I've been working on making a V2 for myself (a thin-necked V2 has always been one of my 'unicorns') by modifying a SF Prodigal Son V2 hilt I acquired a bit ago to make an affordable (for me) V2 that's as close to my idea of the prop as I can manage with the skills and resources I have. I've gotten to the stage of pretty much finishing the empty hilt ready for install, so wanted to share pics of progress.
This has entailed baby steps learning some basics of how to use a lathe. as I acquired the hilt cheaply, I was willing to risk botching stuff for the sake of learning lol - and there certainly have been quite a few educational botches along the way, which a shiny, unweathered hilt would have been far less forgiving of ;)
Modifications I've done, from emitter to pommel, are:
1. Shortened the centre/internal blade holder piece to allow for a static blade plug in the style of the prop.
2. Created a custom blade plug.
3. Added a second, heftier (10-32) retention screw (at 120 degrees to the included retention screw) where the prop has a small hole in the emitter to mimic the prop and compensate for the shortened central emitter piece.
4. Added a shallow, cosmetic groove to the neck.
5. Modified the ribs to be slightly thinner and adding uneveness to try and match the prop (although I think I slightly overdid the uneveness haha - but not too badly).
6. Added a replica graflex clamp, Pastor Jedi lever I had from a while ago (tempted to replace with one of the recent run levers if I can acquire one) and a Slothfurnace card with solder added to 'silver' the thin traces.
7. Made a sleeve to go behind the clamp.
8. Modified cone knob to make pointier/shorter and drilled and tapped a hole for this to secure the sleeve and to allow for orientation of the D-ring, cone knob and clamp.
9. Turned down the hilt by the pommel to allow for the small 'step' visible on the prop.
10. Added a fillister screw behind/next to and just offset from the cone knob between the sleeve and the pommel.
11. Made a custom, solid pommel piece to slide in behind the pommel cubes (the cubes are part of the main hilt). Plan is to have sound come through discrete holes under the clamp (still to do), thus avoiding the need to add sound holes to the pommel.
12. Painting/weathering with (baked) gloss black enamel.
I hope you like it - I'm pleased with progress so far and looking forward to getting onto the install...