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Author Topic: The Flashgun Challenge  (Read 14204 times)

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Offline eastern57

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #75 on: July 13, 2020, 01:40:40 PM »
Yup, 1 October, 2020! :grin:


Edit: P.S. still accepting entrants. :smiley:

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #76 on: July 13, 2020, 01:42:26 PM »
Yup, 1 October, 2020! :grin:

Thanks for the reminder, I had it set in my head as the 31st october, for some reason.
Better late than never.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #77 on: July 15, 2020, 10:20:25 AM »
So, I've taken one look at my main design for the first time in a few months, and have instantly grown to hate it.

Back to the drawing board!
Better late than never.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #78 on: August 14, 2020, 03:02:13 AM »
So, slightly off-topic (yet still on-topic) question: how do you go about finding out more about vintage camera stuff?

Since the start of this challenge, I've spent a bit of time researching vintage flash handles and assorted vintage photography stuff, to very little success. Google seems to have merged all the terms I can think of for "vintage camera flash" with "Graflex/MPP replica kit" shopping results, well into page ten of a search.

Even throwing in search operators like -graflex -MPP does nothing to clear that up. My longest string was something like "Vintage Camera Flash -graflex -MPP -heiland -replica -kit -light -saber -laser -sword -luke -anakin -rey -finn -kylo -TCSS -plecter -proffie" and what popped up on the first result? If you guessed "an Etsy store selling graflex replica parts" you might be Force sensitive. An Inquisitor will be with you shortly.

At this point, I've learned more about vintage flashguns by going through the RPF threads on custom sabers. And even then, half the time, when I find a name, google will, at best, show me one or two pictures from ebay auctions in the mid 2000's, before somehow managing to veer right back to Graflex replica kits. Very rarely, something will pop up about the company who made it, on a photography forum that hasn't seen any new posts since 1998 but is still on the internet, somehow, spinning GIFs still intact.

I have to say, I find it all very weird how little info I can find.
Better late than never.

Offline jbkuma

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #79 on: August 14, 2020, 08:33:13 AM »
So, slightly off-topic (yet still on-topic) question: how do you go about finding out more about vintage camera stuff?

What sort of information are you looking for.  If you go on ebay and just search vintage cameras you will find manufacturers that you can add in as keywords.

I'll be 42 on October 1.  Does that mean flashguns are the meaning of life?

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #80 on: August 14, 2020, 12:11:09 PM »
What sort of information are you looking for.  If you go on ebay and just search vintage cameras you will find manufacturers that you can add in as keywords.

Honestly, this is just a bit of idle curiosity. As you can tell from anything I've shot or taken pictures of, I have very little interest in photography. But I am interested in history, especially history of technology, and I would like to know more about this. I'd wager that everyone on this forum knows what a Graflex was. but after that? Some of us know there's two cell or three cell versions, or a other variants, like the "graflite", or the one Slothfurnace turned into the Derelict. Vader's MPP? I could tell you it's British, but that's about it. and that absence of knowledge is bothering me a bit, especially when it's tied in to something that's so important to this hobby.

I bought two flash handles on eBay for this challenge. despite knowing their make, brand, model numbers, I have found very, very little about their manufacturers, when or where they were made, etc. in fact, aside from pictures on ebay of one I bought, the only other picture I've seen of it is on the RPF's Custom Saber thread. i know it has some variants, but as far as the internet knows, it doesn't exist.

So yeah. I just find that gap of knowledge odd, and I want to learn more about it.

I'll be 42 on October 1.  Does that mean flashguns are the meaning of life?

...Maybe. I'd keep a towel with you all day, just in case.
Better late than never.

Offline eastern57

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #81 on: August 14, 2020, 01:37:49 PM »
Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

All the sub-pages have external link under the sources for more/different pages.

btw, I've been referring to the yoda hilt as a bosley up until just now, evidently, it's "Bolsey" I feel like an alexandre dumas...



Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #82 on: August 19, 2020, 02:11:53 AM »
btw, I've been referring to the yoda hilt as a bosley up until just now, evidently, it's "Bolsey" I feel like an alexandre dumas...

Huh, me too. Guess that makes us an Alexandre Dumas Pair. *drumroll*

On an unrelated note, once this challenge is over, would anyone be interested in another? I had a fiendish idea earlier: the Ten Hour Challenge. Design and build a saber entirely from scratch, from drawing board to reality, in ten hours or less. Use any materials, boards, blades, tools and techniques you want, but you've got ten hours on the clock, and that's it. I figure it'd have to be run over the course of a weekend to allow for all the various time zones we're all in.
Better late than never.

Offline COUNT DOOKU

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #83 on: August 20, 2020, 07:36:58 AM »
I'd be up for the ten hour challenge. Pretty cool idea.  :cool:

Pass on what you have learned. Strength. Mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is. We are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters. ~Master Yoda~

Offline eastern57

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #84 on: August 21, 2020, 05:00:31 PM »
My initial reaction is, "Heck no!"  If 10 hours had to include the genesis of an idea and carrying it out to a working lightsaber, I honestly don't know if I'd be able to yield anything.  Design is probably 80-90% of the build.  Maybe if the time allotted did not include the design phase, then it might be more manageable.  For example, entrants would have to have a plan of attack, but still start with raw or scrap parts.  In general, lightsaber building is a slow and seemingly uninteresting process; not very accommodating to spectators and/or expedited time-tables.  IMO, speed-builds are better suited for softer materials, lower-fidelity builds, customizing existing pieces, non-working props, etc... standard youtube fodder.


Offline scott

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #85 on: August 21, 2020, 07:59:23 PM »
I second Eastern...planning is where the work is....and not sure where you can draw the line between planning and execution.   On the other hand, I would be down with a  saber version of Masterchef where everyone gets a black box and a period of time.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #86 on: August 22, 2020, 03:52:48 AM »
Okay, to be honest, I wasn't thinking of it as a speed building challenge, more as a Necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention challenge. The ten hours wouldn't be there just as a challenge against the clock, but more of a challenge of inovation, to see how one could try and come up with something and then make it a reality using nothing but what you've got on hand. That could be improvising something from a box of greeblies, spare MHS parts, scrap tube, found parts, whatever you've got handy,  fridgesaber-style.

But, I was also thinking that specifically, the ten hour limit would also serve as a way to prevent overly "complex" build processes: if you've got 10 hours, can you really afford to waste three of them on a complex 3D print, or two on anodising, or setting up a mill/lathe for complex and fancy machining work? there would be an advantage to keeping it simple and effective.

See, personally, I find it's the design stage that always trips me up. I spend months iterating and reiterating. Every saber I've built has had at least five variants before it leaves the paper drawing board, then CAD gets in the way, and then it's six months later and I pretty much have to force myself to stop designing and actually get started on building *something*. That, or I'll outlive the heat death of the universe changing the design juuuust a little bit more here and there. having a strict "this is how long you can spend designing before you must build" limit would help, I figure.

Or I could be wrong and this is just a flawed idea. that's happened before. often. quite often. :wink:

My further thoughts on the idea are: all contestants would have to start with all the electronics of their choice (soundboard, speaker, LEDs/pixel blade, battery, etc) and a basic chassis to put them in; all unassembled and unsoldered. from there, it's a free for all. Also, the ten hours wouldn't have to be consecutive. wouldn't want anyone to get exhausted and injure themselves.
Better late than never.

Offline eastern57

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #87 on: August 23, 2020, 05:53:00 AM »
I hear you.  I generally understood what you were getting at, albeit a little different.  I may add the terms, "improvisation" and "resourcefulness" to the mix, just to further capture intent.  I, me, Josh, am a rather profound hoarder and have spare parts and greebles breaching all orifices, so the fridgesaber part tickles me wildly.  But I also have numerous spare, mostly completed, retired, or pending projects waiting for some attention = What would be considered fair game? 

I still don't know how much I'd be able to complete, although, I do like the idea of non-consecutive 10 hours.  That helps eliminate dead time, like waiting for paint to dry.

Also, what you're describing in your build/thought process is universal: "Art is never finished, only abandoned."


Edit: I have been working on my flashgun saber, I believe I'll be completed by the deadline.  Hope everyone else will be able to play. ;)

 
« Last Edit: August 23, 2020, 05:54:58 AM by eastern57 »

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #88 on: August 23, 2020, 01:02:07 PM »
I hear you.  I generally understood what you were getting at, albeit a little different.  I may add the terms, "improvisation" and "resourcefulness" to the mix, just to further capture intent.  I, me, Josh, am a rather profound hoarder and have spare parts and greebles breaching all orifices, so the fridgesaber part tickles me wildly.  But I also have numerous spare, mostly completed, retired, or pending projects waiting for some attention = What would be considered fair game? 

I think, in that case, using any part you have, from a spare, mostly completed, retired or pending project would be perfectly acceptable. However, using any parts you have, to complete a mostly completed, retired, or pending project for the challenge wouldn't be.  as long as the saber is a brand new design, thought up of exclusively for this challenge, then any way of making it is fair game, but using the challenge to complete something pre-existing would be out (otherwise we're just going into speed build territory)

As for this challenge: I have both my sabers designed, and I'm starting on my first next week. However, I think that my second, the rule stretching entry, has stretched the rules far enough that I'll be presenting it as a standalone custom saber instead of part of this challenge.
Better late than never.

Offline eastern57

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Re: The Flashgun Challenge
« Reply #89 on: August 23, 2020, 06:01:29 PM »
Cool, we'll have to put something down once we get this here Flashgun Challenge cleaned up. ;)

I got the main hilt construction (more or less) finished this weekend.  Next is... well, the next step, don't want to give to much away.  I'm sure I'll end up doubling-back once or twice to, literally or figuratively, hammer something out.  It's not the design that I had intended at the start... not ever close.  But I like it and I think it'll work.


Anyone else making progress?

 

retrousse