Hi:
I'm a long time lurker that joined to request some help. In reading the various posts on this subject, I know the dangers of mentioning Star Wars; especially in a first post. That said, I do need some lightsaber help... sort of.

I bought a 3-cell flash on ebay that had a "lightsaber conversion" done to it. The description said it was a Graflex replica and it was cheap so I bought it. For well-known reasons, a real Graflex is pricey and I just wanted a flash so I a replica would be fine. My thinking was that I could strip off the doodads and have a nice flash. Unfortunately what I got is a fake, replica Graflex. In other words, not only is it a Graflex knockoff, but the inner parts are not functional.


Looks pretty convincing:



Problem one: this part is solid plastic.


Obviously homemade. The pins are glued on.


The next problem: The firing button is no button at all.


Also homemade:


So, does anyone have or know where to buy the missing parts? Basically all I have is a good shell and clamp. It was also missing the cell spring, but I can probably make that. Oh, the charge indicator light is fake too. I'd hate to rob Peter to pay Paul and take parts from a Graflite, but are there any any interchangeable parts? Should I expect all "replica Graflex" to be nonfunctional? Googling "Graflex parts" sends me to Star Wars stuff and more nonfunctional parts that aren't really parts. I think it's salvageable and like I said, I just wanted a flash. With the exception of the firing button, this :http://www.ebay.com/itm/251203568423?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 looks like it has what I need. But again, I don't really want to rob it for parts.

Sorry to ramble. Any advice is appreciated.

Many Thanks,
Matt

Forgot about the "George Lucas Space Opera" filter - hilarious!

Wellllllllllllllllllll,
The replicas were developed and marketed to cut down on the butchering of working synchronizers so don't expect a replica to be anything more than a display piece.

The only source for parts I know of would be to rob the parts out of an original synchronizer that has a damaged case or find someone on ebay that has stripped the original parts from a working flash to make their display toy.

The linked unit is an extension flash that is fired via the 3 cell's extension socket.

Isn't there a functional replica? I thought I read here a while back where someone inspected one and it was near spot on.

apparently so,

http://www.parksabers.com/

when the first star wars was released i saw it at a mall small screen theater, made me want to see it on a big screen and i did the next year at the local drive in, made me wish they had done it in 3D, which wasn't available at the time.

i didn't bother watching the rest of the series until the third or fourth time they were on TV. same old worn out good vs evil story that has been around for ages with cookie cutter characters in cookie cutter makeup.

ebay, midwest photo, keh, pacific rim camera are sources for used graflex corp. equipment.

http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/where-to-get.html#CommercialSites
(home page> related web sites > commercial sites ........
google is your friend also
search term 'graflex flash synchronizer replica' turned up the parks link, leave off replica and get
http://www.cameramanuals.org/prof_pdf/graflex_flash_synchronizer.pdf

Rebuild continues...

Still need the button, but I have a damaged, but possibly usable bulb socket now. Should there be continuity between the outer housing/shell and any of the pins?

Thanks

The Graflite schematic:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Graflex Synchronizer will be similar.

The negative terminal of the battery connects to the synchronizer case and the outer sleeve of the bulb socket. All leads shown at the N selector will be connected to the load side of the bulb firing switch.

The Graflite is polarized so that the wire is going down the battery case with the plug in the socket. The Graflex should be polarized also. The Battery + is probably the left pin.

Seems like a lot of work, but I guess its a neat exercise. I would've just resold it and put the cash towards a real 3 cell.