an original trilogy replica then I would go with a bubble strip instead of a circuit board
For A New Hope, yes. For Empire, no.
Awesome work! Next step should be adding a sound board and neopixel blade! I haven’t done hilt electronics in like 20 years, so a refresher/update to current tech would be awesome!
That would be cool!
Instead of casting the grips, why not use windshield wipers like the original did? Also, are there plans to put in electronics?
3D printing them was more up my alley. No plans for electronics right now.
its anakin's lightsaber not luke's
I would like to see you engrave the Kodak info on the bottom as spotted during the Wampa cave scene.
Kodak was not engraved on the bottom. It said GRAFLEX, with some other information about the company. Kodak did make flash handles, but not ones used for Skywalkers sabers.
ps ibmay take you up 9n those fusion 360 courses! do you guys also teach blender?
No, just Fusion
Anybody else notice the donut low team shirt? Awesome to see one of my favorite RUclipsrs representing another of my favorite channels!
I haven't seen Frank since his time on the Tested channel! I've been wondering what he was up to. Does he have his own channel?
He sure does! ruclips.net/user/FrankIppolito
Go go "Low-Team" D-D-D-Donuts!
I bet it feels good to check that off the "Maker" Bucket list.
Big time!
Lol frank failed my art class
Suggestion: maybe print the grips using TPE or TPU? Saves a step in the forming I think.
ooh, that thing is awesome Bob! Great job! Next build: real size Death Star?
At 7:58 - I believe that what they used was the so called PCB "edge connector" - a very common on many circuit boards that connects together. Back in the day it was most likely some cartridge or industrial PCB that they sawed the end off. But these days you can find these on any desktop computer expansion card. You can get a dead network adapter or GPU for literally a pennies in the nearby PC service/store, or even buy a brand new network adapter for like 5$ to cut off the edge of the connector.
There are resins made now for casting. Sirya Tech makes some that are more affordable for makers.
Good to know.
*"IMPRESSIVE...MOST IMPRESSIVE!"* That's so cool. I loved watching this come together. And I little nervous when you did the slots on the freshly machined cylinder LOL