My close friends have already seen this one...
Here are [many] pics of a build currently in progress that I have been using to hone my tubing technique. The saber is named "Jules". The shots show a sort of "Step By Step" process of building up this latest G-Core prototype.
Carrying on the idea with Advent’s G-Core, but with thicker piping for a more dynamic feel…more depth. This is a
work in progress... I still have to mill grooves on my rotary table (black lines), modify the front section, then weather it, *heavily*. I may also swap out the BH for a custom one later on. 'Going for a slightly "steampunky-but-still-sleek" look.
Started with basic MHS layout, plus a couple details. Switch/board/recharge in the front section, 18500 li-ion cell through the choke, speaker at the rear of the choke facing forward. Sound vents will be the “gills” cut in the forward section. Brass photoetched screen to cover the vents and disguise the inner bits. The black Sharpie marker will eventually be engraved, and may be modified to be backlit…somehow…
I'm going to need a lot more tubing...
Cut out the main core…
Beginning to add the piping…
Those turns are tough to do…
Particularly when trying to make them symmetrical…
‘Added a couple extra pieces…done for the night, but I’ll come back to the piping tomorrow…
The tubes aren't glued at all --everything is hand filed to be pressure fit with zero give. When it's all done I might as well dab some super thin CA to shore everything (capillary action will draw it in the tiny spaces between the tubes).
The weathering will make the core “pop”. Exposed open pommel crystal at the end. The piping will converge at the tip and the G-Core itself will be free floating inside the entire rear MHS section, and can be viewed by looking down the rear end (lol)
A solid afternoon of work later...
I cut the hand filed the tubing at angles, and also beveled any straight edges, to make them look less like tubes. More of a "polished" look...this one has begun to border on Steampunkish.
I also lathed small grooves in the wider tubes, again just to add some dimension to the otherwise plain tubes. The inset mounted blue dot is from a scale train store...it's supposed to be used as a lens or something for really small trains...'nice color to offset all the metallics.
Overall shot. Those small holes about halfway down the Core is 1/16" copper tubing. I was going to route more brass wiring through them for more detail, but decided to leave them open to help vent the battery when recharging.
And a shot looking down into the pommel. 'May tidy up that top line.
And a final showing other side. I manually stepped up the lathe tool in slight increments to create small grooves along the angled pieces to give some texture to the piece (since I had originally planned on heavily weathering it with Aluminum Black)
New Specs: Single 18650 mounted in the rear of the core, speaker at the DF Adapter facing forward, 1.3mm port and accent led mounted in the choke, MR-Yoda board in the forward section under the switch...I'll be adding some detail visible through the "gills" to hide the board/wiring. I will probably use either a Lux3 Cyan b1, a Cree Blue, or an LE5W Amber. 'Haven't decided....
The Core is pressure fit deeply into the DF-Adapter and secured with a 4-40 set screw from the outside. The Core pushes up against the front facing speaker mount, so no rattles without having to use glue (too tight of a fit to reach in there).
One of my fav pics so far...
That knurled knob on the end isn't the kill key...yet. I haven't decided if I want to put it there or not. Because of the "older" feel that the saber has (at least to me), I was thinking of mounting a D-ring on that end. I have one that I think Arm on Fire made. The kill key would be in the choke, where the recharge port is currently mounted.
I swapped out the AV switch back to the original shorter switch (Thanks Eastern57, you were right ;)).
Trying something else new (for me, at least --LDM has already used them)... photoetched brass parts. I needed something to cover those gills and add some color/texture to the front end.
I also would enjoy some input on the main LED color. Lux3 Cyan b1, LE5W Amber, or Cree Blue.
Topic: MHS Tubing Prototype: "Jules" --PIC INTENSIVE-- (Read 14629 times)