PVC saber build while waiting for parts

[Sloda Foade]

Having looked at most of the brilliant saber builds on this site, I feel that my first efforts are a bit pathetic, but I'll let you decide.
I had ordered some parts from TCSS, and they took some time to get down under (Australia) so I decided to see if I could put together some PVC practice lightsabers similar to Jay-Gon Jinn's PVC ones elsewhere on this site.
The main problem is that AUS PVC pipes are totally different sizes from America. The two sizes are called 20mm (actually 26.5mm OD and 23mm ID) and 30mm (33.7mm OD and 30mm ID). So first problem, none of the supplied blades from the store will fit. Eventually I found a supplier of poly carbonate thick walled tubes (no thin wall) of OD 22mm which fits nicely. So on with the building.
I followed Jay-Gon's example, but couldn't get a captive wood "nut" any smaller than 6mm, was looking for 4mm which would have been closest to Jay-Gon's.
The LEDs I found locally are Cree and I got some Pucks which run the Cree's at 350mA, actually quite bright. Each of the 2 sabers I have finished have a battery cradel made from 2 single AA battery holders wired in series and hot glued together. A double AAA pack wouldn't fit in the pipe, just 1 mm too big. http://fx-sabers.com/forum/Smileys/default/angry.gif
Here are some pics of the Padewan saber I made first for my son and the sith saber for myself. The switch on the sith is in the trigger of the Quickshot joystick.
http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y352/SlodaFoade/Lightsabers/Padewan_lit_no_flash.jpg
http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y352/SlodaFoade/Lightsabers/Sith_with_flash.jpg
http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y352/SlodaFoade/Lightsabers/Padewan_and_sith.jpg
http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y352/SlodaFoade/Lightsabers/Finished_Sith.jpg[/URL]

There are some more photos at the photobucket site, plus one of another PVC saber I was about to start before I went in for surgery.
When my sister saw these, she requested one for her birthday.
[URL]http://s1029.photobucket.com/albums/y352/SlodaFoade/Lightsabers/ (http://i1029.photobucket.com/albums/y352/SlodaFoade/Lightsabers/Finished_Sith.jpg)

[cardcollector]

How did you happen to get those tips light up so nicely?

I like the amber one the best...

[Sloda Foade]

I had to grind the tips myself from 20mm polycarbonate rod stock. There is no mirror on the tip. The blade has a few wraps of celophane and the blade was sanded both inside and out. I used a glue called clear liquid nails to hold the tip on and this gives a shiny surface to partially reflect the light but lets at least 50% through. It does light up quite well. The glue has to set for 24 hours, so by proping the blade vertically on the tip, the glue sets to a smooth semi reflective surface, it also holds in the celophane quite well.
I used the same blade for the sith hilt for the photos because I haven't been well enough to finish grinding the tip for my blade which is a couple of inches longer, but it should give the same effect.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Nice job! They look good!

[HAVOK]

I have to say these are fantasic!!!

what is the handle made from on the, I'll say Dooku style saber?

[Sloda Foade]

Thanks Jay Gon, your tutorial on FX-Sabers (and then I found it here) was the inspiration. That and I couldn't wait to build something...anything after ordering parts from TCSS. I knew they would take a few weeks to arrive. It was annoying having to source the different size polycarbonate tube, but I finally found everything I needed.

Havok, the sith saber hilt is normal PVC water pipe with couplers, it extends past the couplers into an old Quickshot joystic handle for the pommel. I had to do some major dremmeling out to get it to fit, but it is a tight fit with no movement. The main trigger activates a latching switch for the LED. The screw you can see on teh narrow section is actually to hold the LED in place as there is no switch for it to push up against. The blade on the sith is held in by a 4mm grub screw tapped into the plastic. It seems to be quite sturdy.

[Goltar Bias]

I like the use of the joystick on the sith one, personaly I woud have shortened the length a bit, or bent it. But over all great work.

[DJMoonbass]

what impresses me the most is all the initiative. it must be hard getting all those parts. and the designs are very cool as well. good work. hope you got a big order from tim. trust me once you build one MHS you cant stop. upgrading, color changing, sound swapping, parts swapping, new sabers. its rediculous what you can do.

[Sloda Foade]

Thanks for the replies folks,
Goltar - if you look at the link to my photobucket site (in the first post) there were a few attempts at making a curved hilt, but I could only get 45 degree angled bends, not the nice curved sections sourced by Jay Gon. (Poodooh)
I also couldn't source a nice latching switch until I found some tiny little thin rocker switches which I used on the padewan hilt. As for the length, I wanted a hand and a half type hilt for 2 handed spins, and it does this quite well.

DJ - I had to travel a bit to get all the parts. The hilt pieces were at the local Bunnings (hardware store) but the blades and the electronics were each 40 minutes drives from my home in different directions. I had to buy the blades in 3 metre lengths, but at least I got them to cut them down to sizes so they would fit in the car. I think I snapped up the last 4 Cree star LEDs in the shop and they aren't getting any more.

This is an expensive hobby, I just bought a drill bit to resize the switch hole for the AV switch I bought from Tim and it cost AUD $45!