Post by Plo Strax-Avix on Nov 2, 2005 8:28:12 GMT -5
Hi Janqui Coran, not sure how far you are into your saber parts gathering, but here's what I have been doing.
I start by searching and saving every image of sabers I can find, from those in the movies to fan made ones, regardless of what I personally think of them, and catalogued them into their own folders in my hard disk. I have photos of most sabers out there taken from various angles. This way I have an ever growing library to refer to on demand.
Then I started gathering my parts. I keep everything I find, even if I do not have a clue what it'll be used for at the time. I store them in groups based loosely on what I think they will become.
Then I start putting the parts in various combinations, and often changing the configuration, but never securing them. I did this for over 2 years while getting my hands on every flashgun that's ever been used to make the sabers from the Original trilogy. I've also been collecting blueprints to make those sabers not constructed from flashguns. I'm pretty close to a complete collection of OT sabers made from original parts used by ILM in the movies. Some of the original parts are real hard to come by. By doing this I learn how the original sabers were made and the thought process that went into them. I also try to learn as much as I can on how a real lightsaber is supposed to be made and how it would function.
I've only so far made a few original custom sabers, and all of them are for friends who need a saber for certain occassions. I use them as 'drafts' to help me understand how to join different materials together and how to make a simple tube look interesting.
I've only started to make a custom saber hilt for myself recently, after a friend agreed to help put the EL guts into it for me (I'm electronics challenged). It took me almost half a year to finish designing it, because I wanted a saber which is ME, and which compliments the design of my Jedi costume. There're many challenges along the way, and I've had to learn a few new skills, but finally the end is at hand.
So you see, making a saber is not something you just get out of bed one day and decide to do. Sure you can do that (and many people do), but you won't make a saber that defines who you are that way. Let it sit, let it brew; let it play over and over again in your mind. Put it together and take it apart, and then put it together again, and repeat the process a million times. Leave it alone for a while, and get back to it again.
This way when you're done, you'll have created a true masterpiece.
P.s.: Thanks for reading my veeeery long post ;D
I start by searching and saving every image of sabers I can find, from those in the movies to fan made ones, regardless of what I personally think of them, and catalogued them into their own folders in my hard disk. I have photos of most sabers out there taken from various angles. This way I have an ever growing library to refer to on demand.
Then I started gathering my parts. I keep everything I find, even if I do not have a clue what it'll be used for at the time. I store them in groups based loosely on what I think they will become.
Then I start putting the parts in various combinations, and often changing the configuration, but never securing them. I did this for over 2 years while getting my hands on every flashgun that's ever been used to make the sabers from the Original trilogy. I've also been collecting blueprints to make those sabers not constructed from flashguns. I'm pretty close to a complete collection of OT sabers made from original parts used by ILM in the movies. Some of the original parts are real hard to come by. By doing this I learn how the original sabers were made and the thought process that went into them. I also try to learn as much as I can on how a real lightsaber is supposed to be made and how it would function.
I've only so far made a few original custom sabers, and all of them are for friends who need a saber for certain occassions. I use them as 'drafts' to help me understand how to join different materials together and how to make a simple tube look interesting.
I've only started to make a custom saber hilt for myself recently, after a friend agreed to help put the EL guts into it for me (I'm electronics challenged). It took me almost half a year to finish designing it, because I wanted a saber which is ME, and which compliments the design of my Jedi costume. There're many challenges along the way, and I've had to learn a few new skills, but finally the end is at hand.
So you see, making a saber is not something you just get out of bed one day and decide to do. Sure you can do that (and many people do), but you won't make a saber that defines who you are that way. Let it sit, let it brew; let it play over and over again in your mind. Put it together and take it apart, and then put it together again, and repeat the process a million times. Leave it alone for a while, and get back to it again.
This way when you're done, you'll have created a true masterpiece.
P.s.: Thanks for reading my veeeery long post ;D
