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TOPIC: TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP

TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 4 months 2 days ago #72809

  • Kouri
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Aim of this build is to modify a 2.0 kit to get as close to the Finn-Fight/Snow-Scene TFA hilt as possible.




First order of business was knocking the knurling off the glass eye:




Used a dremel sanding-drum mandrel to fit the shine-through eye onto my drill as a makeshift lathe, than filed away the knurling until the eye was relatively smooth brass.

Next up was machining a flat beer tab to replace the 2.0 zig-zag:




Milled down some aluminum sheet to match measurements I have for a replica Graflex tab. Not pictured, but I also cut the slit up front and drilled a hole for the kit's rivet/screw. Once polished, the aluminum tab is a decent match to the rest of the handle's nickel-plating.

Also swapped out the red-anodized button with a maroon resin cast. Just needs a bit of shaving down to function with the stock switch.

Machining continued with a pommel cover. On-film, it's used to cover the GRAFLEX branding. Here, it covers the excess sound holes, while still allowing sound to vent through the Kobold clip. Ditched the button head screws and riveted the clip and cover in place.




For the grips, I drilled the stock holes out with an 1/8" bit and dropped more 3mm rivets in place. This time, rather than actually riveting the grips in place, the rivet heads were dremelled off and glued in place. This allows sound to vent through the grips, making up for the pommel holes that were covered earlier.




~

And that's about it for body mods. Later on, this'll get a bit of light weathering, but next step is getting the chassis painted up and a Crystal Focus installed.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 4 months 1 day ago #72840

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Very nice so far Kouri! For the shine through eye, did you have to drill out a larger hole in the blade bracket? Or does the threaded hole already there provide enough light to shine through the eye?
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 4 months 1 day ago #72843

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Haven't lit it up yet, but assuming the 10-32 hole will work fine.

...

I've got a royal blue LED kicking around here. Might as well test it out now.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 4 months 4 hours ago #72908

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*didn't yet test the LED*

But spent last night sanding the rough texture out of the 2.0 clamp. Also got in my supply of slotted screws, so I replaced the clamp-retention screw (below) and the emitter screw (not pictured).

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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 3 months 4 weeks ago #72927

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Following.

Is this one for your Kylo and the Knights Cosplay? I think you were using a modified US Flex before for any Rey on Kylo battles?
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 3 months 4 days ago #73828

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No, this one's not for me. The modified US is sitting in pieces for me to tackle after this wraps up.

Shot of the shine-through eye with a spare tri-blue:




Painting the chassis this weekend.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 3 months 1 day ago #73901

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I have another Flex 2 inbound from Korbanth (soon as the new shipment gets in). Was planning on ANHing it, but this is making me rethink that....

I'm thinking I may pick up a scratch N dent flex to make into a dueling/cosplay build. Might make that one the ANH... ESB is sitting on the shelf already... sigh...


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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 3 months 1 day ago #73935

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Go all-out with an ANH build with the flipped clamp, shine-through-eye, and PLI bubble-strip?
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 3 months 1 day ago #73936

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I don't know about going that far, for a "dueling/cosplay" hilt.

Was thinking I'd keep the ANH hilt simple. Maybe go for the shine through glass eye.
But otherwise, was thinking I'd throw a Spark2 in it, Tri-Cree with rB/G/W - basic chassis (Padawan from Darth Ryo) and a 1" blade holder, and grind down the nibs on the bunny ear ring for better blade fit. Weather it a bit.
Hand it to my son, and tell him he's Luke Skywalker now. :woohoo:

ESB flex I was gonna pimp out a bit. Either a Prizm or Spark Color 2, crystal chamber, accuracy mods. Will mostly be a shelf queen next to the MPP. BUT.... your TFA build here as me thinking maybe.... Maybe that one goes TFA...

Course I need to finish like 8 other sabers before I would even get a chance to start on it.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 3 months 21 hours ago #73942

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Mmm~ only a couple things come to mind to differentiate between ESB and TFA anywho.

Pommel:
ESB: 4mm (5/32") riveted clip, Graflex-stamp.
TFA: 3mm (1/8" riveted clip, plain (probably covered) pommel.

6-32 allen screw heads (used in the 2.0 kit) are only a hair wider than the 3mm rivet size, if you don't want to use actual rivets. Laser-engraved Graflex covers and plain steel covers are available for either variant pommel.

Grips attachment:

ESB: Securing hardware can still be argued. Either phillips sheetmetal screws or rivets. Don't have exact sizes, but I want to say either #5 or #6 screws, and 3mm rivets.

TFA: 3mm rivets.

Maybe go with the 3mm rivets or 6-32 screws and have the body double for both movies?

Clamp:

ESB: Strip 1/2" wide, smooth metallic tape covering the GRAFLEX stamp. Don't go for that wider textured tape - it's only on the Ranch saber, but was never used in the movie. There may be a screw holding the clamp in place (replace the 2.0 allen with a slotted 4-40).

TFA: Steel clamp cover to hide the text. WannaWanga cover won't line up properly with a 2.0 clamp, but the nickel plating can be sanded off for a steel finish that's pretty close. No screw on this clamp, but you probably still need one to keep the 2.0 clamp in place.

Circuit Board:
ESB: PCB with Gold Traces - thick stripes toward lever
TFA: Clear acrylic with Gold Traces - thick stripes toward lever

Beertab:

ESB: No beer tab or rivet - just the hole where the rivet was (on a 2.0, the "rivet" is just a screw that can be undone).

TFA: Beer tab and rivet in place (replace the 2.0 zig-zag tab with a flat replacement.

Glass eye:

ESB: Replace with a second Red Button.

TFA: Turn down the knurling to smooth the ridges and expose the brass.

Last thing for either is replacing the emitter-end 4-40 allen wrench with an oval slitted screw and countersinking the hole.
Last Edit: 3 months 21 hours ago by Kouri.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 2 months 3 weeks ago #74096

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Test fitting the painted chassis. Still need to install the brass rods, but holding off until I get the crystal properly seated so they don't get in the way. Just about time to run all the wires.

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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 2 months 3 weeks ago #74105

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Nice, love the paint scheme on the chassis. Knight chassis from Darth Ryo?
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 2 months 2 weeks ago #74347

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Yup yup.

Got the crystal mounted last weekend.



Still need to tackle a bit of weathering inside and out, but it's really about time I got to the electronics install.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 2 months 2 weeks ago #74349

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Nice.

I know what you mean. Can spend weeks weathering and modifying a hilt and then realize,"oh right, I have electronics to install too..."
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 1 month 2 weeks ago #75285

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Nearing the home stretch. Had a heck of a time fitting everything in there - I wasn't comfortable using 30ga wire for the power lines and very nearly ran out of space using the thicker stuff. Also had to make room for a custom speaker.

On the bright side, Crystal Focus left me four spare accent slots for some board-mounted LEDs:



Just need to modify the burgundy button cap to fit the 2.0 switch, then back to distressing.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 1 month 1 week ago #75330

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Dude, looks fantastic.

I'm still working on mine. Got some TGS bunny ears on it, just got a new glass eye ( need to sand it down and drill for shine through), need to replace the beer tab, card, and belt clip still. It's slowly getting there.

Don't know if I asked yet, but, where did you place the switches? I went under card for both. Curious if you used the red button at all?
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 1 month 1 week ago #75331

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Yeah, this one's built with the VV/TCSS 1" bladeholder, so using the red button for Activation and the slide-replacement-tactile for Auxillary. Wound up printing a spacer to fit a replica burgundy button onto the stock 2.0 switch.

Here are the crystal and board LEDs reacting to blade effects:

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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 2 weeks 5 days ago #75994

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Comparison with a relatively fresh 2.0 kit, because this one ought to look like it's barely been maintained for 30 years.

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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 2 weeks 5 days ago #75999

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Ha! Weather it to look like it's been in various battles, fell down the reactor pit of Cloud City and went through who knows what else on its way to Finn. Genius. Too bad they didn't have you working on the movie prop.

This is truly top notch fantastic work, Kouri. Everything from the chassis, crystal chamber and light effects to the weathered exterior is masterfully done.
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TFA Graflex 2.1 WIP 2 weeks 4 days ago #76005

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Looks fantastic bud!
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