Got my Kenobi ANH. Thanks Roma....Color Sceme NewPics!

[gavidoc]

So it wasn't Roman who made her. I figured with all the MK 1 posts flying around, this was a sure fire way to get people to look.

Just got a bit more weathering to do on the grenade, and I gotta weather the stem but she is real close to being done. Debating about the whole set screw in the clamp and the wire in the gear thing.

The soldered/glued/crimped emitter debate is still rolling so nothing there is gonna be done quite yet.

Emitter is aluminum, stem is brass, grenade and insert are steel, gear is aluminum, pommel is chromed aluminum.

100% Grade A Gavidoc construction. :) She weighs in at just over 4 pounds.

http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobiprogress02.jpg
http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobiprogress03.jpg
http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobiprogress04.jpg
http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobiprogress05.jpg



Also gotta send this to get chromed and get my replica MPP shroud from Lazlo and clamp from Larbel and this will be done.

http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/mpp/mppreplica04.jpg
http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/mpp/mppreplica05.jpg
http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/mpp/mppreplica06.jpg

Again, 100% Grade A Gavidoc construction. Except for the emitter and the circle detail in the bottom.:)

Despite what happened Tues. it's been a pretty productive week. Guess that happens when all that is on 24-7 is the news. You can only get so much before you need to shut your brain off for a bit.


********** EDIT*******************

Here are some pictures of what I think the grenade looked like. All this is natural weathering I did to the grenade. Just accelerated.

In some photos from the movie, the grenade looked brown. In others, blue. Caused a dilema of course. What did they do? Did they do anything to it? Well, as evident from Hez's grenade, it does rust. Steel/iron has a natural grey blue tint to it.

So, I thought to myself, "Well, what if it was the original color but rusty? Could that be a reason for the changing colors?" So I did what you see below.

http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobigrenade01.jpg
http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobigrenade02.jpg
http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobigrenade03.jpg

As you can see, from certain angles it looks brown. From others, blue. This matches up with the picture of Ben on Tatooine and the photos Cliff has posted from the movie.

Here is a shot of the clamp. SFProps mentioned years ago that he thought the clamp originally had some chrome tape on it that was ripped off. We discussed it and he sold me on his theory.

Here is one shot of the ripped chrome tape.

http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobiclamp01.jpg

And to show that this color scheme matches the Mechanismo shots, here is a B&W shot of the same sabre with the same color scheme seen above.

http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/kenobianhbw01.jpg

I'll have better shots tomorrow when I have some natural light to work with to compare to the shots on Tatooine.

[pettibone2375]

Gavidoc,

That is nice.

My next saber (after I get my gfx from Larbel :) ) , will be an obi-wan.

Always wanted one. Need to find a Luke rotj also.

Until then, I will admire yours ;)

Brandon
pettibone2375

[Romans Empire]

You're welco... Hey!!! That's not my saber!!! :lol:

Looks pretty darn sweet though!!! :eek:

[obiwan shinobi]

Gav, that looks amazing!!

as always, i'm in awe of your work

but i doubt poor ol' Ben could have wielded a saber that was so darn heavy ;)

[aStanze]

You one talented dude.:)

Looking great!

-Stanze:)

[Draco Lawgiver]

Just incredible Gav, a fine attention to detail!

[Probe Droid]

That Kenobi is a babe, man. Top shelf as always, Gav.

[Quest100]

That is incredible! :eek: Great job, Gav!

-Jon

[J Scott D]

What AStanze said. :)

Scott D.

[Darth Hez]

Awesome work Gav. Do you have a colour scheme worked out for the grenade and stem?

[gamemasterGAV]

I sure do Hez.

It's all done.

I'll post pics of the finished product tomorrow.

No paint on the grenade at all. Just sped up natural weathering using acidic compounds. :)

[oohyeah88]

:eek:

Stunning!!

[Darth Hez]

Awesome...not 100% mechanismo though. ;)

I'm definitely going to look for an anodising colour similar to that rusty brown. If not, I may paint the grenades.

[Ham Solo]

That looks great, man!

4 lbs., huh? You better wear suspenders if you go out costuming. :lol:

[gavidoc]

Hez,

Until the debate about the solder/adhesive/crimping is taken care of, if the set screw is really there, and if that is indeed a wire running from clamp to the gear is solved, then nothing will be 100%.

But, all it will take for mine to be is a simple change here, a simple addition there. :) Call her a work in progress. Until I put the photos on a Chronicles background, I'm still working on it.

Don't paint the grenades, not as effective as sped up natural weathering. ;)

Ham, this is for display purposes only. :)

[Romans Empire]

You hit the nail on the head, Gav!

That's exactly the conclusion I came to... RUST gave the brownish coloring to the saber.

My grenade was a dark-rusty color BEFORE I painted it!!! :rolleyes: Only in the last couple months did I realize I should have left it alone...

Someone smack me... <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif ALT=":\">

[a302nsyd]

Swweeeet job there, bud...!

I really want to copy that "acidic compounds" form of weathering...I love the result. The emitter looks great too....and glad you painted the gear.........you put tons of work into it!!!

Trash the torn tape, taper the vanes/fins of the gear, and I'll be forever envious :)


Beautiful job,
cdw

[Gytheran]

Lookin' good, gav.

I've got a question, though. About the chrome tape... are there any photos that support this idea. Considering the clamp is already shiny, would it make sense to put chrome tape on it? The high res b/w pic of the saber looks like the marks are that of a beaten up Graflex clamp. Another reason to support the idea of it not being tape is... you can still see the "G" of the name Graflex on the clamp.

I know you're going for the most accurate... just giving my $.02.

Are you also going to beat up the top of the clamp?

Joe

[gavidoc]

cliff,

What do you mean by taper the fins on the gear? They are. Just hard to tell.

Gytheran,

In the chronicles photos, if you look real close, you can see that the lines in the graflex clamp do not stop near the holes. They are uneven in their stopping points and not in the correct position. Also, if you look at the same photos, you can see "lines" all over the clamp. These would appear to be either a beaten up clamp, aluminum tape (which I think I'm going to switch to) for ducting that wasn't put on very cleanly, or mylar tape again not put on very cleanly.

The darker areas would be residual marks left over form dirt collecting on the sticky adhesive.

The area over the graflex writting is the part of the tape that was torn off. That is why the Graflex is visible.

http://www.collectorsempire.com/parts/images/obisaber2.jpg

I'll be posting a new thread tonight that supports my theory on the coloring of the grenade.

[hiyata99]

Beautiful job John. That is something to really be proud of! My hat's off to you! :) I say go for the wire and screw...your almost there and you might as well go all the way!

[Saberlicious]

Beautiful job on the best looking saber, EVER!

CONGRATS Gav.

Barry

[Draco Lawgiver]

Gav, do you have a pic showing the sides of your transistors? Are they different heights, or the same?

Where can I get transistors? At radio shack?

[J Scott D]

Looking good, Gav-man!

You forgot I was one of the blue-gray believers. :)

That is a damn good theory on the weathering...rusty grenade with the rust rubbed off the high spots...picture Alec Guiness handling/wearing this prop around on location and on the sets in England for all those months of filming...

The rust on the high spots would wear off and look "polished."

Is Scott D making sense?

Scott D.

[mgoob]

Scott D is making sense.

I agree and will attempt to paint mine the same.

[Darth Hez]

Gav, weathering using acids or whatever would be great, but I don't know of anything that will give that kind of colour effect on aluminium, which I'm using for obvious reasons instead of steel. Unless you can suggest something?

[Saberlicious]

Hez, there's something we used to use in the effects game for artificially creating a rusted look, its a product that can be polished or sprayed on. I can;t remember the name but I've out an email into an old colleague and friend back home in the UK to see what it is and where it's available from.

Barry

[gavidoc]

Draco,

The transistors I made are the same size. I believe the originals are the same size but look different sizes because the "washer" has fallen off of one.

Scotty,

I concur completely now. ;)

Hez,

Aluminum black would be a place to start. Micromark sells some excellent weathering paints. You can see them online at their catalog. I've never used them but I have friends who have used them. Good stuff.

[a302nsyd]

cliff,

What do you mean by taper the fins on the gear? They are. Just hard to tell.



I left out the word "more"....taper the fins more...:)





Not gonna share your acid weathering technique? Boo hoo hoo...I'm crying over here...boo hoo hoo

cdw

[a302nsyd]

Also,

That isn't really chrome tape.

The lines aren't showing because the flash from the camera washed them out.


And yes, the transistors are the same size, and yes, it does appear that in this photo the front "washer" has fallen off at some point.

cdw

[Romans Empire]

I didn't figure that was chrome tape on the clamp either.

I initially thought it was the flash also, and it still may be...

However, the way I see it... looks like part of the platting literally flaked off. So along with some top portion of metal came the ink that was in those lines, which is what gives that rigid/uneven look.

Was Aluminum Black all you used, Gav?

Hez, I'm pretty sure you could get similar if not those exact results using Aluminum Black, but you would have black rubbing off on your hands every time you handled the saber.

[gavidoc]

Cliff and Roman,

THey didn't use a flash on the camera. Studio lighting. The photo I posted above of the right side was taken at the same time the famous Mechanismo shot was taken as you both know.

Only difference is that the photo appears to be either upside down or turned on it's side IMO. It is a royal pain to get the sabre to sit on the clamp in that manner considering the bubbles in the clamp area. Only makes sense that the photo was flipped for CHronicles.

http://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/example01.jpghttp://gavidoc1.virtualave.net/images/sabre/kenobianh/example02.jpg

ONe of these is how I think the sabre was shot. My personal preference is on its side since all they would have to do is turn the sabre a little from the Mech. photo to get the same orientation.

I just don't see how the lines could "mysteriously" dissapear from the shots when there was no flash used. In such an uneven manner no less.

Even if the plating was worn off, you could still see the lines in the clamp.

Trust me guys, it takes alot for me to be swayed into believing something and SFProps and I went back and forth on this for a few days before he sold me on it.

I originally didn't think it was there either. But the evidence (IMO) is right there. Uneven lines, different amount of reflectance, disappearing lines (lines ending where they shouldn't), angle of photo, way the light is being used in the photo.

It's all there.

I'll post how I did the weathering in the other thread.

[Romans Empire]

My above post said that I INITIALLY thought it was a flash, and that while it may or may not be... I proposed a different theory.

Look to the INK. ;)

[Dann]

Crap Chutes that thing is awesome!

I've GOTTA get me a Ben ANH.

[gavidoc]

Roman,

I've had 5 gclamps (not nearly as many as you though ;) ) and I've never had one that had ink in it.

1 of them had a bunch of dirt in the lines but that was it. ONe of those was even mint. Still, no ink.

Why do you think there was ink in the lines?

[Dann]

I actually have had a clamp w/ink in the lines. If someone would host pics, I could post 'em...
:)

[Romans Empire]

Gav:
We do know the word GRAFLEX was filled with ink... well... I once had a clamp that had the entire word GRAFLEX filled with ink and about 50% of the lines still had ink in them.

After that one clamp, I just always assumed everything was filled.

Dann, send them my way... I'll host them. :)

[gavidoc]

Roman,

That's just strange. I wonder if they stopped adding ink to the lines. Like I said, the 5 I have/currently own did not have any ink in them. One was in pristine shape. Hardly any scratches on the finish and not a drop of rust.

The one on my Skywalker ANh is probably an 8 out of 10 and it also doesn't have any ink in the lines or Graflex.

[Quest100]

Could what some of you think is ink, just be dirt and grime built up over the years?

-Jon

[jedipunk01]

My GOD that is nice Gav. I am so jealous of your skills. Your nonstop insistance on total and unwavering acuity is an example to us all. I tip my glass to you this Friday night. :)
Cheers!
-Punk

[J Scott D]

Some clamps have the paint in the Graflex logo and some don't.

If memory serves, the brand-new-in-box Graflex I used to own never had the paint.

Scott D.