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FX-Sabers Discussion - Including a Gallery of custom sabers. => Saber Modifications & Customs => Topic started by: ARKM on April 05, 2009, 05:01:45 PM

Title: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: ARKM on April 05, 2009, 05:01:45 PM
Hi all, I am currently working on a saber hilt that has Mara Jade-ish bars.  Instead of making 10 to 12 bars that are 5/16 to 3/8" wide by 1/16" to 1/8" thick (you can't buy thin flat metal bars at those widths folks... at least not that I could find) I decided to try something different... make them fake.  Below are pics and a tutorial on how to make them should anyone be interested.  First, the pics...

(https://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy237%2FEvil-Henchman%2FARKM%2520Saber%2520Hilts%2Fth_FakeMaraJadeBars-01.jpg&hash=e7d719b601f19319dd99d09b4b79761cc232c0ec) (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/Evil-Henchman/ARKM%20Saber%20Hilts/FakeMaraJadeBars-01.jpg)

(https://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy237%2FEvil-Henchman%2FARKM%2520Saber%2520Hilts%2Fth_FakeMaraJadeBars-02.jpg&hash=84b50494d8f179e27d73980167660077c0e10d05) (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/Evil-Henchman/ARKM%20Saber%20Hilts/FakeMaraJadeBars-02.jpg)

(https://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy237%2FEvil-Henchman%2FARKM%2520Saber%2520Hilts%2Fth_FakeMaraJadeBars-03.jpg&hash=72cc277a51d4062cf9f0ae4b50e458b5289c26c6) (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/Evil-Henchman/ARKM%20Saber%20Hilts/FakeMaraJadeBars-03.jpg)

(https://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy237%2FEvil-Henchman%2FARKM%2520Saber%2520Hilts%2Fth_FakeMaraJadeBars-04.jpg&hash=fd5d1057a112c1501ca16bc3a60351d89d8e9b85) (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/Evil-Henchman/ARKM%20Saber%20Hilts/FakeMaraJadeBars-04.jpg)

1/32 of an inch, from the ID of the pipe outward (which is between where the gaps between the bars come together in the point of a "V" and the inside hole going through the pipe), will be covered by the parts that attach to each end of that pipe thus helping to create the illusion that they are bars attached to a pipe via screws and not part of the pipe itself.

To pull off the illusion that the bars are mounted to round metal, I had to make it look like the bottom edges of the bars touch eachother.  To do this I used a 60 degree drill mill bit to mill each slot.  I used aluminum pipe at 1-5/8" OD by 1-3/8" ID and milled each slot at about 3/32" deep.  Because that only leaves the pipe at 1/32" deep, I decided to reinforce the pipe by lathing down some 1-1/2" OD by 1-1/4" ID aluminum tubing to 1-3/8" OD.  I inserted the pipe before milling the slots to help prevent crushing of the pipe in the vise once some of the slots were milled.

Using the OD of pipe that I did, 12 bars worked best.  They are each about 5/16" wide on top.

A nice upside to this method is that the bars are curved on the outside instead of flat, thus providing a more comfortable grip.  Anywho, just thought I'd share this idea with you.
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: darth_call on April 05, 2009, 05:08:13 PM
This makes me wish I had a mill!

Great job ARKM!
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: QUI-GON JINN on April 05, 2009, 05:12:06 PM
This must be the saber you mentioned in your topic about the indexer!  They look good! 
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: hullbreach on April 05, 2009, 05:25:24 PM
ingenious solution, looks great.
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: Jasher Kain on April 05, 2009, 06:11:28 PM
Real ingenious! And it looks great! Those individual bars really are a PITA.  :P
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: LUMINARA UNDULI on April 05, 2009, 06:16:26 PM
Nice!  Arm on Fire had designed a concept part several months ago exactly like it.  It's a nice alternative to the individual grip pieces. 
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: ARKM on April 05, 2009, 06:50:23 PM
Nice!  Arm on Fire had designed a concept part several months ago exactly like it.  It's a nice alternative to the individual grip pieces. 

He did?  Well he does make some pretty awesome sabers so I'm not really all that surprised that he beat me to it (dang it).  :)
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: LUMINARA UNDULI on April 05, 2009, 07:43:08 PM
Nice!  Arm on Fire had designed a concept part several months ago exactly like it.  It's a nice alternative to the individual grip pieces. 

He did?  Well he does make some pretty awesome sabers so I'm not really all that surprised that he beat me to it (dang it).  :)

Sorry :-[  Still, you did a terrific job!  It's a nice piece :)
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: HAN SOLO on April 05, 2009, 07:49:55 PM
NICE! 8)

And the nice thing about these "fake bars" is they will be smoother to the grip. That's pretty cool, ARKM.
Title: Re: Fake Mara Jade Bars
Post by: cannibal869 on April 06, 2009, 10:23:55 AM
that

is

pretty

pimp! ;D


Good solution! Man... I wish I had a mill too.. and a lathe... and an actual workshop to put everything in...
I'm sure my fiancee wishes I had a workshop too so she could have the dining table back.