Sideshow ESB/ROTJ Darth Vader

[Invictus Sol]

Thanks, highlander. Have to say, those look pretty nice. Thing I really like about the cold cathodes is the consistent light from hilt to tip, but these might be a good compromise, too, because of the lack of wires. I was also thinking about grabbing some sabers for Grievous as I think it would make for an incredible display. Will have to think about this and check these guys out. Thanks again.

 

[earthdog]

It's not a CC saber. Looks like an LED in the hilt. They only have Luke's blue lightsaber right now but are starting to prototype a red blade for Vader and Malgus.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I got a Vader LED one a long time ago. Works OK if you're in a dark space. Uneven light, especially with red.

 

[GearheadSS]

 

[highlander1]

Yep l.e.d i believe and been thinking about doing cold cathodes sometime also just been debating whats easier making and buying the hasbro saber hilts then the cathodes and tools to drill the hilts so cathodes fit. On the upside cathodes can be left on longer n brighter but I think I will buy these 1st from TOYZ STUDIO then try my hand the cold cathodes sometime later this year.

 

[TheFiend]

.
No, this was a gift from Sideshow and the members of this forum at SDCC 2 years ago - Trevor did the sculpt and Sideshow did the costume. My avatar is based on the original painting Sideshow also did of the character which is actually 30 x 40 and is hanging in my stairwell.

Man, that's great. So that sculpt is Malgus pre-fried

That's so strange, the plot thickens...

If ANH Vader was 14.25" and the new ROTJ Vader is 13.5" (or even 13.75") you'd think ANH Vader would be taller by at least half an inch.

You either got a short ANH Vader or a tall ROTJ Vader. Someone crossed the streams!

Yeah, I don't know what to make of all the height differences. Quite curious what I'll be opening that box up to on Thursday.

The cape is excellent. I think it's better than any of the custom ones I have. And I have a few!

Great. Its nice to not have to buy or make a cape with time around.



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[highlander1]

The one thing is the cape is B E A UTIFUL THIS VADER IS GORGEOUS ONE BAD LOOKIN MOFO ! Worth EVERY REPUBLIC CREDT!

 

[Invictus Sol]

It's not a CC saber. Looks like an LED in the hilt. They only have Luke's blue lightsaber right now but are starting to prototype a red blade for Vader and Malgus.

Yep, I understand the Toyz Studio ones are LED, was just sort of debating the upside of not having any wires (as with CC) vs LED's inconsistent light. Other worry would be batteries burning out rather quickly with these.

It would be nice if a small studio like these guys decided to tackle cold cathodes, though. I'm thinking with a bit of money invested in production, we could get some more professionally finished blades. Not sure if there is a solution for why the cold cathodes mostly seem to have very ugly ends, but thinking maybe it could be minimized or perfected with the right equipment and repetition.

 

[UPSMan]

Sideshow has sent me shipping notice on my replacement parts. Best news all day.

Same Here! Should be getting my replacement cape on Wednesday.

 

[Anthrapoid]

I have to say, this looks bad. The fact that the photos needed to be taken in the dark means they're not very bright in normal lighting conditions. I really like the shape visually, but the brightness for the price is... not good.
There are incredibly bright LED's now. I know where to buy what are called 'chip LEDs', which have no plastic case- they're just bare chips, VERY tiny in size. It's only a matter of time before someone finds a way to harness the power of the new super-bright LED's into the perfect, BLAZING light saber, as bright as the CC's. Even if it means soldering the tiny LED chips together into a double back-to-back strip, then encasing that strip inside opaque colored plastic, for diffusion. I'll wait for that day.

 

[Darklord Dave]

That's so strange, the plot thickens...

If ANH Vader was 14.25" and the new ROTJ Vader is 13.5" (or even 13.75") you'd think ANH Vader would be taller by at least half an inch.

You either got a short ANH Vader or a tall ROTJ Vader. Someone crossed the streams!

Just measured them and they're both 14" tall from bottom of boot to top of dome. Where are those numbers coming from?

 

[SithThundercracker]

Why so much love for pointy sabers? They never appear like that in the movies...

 

[DCFett]

^^^ let the great debate begin!

On the chip LEDs, that would be the way to go...if you could power it without a driver and heat sink. Maybe one day technology will live up to what we all expect it to be!

 

[Anthrapoid]

Chip LEDs don't generate any heat, and all you need is a battery that matches their voltage.

 

[DCFett]

Yes but the driver does...

 

[Anthrapoid]

If a series of sixty 2 volt chip LEDs were soldered together in a strip with no wire between them, (thirty running up one side of the light saber and thirty running down the other side, back-to-back, facing two directions with an insulating strip between them) they could be connected to a bank of thirteen 9 volt batteries, no driver required. (2 x 60 = 120 volts; 120 divided by 9 = 13.3∞)
120 volts also happens to be the standard household voltage, at least here in the USA, so it would be a simple matter to use a transformer and plug it into the wall socket. The transformer wouldn't get hot because you would already be drawing 120 volts, not actually 'transforming' the voltage for the LEDs at all.

If only someone out there could solder such tiny chip LEDs together like this; (they do come in RED for Vader) Then the strip could be inserted into a custom-made translucent saber-shaped tube with a rounded tip, and filled with pigmented resin.
I think we would finally have our super-bright light saber, brilliantly lit from end to end.
Any soldering heroes out there with good eyesight?

 

[Rorywan]

Why so much love for pointy sabers? They never appear like that in the movies...

It's exactly the way they appear in they movies. The glow blurs when the sabre moves to make them look wider at times. But the source is thin and tapered normally.
Look at Luke's which is almost stationary in this shot. Vader is moving his which makes it glow wider..

SS got it right before IMO, as did HT..

 

[Mr Walker]

Just measured them and they're both 14" tall from bottom of boot to top of dome. Where are those numbers coming from?

People appear to be getting all sorts of differing heights. Surely everyone can't be right.

 

[SithThundercracker]

It's exactly the way they appear in they movies. The glow blurs when the sabre moves to make them look wider at times. But the source is thin and tapered normally.
Look at Luke's which is almost stationary in this shot. Vader is moving his which makes it glow wider..
SS got it right before IMO, as did HT..

Yep this is also distorted by the perspective because the sabers are indeed thinner on the edge (but not so pointy), but they're always fatter than most of the early SSC and the LED one posted before. They should look like the rotoscoped version of the fighting sticks not like the sticks themselves.
For instance this

was way too thin for this

.

So even if the new one is surely too straight, I just prefer the fatter feeling than the toothpick effect of the old ANH blade...but probably I'm the only one around here.

 

[Rorywan]

The prequel trilogy blades were pretty crap and have no place in this ESB/ROTJ conversation.