Rehearsal Stunt Lightsaber - "The Core" sequel

[thd9791]

Good job!

And yeah, to reduce chatter, "decrease speed and increase feed" is what you learn in machine tool school. Gotta know your speeds and feeds! Or at least print out a chart and hang it on the wall for easy reference. Just look up "speeds and feeds" and I'm sure something will come up.

And yeah, of course ALWAYS have everything you're working with locked down. If you don't have a file card, get one. Aluminum, like folks have said, is soft and gummy and will make filing MUCH more difficult if you don't clean your files often.

Bottoming taps are great to have, to get those threads as close to the "bottom" of the hole as possible. You can always MAKE one from a taper tap in a pinch. I'll use a bench grinder or belt sander to flatten the nose (a Dremel would work, just be careful), then de-burr and dress the edges, like you're shortening a screw's threads to make a shorter screw.

Anyway, yeah I think you're doing a great job on this one!

Thank you!!
What I'm wondering... did they add Grub screws for the steel rod ... or do these big black bolts also pinch the rod? I want to say no since there is a core/blade stuck together on the table, that has no black bolts or handle. However I didn't see another hole.. this is why I just went with a tapped hole on the ESB Graflex for demonstration purposes. that wasn't super accurate, since I guessed hole placement based on a couple grainy photos. (in fact, one photo from the bespin duel doesn't even show a bolt on the back, but we don't know how many stunts they had)

Phew, thanks for the tips too. The core stuck inside the tube wasn't locked together so it rattled to all hell. Once the first screw was situated properly and tightened, the two pieces of metal worked seamlessly. I wonder how Halliwax did the first bolt? Also, I hope he read the counterinking bit part earlier, neither of us could figure out how the bore turned cylindrical on that other saber, and seeing the smaller bit burrow in once I got to the edge was like a lightbulb going off

 

[Halliwax]

Your a true artist Tom!

 

[Mouse Vader]

I've neve4 heard of multiple step taps!

Just the opposite for me! Single taps I always took to be replacements for broken ones - which I did Friday...

Tapping 1/4" will be a lot easier going if you start with a taper etc.

File card - good advice.

 

[thd9791]

Thank you guys! I haven't done a whole lot. Busy applying to jobs and stuff.

I did drop the golf club test-blade and the ski pole blue blade into the rehearsal saber, a 3/8 threaded rod drops in there snugly, and my bolts are sticking up as a result (haven't trimmed them shorter yet)

I think the blade currently in this prop is tapered cleanly from one end to another, aka not a ski pole shape like in the Bespin duel. I dropped in my blue ski pole and looking down it's length from the tip..... you can kind-of see the shoulder where it stops tapering. Can't see that in the B&W photo in the OT blade thread, making me think full taper.

Here are some shots in the kitchen. I know the outside collar is too tall, I was actually thinking of disassembling the collars and chopping them short and re-wrapping the blade

 

[Halliwax]

Amazing Tom!!

 

[Mouse Vader]

Hmm, ski poles... as you know I'm no fan, I find golf clubs a better fit dimensionally from scaling (though I'm looking more to ANH than you) & all the gold club shafts I have also have a parallel section in the grip area. So not that much better than ski poles !

I'm with you that all the OT pictures show a constant taper but - then I saw this one which struck me as very golf club / ski poly ...

But to check I added some straight edges & then things get, as usual, a lot more doubtful. It's the black stripe that's optical the fly in the ointment
here & perspective but I think the transition is still just about visible. But then this is just one still from many that def. don't show this.

Oh the joys of having to work from photo's.

 

[thd9791]

I haven't done too much, but I did just basically fix a dilemma. I wasn't sure how the core and blade stayed together without the black bolts. I trimmed those bolts to not poke into the main hole, which is off center. I just then installed a half inch set screw.

Were going to ignore the gash where a tap snapped off inside the side of the core, and I had to drill and gouge it out. Putty later on.. focus on the other set screw I drilled perfectly

Anyways, I'm thinking we just don't see the set screw in the video. I carved the steel rod just like the V2 nipple, to accept the set screw

The core can still slide up and down about a half a mm. I'm thinking the tube body holes are a little larger than the core, so I may countersink the core a little more

 

[Halliwax]

Looks great tom!

 

[Mouse Vader]

Thought you might like to see some classic chatter I got while rough cutting the MK2 SFX core this afternoon, shows up on anti-nodes & not on the nodes. There's about 6" from the chuck. Sang really nice, can be an horrendous screech.

Dropped a gear on the lathe & it all went away.

 

[thd9791]

I got another set of old ski poles and applied 3M Film, 380 or 680 or something. It's glossy, white with that exact strange off white mottled look. One shot deal, thus stuff is strong and rips apart if you try to peel it off, the glue is stronger than the paper film.

I only got a rectangular sheet (all I could afford) so I applied it in 3 sections. Some wrinkling still appeared, but I used the same method you'd use to apply decals, sticky window displays or the like. Still didn't nail the tapered end but it's much nicer

It's only sitting on the iron rod, waiting for metal to make a 2 part collar

 

[Mouse Vader]

Looking good. I'm starting to like wrinkles, I have a few on my V2 blade & I see them in the video & screen footage of ANH so they are part of the story. Your 1st one reminds me of the Kylo Ren saber.

 

[Halliwax]

Coming together great Tom!! Gaffers tape next?!

 

[redbutton]

Tom secured the blade today. Inner collar, outer collar, set screws and a new iron/steel rod (whatever It is)

 

[Halliwax]

Red button has a face!! And it looks like Tom’s!!!

Wicked job!!

 

[thd9791]

Thank you! I'm thinking of doing a video, like an unboxing, but a disassembly. It's rough, hand machining, but it all fits together and I'm stoked.

Interestingly, the two set-screws around the collar prevent the blade from coming off unless the core comes out.

 

[Mouse Vader]

and a new iron/steel rod (whatever It is)

I think I may have over done the technical aspect of this metal for the non engineer. If you call it 'mild steel' you won't go wrong.

 

[thd9791]

okay! So, these are unscripted... with an android tracfone, and they accidentally uploaded in a different orientation. I hadn't had coffee yet, and youtube takes FOREVER to upload a video. 1:30 long took 2 hours. I must be doing something wrong.

Anyway, I hope these are helpful! #1 and #2 today.

Intro

The Core

With a small one on the blade coating

#3 and #4 tomorrow!

 

[Halliwax]

Looks great tom! The double collar is perfect!!

As for the broken tap, as long as the tap is stuck inside aluminum or stainless you can use a chemical called “tap out” which will dissolve the tap that’s stuck in the aluminum

Great work!!

 

[thd9791]

Thank you! That I'll have to look into, it's happened 3 times in my life
aaaand #3

 

[Halliwax]

Well done tom! The double collar makes total sense now!! It makes it so it won’t crush the blade with clamping to the rod.

Another thing I like about your projects is you prove it can be done with minimum tools.

Great dedication brother!