Maybe I already have
DaveP's Luke RotJ V2 Research/Development Thread 2021
- Thread starter DaveP
- Start date
You have a good eye, the reason why that emitter looks like the v3 is because the Gen1 starkiller was build off measurements of the v3. Jorge’s emitter run was done with starkillers v3 file.
He gave us permission to do the run
So good eye!
What? I haven't seen it!!Maybe I already have
Thanks, that's really cool...i didn't know that.
Question to those who built this as a motorized stunt - what kind of connector did you use for the wire ?
I thought it is a 3.5mm mono or dc type, but none of the ones I have would fit in the pommel the way it is drilled. The video that Dave shared (in the attachment above) shows that the guy connects it to the saber with just one hand , so it must be something easy to plug...
Here are also some captures that show it in more details:
How do you install them? Do you have to drill/machine the pommel ?
I have quite a few different ones - some audio, some dc (all are 3.5mm which should be the correct given the size of the pommel hole)
best chance of fitting have those black cylinder-like ones, but they are kind of too modern for the purpose ...
I have quite a few different ones - some audio, some dc (all are 3.5mm which should be the correct given the size of the pommel hole)
best chance of fitting have those black cylinder-like ones, but they are kind of too modern for the purpose ...
I may very well be wrong here, but I was under the impression that Anderson Power Pole connectors were used? Or something similar? That's what I've been sending out with my kits:
![IMG_20211020_111215_574[10887].jpg](https://www.therpf.com/forums/attachments/img_20211020_111215_574-10887-jpg.1542837/ "IMG_20211020_111215_574[10887].jpg")
It looks to me as though the connection is external to the actual hilt, so installing a connector inside the pommel shouldn't be necessary.
Sorry if I've misunderstood the question.
It looks to me as though the connection is external to the actual hilt, so installing a connector inside the pommel shouldn't be necessary.
Sorry if I've misunderstood the question.
I think the Anderson connector theory is there because of what we see on Luke’s saber. The red and white connectors. I’m inclined to believe that on the saber in this shot, might be a plug in to the hilt directly? ( like Halliwax showed or similar) Just a theory but it makes sense in this photo… especially how fast they plug it in in the video
Of course that doesn’t account for the hole size and how small it is.. with the mystery chunk and all fitting in there later….but I think it’s definitely a different connector than Luke’s..
Of course that doesn’t account for the hole size and how small it is.. with the mystery chunk and all fitting in there later….but I think it’s definitely a different connector than Luke’s..
It is a good point that this is likely not the V2 at all - because of the red switch is not visible where it should be, and the cord on the v2 apparently is black twisted pair that close to the hilt.
But let's say it is - then is this what you mean by external connection (with RCAs) ?
I agree it looks a lot like it, but there are problems.
First, I've tried it and it is kind of hard to attach both connectors with just one hand like that guy in the video does as the connector is not firmly attached to the body and wiggles around.
Then as can be seen on the screen grabs, there's definitely a bright spot between the black part and the body (that I thought is the metal part of the connector that is inside the pommel). If it is a RCA, regardless whether the black part is the male or the female, this bright spot can be only the white cable that goes into the RCA. But then it means the whole thing would be a little loose as the cable will bend on the edge of the hole. And from what I can see it always stands at straight angle to the hilt, even when Alec swings it around :
The closeups are very blurry, but for me it looks the white part is just wire, and then there's a black (or wrapped with black electrical tape) 3.5mm jack that goes into the body. Also both look too thin to be RCAs.
My take is that should be something like this (plug can't get all the way in, but just imagine it is):
Here are both variants compared to each other when scaled roughly to the screen grab size
Anyway, as I lean towards the idea that this is not the V2 at all - it does not really matter, but I was messing with this the whole morning so I thought it's worth sharing my findings.
But let's say it is - then is this what you mean by external connection (with RCAs) ?
I agree it looks a lot like it, but there are problems.
First, I've tried it and it is kind of hard to attach both connectors with just one hand like that guy in the video does as the connector is not firmly attached to the body and wiggles around.
Then as can be seen on the screen grabs, there's definitely a bright spot between the black part and the body (that I thought is the metal part of the connector that is inside the pommel). If it is a RCA, regardless whether the black part is the male or the female, this bright spot can be only the white cable that goes into the RCA. But then it means the whole thing would be a little loose as the cable will bend on the edge of the hole. And from what I can see it always stands at straight angle to the hilt, even when Alec swings it around :
The closeups are very blurry, but for me it looks the white part is just wire, and then there's a black (or wrapped with black electrical tape) 3.5mm jack that goes into the body. Also both look too thin to be RCAs.
My take is that should be something like this (plug can't get all the way in, but just imagine it is):
Here are both variants compared to each other when scaled roughly to the screen grab size
Anyway, as I lean towards the idea that this is not the V2 at all - it does not really matter, but I was messing with this the whole morning so I thought it's worth sharing my findings.
Well let me be more clear. I was saying that the connector would be a pluggable connector but not necessary a rca. I was leaning more towards a jack connector ( like an 1/8th inch ). It’s easy to supply power to those for example, ( I’m sure you already know this but for those who don’t ) the ring would be negative and the casing positive. The hole could possibly house the connector and just plugging in would be rather easy with a single hand and one motion. Those would have been readily available in the late 70s. All of the images you’ve supplied points to evidence of this. What you’ve come up with looks good though and since we can really see clearly , we can only speculate..
This circled part looks really stiff like a jack of some kind… and possibly metal… anyway ..
Thank you though for sharing what you’ve come up with!!
This circled part looks really stiff like a jack of some kind… and possibly metal… anyway ..
Thank you though for sharing what you’ve come up with!!
I was referring to the earlier posts about the rca ... I guess your previous post came while I was typing mine as I didn't see it before thatWell let me be more clear. I was saying that the connector would be a pluggable connector but not necessary a rca. I was leaning more towards a jack connector ( like an 1/8th inch ). It’s easy to supply power to those for example, ( I’m sure you already know this but for those who don’t ) the ring would be negative and the casing positive. The hole could possibly house the connector and just plugging in would be rather easy with a single hand and one motion. Those would have been readily available in the late 70s. All of the images you’ve supplied points to evidence of this. What you’ve come up with looks good though and since we can really see clearly , we can only speculate..
View attachment 1542984
This circled part looks really stiff like a jack of some kind… and possibly metal… anyway ..
Thank you though for sharing what you’ve come up with!!
That said there's a very good chance that the screengrabs that I've posted are not all from the same saber. So those during the fight could really be just a white wire wrapped with some tape coming out of the pommel hole. Then the real connectors to be somewhere inside Alec's sleeve and of the type that Dave posted earlier.
Just now I realize what you meantI may very well be wrong here, but I was under the impression that Anderson Power Pole connectors were used? Or something similar? That's what I've been sending out with my kits:
View attachment 1542837
It looks to me as though the connection is external to the actual hilt, so installing a connector inside the pommel shouldn't be necessary.
Sorry if I've misunderstood the question.
Yes, I was asking about the connector in that initial scene - but I didn't realize that's most likely not the V2.
And of course you replied with the V2 in mind.
Yea we are looking at a few different sabers here (different emitters). One looks to have white wire, black and then the saber body, others look to have a white wire, white rubber stem and then an external black connector, etc. Hell that one looks like it has gaff tape around the booster.
This is is all very interesting stuff! And thank you for sharing your investigations v312 Your build is looking great!
There's certainly some variation on the wiring method. I'm not sure about there being different hilts though? In the shots with the wires showing I mean.
The shot with the ringed emitter is the static that we see him holding in the previous shots and is pre-switcheroo:
Entrance:
Switcheroo shot (Pre switch):
Switcheroo Shot (Post switch):
Interesting that the connector can be seen pre-switch, ready to be plugged in to the stunt This is still the static hilt in his hand though.
As for the variation in the wiring, the only shot that actually required the connectors was the above shot. It could be that they chose to use a less conspicuous method of wiring for the other shots. Or it could even have been to make the setup more comfortable for Sir Alec? I'd be interested to know at which stage the switcheroo shot was filmed? Before, or after the duel?
Either way, it certainly looks to me as though the rigid connectors are only present for this specific shot, and that the connection was wrapped or heat-shrinked the rest of the time.
The way that I'm interpreting the actual connection is that it is two sets of Anderson connectors. They actually slot together, and the connection does look to be wider in some frames which suggests to me that it isn't cylindrical.
In the pre-switch shot, the plug that can be seen (the up the sleeve one) appears to be white, with no metallic parts. The black part that is on the stunt connector doesn't go all the way to the actual stunt. I believe this is tape, wrapped around the base of the connectors, to secure the wiring and to keep the two connection blocks together.
The actual wire going in to the stunt looks to be the same white, two core wire that goes up Sir Alec's sleeve:
This is just my interpretation of course, and I could well be wrong! I'll be wiring a few of these up today all being well, so I'll post some pics of how mine looks with the Anderson connectors when they're done.
There's certainly some variation on the wiring method. I'm not sure about there being different hilts though? In the shots with the wires showing I mean.
The shot with the ringed emitter is the static that we see him holding in the previous shots and is pre-switcheroo:
Entrance:
Switcheroo shot (Pre switch):
Switcheroo Shot (Post switch):
Interesting that the connector can be seen pre-switch, ready to be plugged in to the stunt This is still the static hilt in his hand though.
As for the variation in the wiring, the only shot that actually required the connectors was the above shot. It could be that they chose to use a less conspicuous method of wiring for the other shots. Or it could even have been to make the setup more comfortable for Sir Alec? I'd be interested to know at which stage the switcheroo shot was filmed? Before, or after the duel?
Either way, it certainly looks to me as though the rigid connectors are only present for this specific shot, and that the connection was wrapped or heat-shrinked the rest of the time.
The way that I'm interpreting the actual connection is that it is two sets of Anderson connectors. They actually slot together, and the connection does look to be wider in some frames which suggests to me that it isn't cylindrical.
In the pre-switch shot, the plug that can be seen (the up the sleeve one) appears to be white, with no metallic parts. The black part that is on the stunt connector doesn't go all the way to the actual stunt. I believe this is tape, wrapped around the base of the connectors, to secure the wiring and to keep the two connection blocks together.
The actual wire going in to the stunt looks to be the same white, two core wire that goes up Sir Alec's sleeve:
This is just my interpretation of course, and I could well be wrong! I'll be wiring a few of these up today all being well, so I'll post some pics of how mine looks with the Anderson connectors when they're done.
It's strange , but it appears that the cable is attached to or plugged into the hero before the switch of the sabers happens.
The wire goes behind his hand and into the fat white thing pretty much exactly how it sits later when connected to the stunt. If it was loose it would be hanging down from the sleeve:
Then there seems to be some black tape - like they cut the cable to extend it with these connectors and then taped it together.
I've not played with the Andersons connectors yet, but they are one per wire, right? Wouldn't that make it even more trickier to plug the way that guy does in the video? Maybe he's actually supporting them with his other hand - the video is too blurry to tell.
As for if it is the same hilt or not - I can't really tell. The booster kind of looks like this one though:
However, if what I see here is the control box facing down and the lever (but really hard to be sure at all what I'm seeing there) :
It could be the v2 after all, but with the pommel rotated a little maybe.
I'm only absolutely certain this below is the v2 as I can see the missing bar / rectangle nut.
So I've ultimately decided to finish mine like that. Just painted black (maybe the windvane ring is very dark brown?) , the wire is wrapped with black as well (no connector on the pommel side, powerpoles on the battery side) - both match what I see on the picture with the red switch as well.
Initially I was thinking to finish it like what I see during most of the duel: gray/worn emitter, windvane ring is painted with brass-like paint with some brown on top. The cable - white with black connector (or tape) going into the pommel, and thought it's always the same like on the saber ignition scene. Also there's black paint under the clamp holes (could be just the other side, but there is no paint under the clamp holes on the pictures above)
So it must be rewired a few times for sure (and the whole visible part of the cable wrapped with black tape at some point), but also repainted.
Here are some other variations of the wiring :
On left what appears to be a thick black piece, maybe 2 black connectors , maybe the white/black one covered with tape, but the black part is much thicker and longer compared to most of the other screengrabs. On the right side is the cable covered with black tape to where I guess they thought it will be visible (likely the final state of the cable).
The wire goes behind his hand and into the fat white thing pretty much exactly how it sits later when connected to the stunt. If it was loose it would be hanging down from the sleeve:
Then there seems to be some black tape - like they cut the cable to extend it with these connectors and then taped it together.
I've not played with the Andersons connectors yet, but they are one per wire, right? Wouldn't that make it even more trickier to plug the way that guy does in the video? Maybe he's actually supporting them with his other hand - the video is too blurry to tell.
As for if it is the same hilt or not - I can't really tell. The booster kind of looks like this one though:
However, if what I see here is the control box facing down and the lever (but really hard to be sure at all what I'm seeing there) :
It could be the v2 after all, but with the pommel rotated a little maybe.
I'm only absolutely certain this below is the v2 as I can see the missing bar / rectangle nut
. So I've ultimately decided to finish mine like that. Just painted black (maybe the windvane ring is very dark brown?) , the wire is wrapped with black as well (no connector on the pommel side, powerpoles on the battery side) - both match what I see on the picture with the red switch as well.
Initially I was thinking to finish it like what I see during most of the duel: gray/worn emitter, windvane ring is painted with brass-like paint with some brown on top. The cable - white with black connector (or tape) going into the pommel, and thought it's always the same like on the saber ignition scene. Also there's black paint under the clamp holes (could be just the other side, but there is no paint under the clamp holes on the pictures above)
So it must be rewired a few times for sure (and the whole visible part of the cable wrapped with black tape at some point), but also repainted.
Here are some other variations of the wiring :
On left what appears to be a thick black piece, maybe 2 black connectors , maybe the white/black one covered with tape, but the black part is much thicker and longer compared to most of the other screengrabs. On the right side is the cable covered with black tape to where I guess they thought it will be visible (likely the final state of the cable).
