Rahm Kota - Standard Issue Conversion

[Kouri]

Brought my old Dark Standard Issue into work for a tune up. Welded shut the original switch hole along with most of the milled rings. Scored a couple more rings up by the emitter and ground the tip flat.

Pommel was replaced with a 0.75" MHS extension and a flat-pommel with D-ring insert to match the Sith-Stalker variant of the hilt.

Baked on a coat of matte black and weathered the hilt. Handle wrap and electronics coming up shortly. Plan is for a Tri-Cree Blue LED with Photon Green blade.

[Zren Tobas]

Very nice so far =]

[borgishmorg]

Wow, I have a SI and you're making me jealous. I know its not complete but it already looks so accurate.

[Zren Tobas]

^^^Love your sig dude XD Did this character die or not at the beginning of ROTS then just traveled back in time again?

[RevanReborn]

Amazing job so far Kouri!  Point for you .  I love this saber design. 

Now, how the heck did u get that pommel/ insert?! I've been watching for it forever and always out of stock!? 

Actually I've been waiting for certain parts for months now, and just had the most frustrating experience ever- in the middle of the night while at work I did my daily check of the stock situation at the other guys who supply everyone we know, because as we all know they must have so many exclusivity deals that prevent all of us aspiring/ amateur saber tinkerers from getting the parts that the big guys use for their builds, at least at first (which is cool enough if we can just buy them from the next source albeit at a mark up, but often these parts won't be available for sale except with a whole saber and even then they might get modified in process).  So I discovered that some stuff that was out of stock for months had just showed up available again- it was about 2am- so I quickly clicked all those items into my cart (main item was a graflex kit) then spent the rest of my shift filling my cart up with about 500$ of extra supplies, accent LEDs, switches etc..  By the time I got home to enter my credit card info and clicked proceed to checkout (about four hours later) I got notified that graflex kits (the main reason for order in first place) were out of stock again!  WTF?! I thought, how is that possible so soon they only just showed up again?! 
Now, knowing how the relationship between TCSS and the saber smiths goes, I had a hunch, so I quickly checked the major players, and on my first guess... Sure enough 'this just in, graflex 2.0 kits fresh supply just in at _____ sabers!' (made up pseudonym lets just call them, national parks sabers lol) Yeah, just like I thought, they didn't sell out in conventional sense, a saber smith called dibs and bought the entire supply as soon as it came out.  So I had to abandon my order with TCSS and order from this ' National parks sabers' let's call them lol, so i didn't get dinged on shipping twice for two diff orders. 

Sorry for all this name dropping but I doubt anyone will care since I'm not advertising so much as complaining bitterly about them lol.
Basically here's my beef:  how do guys like us stand any chance at all as aspiring/ small time saber smiths if the supplier other guys don't give us fair access to their parts?  Isn't our money the same colour as the big guys?  All I've been wanting to do is give these other guys a bunch of my $, for like five months now lol, but I always end up having to track down their parts at someone else's business and pay a little more for it there, if it's even for sale at all.  Like in this case I had to abandon my cart at the other guys and order their graflex kit from this 'national parks sabers'  instead- now I still have to order the 500$ worth of extra crap from TCSS at some point before I can finish the build, but how much u wanna bet that in meantime those parts will become exclusive to/ or bought out by the big guys lol? 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the 'national parks sabers' guy at all- actually I'd like to thank him . He could have marked those kits up another 400$ if he wanted to, thanks to TCSS he's the only one who's got them now lol, but he didn't, he only marked it up like 5 or 10$ and i think that's very reasonable, appreciate that very much.  That's why I ordered from him .  My complaint is with TCSS- it just doesn't seem right to me that they'll let all their stock be bought up and resold flat out by the big guys, I guess I just wish they'd hold a small percentage of each item back to sell directly to us little guys too.  To me, lately, the whole site seems like a big tease, just dangling a bunch of awesome stuff for us all to see but none of its ever really able to be purchased lol. 

Sorry for rant!! I'm done, the force lightning erupting from my ears has dwindled to managable levels lol, I should get back to work, after one more cigarette lol. 

Can anyone else relate to this?

[Kouri]

Very nice so far =]

Wow, I have a SI and you're making me jealous. I know its not complete but it already looks so accurate.

Amazing job so far Kouri!  Point for you .  I love this saber design. 

Thanks a bunch guys! Hoping to do this design justice.

---

As for TCSS stock issues~ Welcome to the Great Saber Drought of 2015. I bought the pommel bits a couple months back as soon as they came in stock knowing I'd be getting to this project eventually.

By the by, the big guys (US, VV, SF, etc) tend to machine their own hilt components and have other sources for electronics, so they're not the ones clearing out TCSS. Saber bits have just been really popular since the Ep7 Trailer at the end of 2014, so stock just doesn't last very long. If you want something, you have to jump on it.

As for the Graflex 2.0 kit, Parks is actually the manufacturer - even TCSS gets their stock from them. A few of us, though, got in touch with the designer and got in an early pre-order back in July/August that started shipping a couple weeks ago. Other smiths either got them from the pre-order or bought straight from Parks. If I'd known you wanted one, I'd have offered you one of my spare kits at cost, sorry. (I machined some spare display plugs and offset stands to compensate for the grips, if you're interested.)



While the Graflex 2.0 is definitely a nice display piece, I'd still recommend a US Graflex if someone wanted an affordable dueling saber though.

[Dauntless Seven]

Kouri and Revan.  Thanks for sharing the info on the Graflex, but a gentle reminder that on the US Forum we don't make direct reference by initial or name to other sabersmiths and saber suppliers.  We can only call them " one of the other guys ".   

[Zren Tobas]

Yeah we don't like that but cool Graflex post =] We don't mind TCSS though I don't think

[RevanReborn]

MIND. BLOWN.  !!!!!!!!

Holy moly, Kouri!!! ... (But I gotta hold that thought for one second lol)

Yes, Dauntless, Zren, and especially you, Kouri, I need to apologize for that ridiculous post .  About two hours later on my next break at work, when I actually had time to stop and think for a second, I already regretted it like words can't describe.  This forums no place for that kinda crap and I should have known better, plus, as it turns out, I had no idea what I was talking about anyway lol.  To be honest I'm surprised, not usually the type to jump to conclusions when I don't have the info on things, and in the face of some minor frustrations and some tough days at work etc., that's exactly what I did- and in a very public way on my favourite place in the world lol!  Not gonna lie, kinda embarrassing lol (sigh)... Yikes.

I hope everybody's still cool with me, especially you Kouri . It never even occurred to me at the time, kinda just got myself going after asking about pommel, but what a totally annoying spaming of a great thread on my part!  Super sorry.  I'm gonna pm a moderator or whoever and ask about getting that post edited or removed etc.  yeah, I mean I don't even know what to say, I'm just speechless at how out of character that is for me I'm never that guy- and how hilarious is it how WAY off I was huh lol?! 

Which brings me back to...  MIND FRICK'N BLOWN!!!! OMG, I can't even talk right now I just staring at my screen with jaw open trying to process this incredible response lol!! The graflex is my all time favourite saber hands down- when I was a kid having imaginary saber duels with my cousin that was always what I saw in my hand lol- and while I LOVE the more replica'esque looking hilts, like the kits etc., Ultra Sabers version, especially the nickel CE is one of my favourite renditions- i just love that thing lol.  I'm actually saving $ up right now for one, but gonna take me bit cause gonna go emerald n obsidian.

  Actually the $ for the kit was what I had saved so far lmao (with the CA/ US exchange rate at record levels of disgustingness lol even just the kit and shipping was nice lil chunk lol) but I figured I should jump on a kit now while they're here and since U.S. On back order ATM there's no harm done if I take a couple weeks longer to put that one in.   I'm trying to decide what I'm doing with that kit ATM, if by some miracle a certain legendary someone is able to add my name to a certain annual production roster, I'll be tackling a crystal core chassis .  If I don't make it in this years list (likely) then I'll simply see about next years list, and then I've got some decisions to make lol- any suggestions would be totally welcome of course .   Call me crazy but I think I could make one!  I mean obviously NOTHING like that caliber of work, but something a little more modest- tho I suspect that type of project would be a long term one for a newb like myself, something to slowly work at over a long time.  I had a crazy idea about using a natural crystal, maybe something leaning toward translucent vs. transparent, and then lighting it with something more like full on led modules like tri's  (as opposed to accent lights) from both sides?  Actually scratch that what am I thinking the hilt's got slightly diff dimensions that wouldn't work, but the idea in general anyway I imagine is still worth humoring as prospect.

But I mean all that stuff's long term plans, in the mean time I'll just be thrilled to own my first graflex .  Btw, Kouri, I think you just became my hero lol.  Like seriously, I just learned more by reading your response than I could have from days of digging through all the forums etc. and trying to do the math/ connect the dots about who's who and the relationships and politics in the community etc. (I'm still pretty new to the scene, and I haven't even discovered all the players yet as I'm constantly finding out lol- but I'm here for the long haul so I'll get it straight eventually ).  Thanks for setting me straight and giving me all that info!  Seriously tho, I feel like I've been chatting with like Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne etc. and they just leaned over and pulled the collar of their t shirt straight out a bit so I could see the the emblem on the suit underneath!! It was superman all along!!! Lol, for real tho . 

Thanks again, and I'm so very sorry about that earlier post.  MTFBWY, keep up that amazing work and keep us posted!  Oh, and yeah I hope it's not tactless of me but I totally am gonna pm you about that stuff you mentioned if that's cool .   

Points aren't enough to show how much I appreciate the reply, but I'll shower you with them anyway .

[RevanReborn]

O, shoot!  I forgot to say how sweet that graflex is, Kouri!  Is that your preferred style?  I've been torn on how was gonna do it: ANH vs. ESB style etc. ... ESB is my favourite look, but there's an undeniable sentimental appeal to the bubble strip that I just couldn't ignore either.  Seeing yours I literally just decided, I'm going with my fav-  the ESB inspired version- plus that way I can do the whole converting faux button to real button thing at some point, will be fun and great practice . 

Thanks again for the help and info! 

[Kouri]

Been wondering how strictly the "no-advertising" rule was being interpreted by the moderation team. I'll be keeping that in mind - no need for me to step on any toes.

Revan, yeah, that's my Graflex. Went with the TFA look - ESB rear and clamp, ANH front. I've got a gallery up here: http://imgur.com/a/xVmzG

Anything else Graflex-related we can sort out over PM.

As for Kota - My Photon Blade tip just arrived in the mail last night. Already have the blade stock and diffuser on-hand. I'll have a blade built this weekend and demo the effect with a Rebel Cyan LED I've got kicking around. Gonna be a little while before I can get that tri-Cree Blue ordered.

[RevanReborn]

That's awesome, Kouri!  Will def hit u up with that pm soon (out n about ATM stuck doin this all on my phone- rough hands + touch screen =  lol )

Can't wait to see that blade!  I'm only just recently gett'n to thinking about the coloured blades- never seen in person either, but they seem to me like they would be really cool- I imagine it as somehow adding intensity/ drama (prob not right word?) to the hue of the blade, plus cool way of achieving a colour mixing of sorts outside of the led module which is aweome for folks like me who don't yet have know how for our own led builds, plus from what I understand don't they fair dramatically better in high ambient light settings?  And if you're gonna be doing the blue with that blade, then cyan seems like a really natural choice for a test for sure too.

Point awarded, look forward to the update- MTFBWY

[Dauntless Seven]

Been wondering how strictly the "no-advertising" rule was being interpreted by the moderation team. I'll be keeping that in mind - no need for me to step on any toes.

Rule #2 speaks for itself and the Forum veterans know how far to push/stretch it's guidelines.   

[Kouri]

No pics or video yet, but did some initial testing with the photon green blade.

You guys know how on a mid-grade blade, you get the diffuser in whatever color your blade is with the blade itself looking like a transparent force field around the blade? Photon dye changes that up.

Luxeon Rebel Cyan LED: Sunrider's Destiny Core. Yellow-Green Force Future.

US RGB Blue: Arctic Blue Core. Lime Green Force Field.

Cree XP-E2 Royal Blue: Almost-white core. Lime Green Force Field.

I've heard good things about the Cree Blue, but I'm liking how the Royal Blue turned out. I'll need to do some more testing. Going to sand the outside of the blade to diffuse the blade and hopefully make it a bit greener.

[Kouri]

Midgrade blade's just a standard US Midgrade that I sanded down. I assembled the Photon blade myself.

Don't think the Photon blade will workout for this project - final color is a bit too yellow-green for my liking - camera doesn't capture it quite right. It's an odd effect of a bluish-white core in a lime-green blade.

The Photon blade itself has its own interesting possibilities. As a day blade, it functions as a Padawan-Tano Shoto Lime-Green color. It even lets a Rebel Lime Green LED shine through uninhibited, as well as most other warm colors (my Vader's Photo-Red shone through without much impedance). The only really odd color was blue - since it triggers the phosphorescent pigment to make the lime green color, but also blends with it to make some sort of white/lime/green mix that can only be appreciated in-person.

This is also unlike any other day blade. Red blades, for instance, let red LEDs through but won't light up at all with blue or green.