Can I Recreate the Original Star Wars Lightsaber?

Рет қаралды 313,295

Жыл бұрын

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
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Пікірлер: 455

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

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.

@1LEgGOdt Жыл бұрын

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

@DoaTheJackalope Жыл бұрын

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!

@jaylesage8011 Жыл бұрын

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...

@jaylesage8011 Жыл бұрын

@@DoaTheJackalope There were silver screws in some scenes

@UnrealizedReality Жыл бұрын

@@DoaTheJackalope I'm not sure I'd consider the 3 cell info stamp necessary

@Saturn49YT Жыл бұрын

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.

@Scrapla1 Жыл бұрын

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

@morlockmeat Жыл бұрын

Yeah! And for a fukuvalot more money!

@monotech20.14 11 ай бұрын

A budget?

@TheInfamousLegend27 10 ай бұрын

@@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

@michaeldehring3511 9 ай бұрын

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.

@numberyellow Жыл бұрын

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.

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

True - but I wanted to make them.

@numberyellow Жыл бұрын

@@Iliketomakestuff Fair enough

@Kommander_Rahnn Жыл бұрын

I heard they were wiper blades

@knight1705d Жыл бұрын

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).

@numberyellow Жыл бұрын

@@Kommander_Rahnn Common mistake.... thought they were wiper blades too, for the longest time.

@phrebh Жыл бұрын

A million photography buffs just screamed out in pain and were silenced forever.

@UnrealizedReality Жыл бұрын

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

@Darthbauer951 Жыл бұрын

@@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.

@liammc47 Жыл бұрын

🤣

@SchardtCinematic Жыл бұрын

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

@rbrearey Жыл бұрын

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.

@IanZ_Forge Жыл бұрын

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😀

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip!

@Ditto-js1or Жыл бұрын

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

@todd346 Жыл бұрын

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

@don523 Жыл бұрын

Bob wrenching to the beat at 4:08 is epic. Great sound design as always by the editors!

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Thanks for that! I have the best team.

@SanderMakes Жыл бұрын

@@Iliketomakestuff Who's doing the editing? Is that part of Anthony's job?

@Jetpower485 Жыл бұрын

@@SanderMakes I'm pretty sure its still Forbe (I only hear his name, I've never seen it spelled. Sorry Forbe!)

@user-ro8rq8fz7r Жыл бұрын

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

@heyitsthatdude17 Жыл бұрын

Love seeing Frank Ippolito featured. Loved him when he was working with Tested years back.

@margarets7646 Жыл бұрын

The absolute excitement I felt seeing frank. He is a master of his craft!

@Frodo- Жыл бұрын

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.

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Not this time. Thanks for watching though!

@austinaxley81 Жыл бұрын

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.

@jasonjulian1 Жыл бұрын

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.

@kriswingert1662 Жыл бұрын

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.

@dr.rotwang Жыл бұрын

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.

@lmgtulsa Жыл бұрын

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. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@ToolShow Жыл бұрын

I needed this video today. Thanks Bob! So freak'n cool!

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it!

@dillygoggsmakesstuff Жыл бұрын

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!

@SeanBZA Жыл бұрын

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.

@mrsir92 Жыл бұрын

Would the connector on an NES cartridge work?

@felixsalazar1269 Жыл бұрын

@@mrsir92i want know that

@Liz_ArdE Жыл бұрын

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.

@washinthewind Жыл бұрын

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.

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@Wordsnwood Жыл бұрын

You can tell that Bob enjoys the Star Wars projects just a LITTLE bit more... 🚀🚀🚀

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Definitely my favorite!

@indyg1138 Жыл бұрын

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

@KazeTheStorm Жыл бұрын

definitely looks pretty accurate to me... and it's interesting to see how little they modified it to make the lightsaber

@drscifi Жыл бұрын

Turned out great Bob! a great project for the mill.

@tonyfox45 Жыл бұрын

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.

@rtanderson2 Жыл бұрын

This absolutely made my day. Awesome prop build!

@TheSmugglersRoom Жыл бұрын

Awesome stuff Bob! Congrats on having a sweet saber. Loved all the techniques and methods you used for this project.

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@TheCHRISCaPWN Жыл бұрын

This is so cool. I'm jealous that you can just machine the parts you need, but jealous I'm the best way. It's awesome to see you growing in your skills, and using them for the force!

@Bullheadranch Жыл бұрын

Around 25-30 years ago I was a member of the Replica Props Forum and machined Biskit’s Graflex Replicas!

@chrisharkless7542 Жыл бұрын

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!

@muttBunch Жыл бұрын

Absolutely beautiful. 44 years old, lover of Star Wars, never had a clue that the hilt came from a vintage camera flash ❤

@Jacob.Brostrom Жыл бұрын

the donut media low team shirt was the most unexpected crossover. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one

@Sawtooth70 Жыл бұрын

That is killer, great job. More Star Wars anytime you want. I love it all.

@DirectorCM Жыл бұрын

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?

@BonesYourDaddy Жыл бұрын

Because he’s ignorant and wanted to lie and say he has a screen accurate graflex for the views

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Lots of places to start, this is where I started.

@cmaddy Жыл бұрын

Such a fun build! I really enjoyed it.

@TheMeditron Жыл бұрын

I'm so jealous you got work with Frank! I would love to learn anything under him, his work is outstanding!

@donaldpowell7762 Жыл бұрын

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!

@stokedspokesmtb4907 Жыл бұрын

Anybody else notice the donut low team shirt? Awesome to see one of my favorite KZfaqrs representing another of my favorite channels!

@travisdoesfirewood Жыл бұрын

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?

@darthprime4916 Жыл бұрын

Really makes you appreciate these guys back in the day making all these props.

@mobboss918 11 ай бұрын

Prop makers still use the same methods with the foraging for parts, adapting one item into another, It's still such an interesting occupation.

@darthprime4916 11 ай бұрын

So cool. Love it.

@AtrumNoxProductions Жыл бұрын

This is so cool, Bob!!

@HungLikeScrat Жыл бұрын

Looks like you did a great job, looks fairly accurate to me. Also looks like you're getting more confident with that drill press.

@greyhawkmedia Жыл бұрын

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.

@njmcliffe Жыл бұрын

I see you have constructed a new lightsaber. Your skills are complete, indeed you are powerful as Jimmy has foreseen.

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

HAHA!

@TomMakeHere Жыл бұрын

Looks awesome Bob, and it looks like you are getting comfortable with the machine tools which is awesome

@realnickgerber Жыл бұрын

Excited to see the video! Heard about the journey of this on the podcast and while I'm probably biased cause I heard you talk about it, I think the format of this video works, so keep it up! Or don't! But this is good 👍

@zpy-nq7wv Жыл бұрын

GREAT JOB SIR !!! THE FORCE WAS DEFINITELY WITH YOU !

@GeneJordan Жыл бұрын

I've been looking forward to this video since you first mentioned it on the Making It Podcast (annnnd the After Show!)

@MCsCreations Жыл бұрын

Fantastic work, Bob! Nicely done! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

@c.a.g.1977 Жыл бұрын

ooh, that thing is awesome Bob! Great job! Next build: real size Death Star?

@danielmuscatell3603 Жыл бұрын

Very cool build. Looks awesome.

@jedifyfe Жыл бұрын

Awesome build. Frank is the man!

@sapelesteve Жыл бұрын

Fantastic work on making that lightsaber Bob and I know that Obi-Wan would approve! 👍👍💥💥

@PianosAndLightsabers 10 ай бұрын

Oh and we have to thank Seth for making that Lightsaber bible PDF. I'm one of the contributors to his project.

@zusurs Жыл бұрын

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.

@samsokach582 Жыл бұрын

So epic! Thanks for making this.

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching it!

@thedeloachsdoyoutube8377 Жыл бұрын

Awesome job man. Make On my Friends.

@christianchilders8556 Жыл бұрын

My favorite variation is the one from A New Hope. The original trilogy was amazing largely due to how they made everything from the props to executing the special effects. One day I wanna make the original saber prop with a spinning blade

@chadalbee5655 Жыл бұрын

I actually bought a sterling l2a3 "kit" (real one cut up with a torch where it was no longer functional). I welded it back together, got a real counter, real capacitors and assembled it. I had a few "star wars experts" tell me it wasn't accurate. I told them it was more accurate than anything they had because this is what Lucas used for the e11 storm trooper blaster.

@XDIY Жыл бұрын

Cool, great work 👌👌

@elbosausage Жыл бұрын

Looks great!!

@bobgrattons4122 Жыл бұрын

Very impressive. You are a resourceful maker.

@droid_protocol_official Ай бұрын

Incredible! I just made a handmade version with slim hairspray cans. Not exactly screen accurate but pretty good for a 1 day build. 😊

@bataantom Жыл бұрын

T Track wasn’t rubber, it was a very hard plastic. Awesome job on this!

@unoriginalguy_ Жыл бұрын

It’s almost perfect. The only thing wrong, that I can see, is that the end of the grips don’t go to the very bottom edge of the hilt. But that’s such a minor critique. It looks great man!

@stagemgr99 Жыл бұрын

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 .

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

That's really cool!

@crawfordmedia4692 Жыл бұрын

Hey! Keep up the amaIng work on the channel! Your amazing have a great day!

@CurtSlaten Жыл бұрын

Wonderful job, it looks great. Nice to see the one tiny part of Frank's shop that isn't secret.

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

It was a pretty cool place. Sorry we couldn't share too much more of it!

@jonwills1957 Жыл бұрын

Oh man that was cool!

@SouthernStyleDIY Жыл бұрын

Absolutely fantastic! Such a cool prop and also one of the best movies of all time (if not the best).

@starboy71 Жыл бұрын

Great project!

@BenRyherd Жыл бұрын

For the slots, I originally was like "How's he going to turn that and cut the slots" and then I figured if I had to do it, the wall of the material is thin enough you could probably just cut the whole slot with the bit perpendicular to the surface at the straight part (the axial portion of the slot), then just a couple back and forths of the X and Y to make the axial slot wider than the radial slot, and then just run the X axis of the mill over to cut the radial slot. The only difference you'd have vs. cutting it in the dividing head would be that your end surface of the radial slot wouldn't be normal to the surface of the cylinder, but A: that face is really tiny and you probably couldn't tell it wasn't normal to the surface and B: that face gets hidden when you install it.

@miko007 Жыл бұрын

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.

@TrapperWorks Жыл бұрын

Looks great!!!!!

@davidalan6701 Жыл бұрын

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!

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

That would be cool!

@gunnarbiker Жыл бұрын

Went to Ebay for a Graflex and quickly left Ebay after seeing what I saw! YIKES! Cool build!

@aaaaa1957 2 ай бұрын

Thanks 4 sharing

@Rouverius Жыл бұрын

Yes 👍 Great job!

@musicaluprising924 9 ай бұрын

That’s pretty cool, dude! If I had money, workspace and knowledge, I would be making my own collection of metal lightsaber hilts.

@baldcreations8044 Жыл бұрын

Nailed it mate

@sgsax Жыл бұрын

Be still my heart. OG trilogy gang here. This was such a cool build and it looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@SargeWolf010 Жыл бұрын

I still want a Mace Windu Light Saber and My original Yoda and Darth Maul sabers XD

@DizzyPillow Жыл бұрын

Ayyyy shout out to Low Team! Love the Donut merch!

@bataantom Жыл бұрын

Amazing scratch build. Also, you have the Force Awakens version, just need to throw the glass eye in a lathe and remove the knurling, should be smooth brass.

@BrettS02 Жыл бұрын

Nice video!

@testizoizo7373 Жыл бұрын

Nice work 👍

@KyleVeatch Жыл бұрын

Uh oh, the Graflex nerds are gonna attack soon!

@MichaelThompson77 Жыл бұрын

Great build, I have a 3 cell flash handle I’ve had for over 15 years been debating all this time if I should build one.

@JerryHazard Жыл бұрын

Great fabrication job on all of it. Screen representative, yes. But accurate - not so much. Not to take away from the effort though, it looks great! I went through a similar process a few years back. The circuit card you etched looks great. The original did use a real circuit card, from the edge of a board used in elevators. On the underside, the Empire version replaced the glass eye with another red button that matches the top. Of course, there are also different versions of the red button that were manufactured, something to note. Keen that you made your own bottom half too. I did similar - just used an aluminum tube and capped the end (also cut my own slots with a Dremel). One thing to note is that the screen used version had the GRAFLEX stamping on the bottom, that does show on screen - it's similar to the stamping on the bottom of your two-cell lower half. And again, there's different versions. I think one is Rochester, one says Folder... I forget which is on what hilt anymore though. I built a few as gifts over the years, and each time I learn something new about them! Great job on yours, better than first attempt was for sure! Enjoyed the video too 👍

@Roll-Penut Жыл бұрын

Something worth noting perhaps for a later build. The black grips were actually made from sliding glass door handles in the original film

@toddajmoon Жыл бұрын

That was fun and awesome.

@jpalarchio Жыл бұрын

Never seen any of the movies but still enjoyed the build!

@tylermontgomery5647 Жыл бұрын

Repping the Donut Media shirt!!!! Awesome to see two of my favorite channels overlap!

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

You know it!

@markwatters6875 Жыл бұрын

Well done. 👍

@terriahreade10 Жыл бұрын

yes perfect it looks so gooood

@SuperNicktendo Жыл бұрын

A graphlex 3 cell would be amazing. I remember looking at plans back in the early days of the internet and even then they were so expensive to track down

@Iliketomakestuff Жыл бұрын

It was definitely still hard to track down. But the hunt was fun!