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equinox13
12-06-2010, 04:41 AM
still waiting on a lot of parts, which i'll list, but i feel i have a lot done so far. here are some pictures and a video of everything so far.

Here's the basic setup for the crystal chamber - a slotted double male (marked so i know which end is which since i want the paint dusting to line up later), 2 cut up blade bases from hasbro econo sabers, and 2 tubes for the wires. the wires were quickly replaced with 22AWG transmission copper wires.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TPfwtcBB9MI/AAAAAAAABQI/2uMnirlaR4Q/s400/IMG_20101203_035800.jpg

Inside of the upper part - 3 LEDs (2 blue & 1 rainbow) wired in parallel and epoxied in.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TPfwtpmnC7I/AAAAAAAABQM/nJb-UGOKois/s400/IMG_20101203_035855.jpghttp://lh5.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TPfwt6LyTEI/AAAAAAAABQQ/MoEJQQ8yQII/s400/IMG_20101203_035952.jpg

The switch box and covertec button in a nice faux woodgrain pattern. The box is resting against the start of the crystal.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TPrxXlMI9CI/AAAAAAAABRA/NOrfHvybiv4/s400/IMG_20101205_020549.jpg

Not a very good picture, but this is the 'crystal' after initial shaping. I epoxied layers of scrap acrylic together and stuck them in a vice for a few hours. i had to glue tabs to each end later for the mounting. the second picture is after final shaping and some polishing. it looks good lit up like that so i think i'll leave that last tiny bit of polishing wax on it.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TPrxYJMDtUI/AAAAAAAABRE/wgOJkXuf9kY/s400/IMG_20101205_034637.jpghttp://lh4.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TPzLAbUex3I/AAAAAAAABRk/kqoBJ2zTy_8/s400/Pc060005.jpg

and here's everything in a short video all assembled with the pommel and crystal chamber fully assembled. i put some gundam type vent things inside the chamber to add a bit of flair to it as well, though they're hard to see... The pommel has a thin piece of plastic plating to diffuse the LED in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfPCtcrIAVk&hd=1

Picasa Gallery (http://picasaweb.google.com/azmariaxelloss/MHS5?authkey=Gv1sRgCIrurpipie3RZA&feat=directlink)

EDIT:: forgot to list parts still on the way...
- blade holder 13, 16, or 19 - all were ordered but still deciding
- main hilt body parts - pseudo Mara style
- MR Sith board
- Skott's FD 1.0
- RGBW Cree LED and resistors
- thumbscrews

polarcupz
12-06-2010, 07:31 AM
Very nice! How did you get faux wood grain?

iamdrake
12-06-2010, 08:26 AM
Looking good so far. Again I see you have gone with a crystal chamber that changes colors... nice.

equinox13
12-06-2010, 08:32 AM
Looking good so far. Again I see you have gone with a crystal chamber that changes colors... nice.

thanks. ^_^ i like to have some variation in things and this gives a sort of 'active' look that i kinda like.


Very nice! How did you get faux wood grain?

i painted it on. ^_^ the main body grip will be similar, but i'll be aiming for a bit darker of a shade.

dgdve
12-06-2010, 12:27 PM
Yeah, gotta Luv the color shifting crystal chamber!! ;)

Knighthammer
12-06-2010, 04:59 PM
That color crystal chamber is awesome! What's the diffusion panel for in the pommel? Just looks or some other random idea?

equinox13
12-06-2010, 05:11 PM
i wanted a lit panel - not an implement of eye surgery. left alone, the LED is just too blinding and overpowers the pommel itself. i did the same thing for the 3 upper LEDs in the crystal chamber, though the crystal does protrude into the main LED chamber a tiny bit to catch the light there.

Ronan
12-06-2010, 10:09 PM
Nice :) !!!

equinox13
12-07-2010, 12:29 PM
a little update. i had trouble getting Li-Ions shipped over here to japan from the place i normally get my battery supplies so i just broke open an older camcorder battery for 6 14500 cells rated at 750mAh. anyway, i wired them up into a 3.7V ~1500mAh battery pack using mylar ESD shielding as a casing since my heatshrink seems to be way too thick...i've also discovered that i'll have to redo the mounting plate that i made for the pommel, but that's not an issue.

here's the new battery in all its glory. yes i'm using painter's tape to hold the shielding in place. no i'm not worried about it. it's a better option than electrical tape and i know it won't catch fire at any temperature this will operate at.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TP6JugAFwYI/AAAAAAAABTI/0PtyovHOBl0/s400/Pc080014.jpg

and here's all the electronics hooked up for testing. the final build will have an RGBW - RB for the main color and GW for Skott's FD1.0 board. for now i have the white P4 from my first saber wired into the green line for testing, since i already have both of the clash lines resistored.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TP6JuEevTKI/AAAAAAAABTE/H0S8sLlVhPk/s400/Pc080015.jpg

pull the killkey and the AV switch LED and the soundboard wires get power.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TP6JtZNYkWI/AAAAAAAABTA/DwqSqZ1bCIQ/s400/Pc080016.jpg

click in the latching switch and everything else gets power.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TP6JvH-tgRI/AAAAAAAABTM/WjwacoeosdY/s800/Pc080020.jpg

dgdve
12-07-2010, 05:45 PM
good idea gutting that old camera

J73sport
12-07-2010, 05:48 PM
Love the crystal chamber, and your choice of coloures. Everything looks awesome once again. Can hardly wait to see all the pices come together.

RevengeoftheSeth
12-08-2010, 11:11 AM
Looks like it is all coming together. Where is the FC board? I can't wait to see your 'Woody Wagon' when it is finished ;)

equinox13
12-08-2010, 11:28 AM
if by FC board you mean the Flash Driver prototype, i'm still waiting for that from Skott. i have a place set aside for it though. ^_^

and "Woody Wagon"? not sure i'll name her that...

RevengeoftheSeth
12-08-2010, 12:05 PM
Ahh, I thought so. I'm glad you are going to put it to good use.

It's the only thing I could think of with the cool looking wood trim parts ;)

Crystal Chambers
12-09-2010, 06:26 AM
Cool...we have another painter among us! You mislabeled one of your pics....pulling kill key lights AV switch...not the main LED.

equinox13
12-09-2010, 08:25 AM
Cool...we have another painter among us! You mislabeled one of your pics....pulling kill key lights AV switch...not the main LED.

thanks! just fixed it. ^_^

and most of what i know about painting i learned from my great grandmother on ceramics when i was really young. some of my first memories are with her. ^_^

Lord Dottore Matto
12-09-2010, 11:24 PM
You have some talent my friend. I like where this is going and love the color changer. I will be following htis thread with great interest.

equinox13
12-10-2010, 01:37 AM
/giggles with glee ^_^

thank you so very much! ^_^

salohcin86
12-10-2010, 11:24 AM
Awesome build. Very Creative. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

equinox13
12-16-2010, 10:10 AM
finally got some more parts in. first off i want to say that Tim did an AWESOME job of creating the sliding mechanism thingy that i could barely describe. it came out perfect and everything fits together perfectly.

to start with, i need to shave a bit of paint off of the box i painted so it'll go in and out easier, but i'll have to do that later. painted the pommel and pieces. baked them. already got a chip, but i can repair that easy enough at this stage.

-=parts remaining=-
CREE RGBW LED
Blade Holder 19
resistors if needed
Flash Driver Prototype

here's the speaker and crystal chamber assembly all put together.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TQpFKMerBWI/AAAAAAAABbU/TDMlzWzgv4I/s640/IMG_20101216_232604.jpg

here's the box sitting about in the spot it'll go into on the sleeve.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TQpFKwkSbyI/AAAAAAAABbY/EMqLxp2UBl0/s640/IMG_20101217_000416.jpg

assembled and separated. battery is sitting out waiting to be put in. i plugged in a P4 white with a temporary wiring job for it so i can test everything.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TQpFL5DrMwI/AAAAAAAABbg/s8SU96hN_7k/s640/IMG_20101217_011828.jpg

when you pull the kill plug, the switch LED and pommel LED light up. hit the switch and the MR board, crystal chamber, and main LED spring to life. one of the pins on the recharge port snapped off on me - i fixed it in a way, but it seems rather finicky...
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TQpFLnedfpI/AAAAAAAABbc/LIkHYaUHqWE/s640/IMG_20101217_015013.jpg

anyway, i don't have the box seated all the way in for the simple reason that i'm still waiting on the flash driver prototype and i might replace that recharge port.

Enjoy! ^_^

RevengeoftheSeth
12-16-2010, 11:15 AM
Impressive! I like the earthy theme. That sliding mechanism is very cool looking, too.

Skottsaber
12-17-2010, 07:07 AM
Thought I might post a picture of one of your parts for the build ;)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1237687/TCSS%20Posts/SANY0107%20-%20Copy.JPG

equinox13
12-17-2010, 07:25 AM
/squeels with glee! ^_^ i can't wait to get it in there and have it running! which do you think will get here first? your board or the LED strapped to a dolphin?

Skottsaber
12-17-2010, 07:28 AM
I'm going to deliver it personally.
In one of these dolphins:
http://uklottery247.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/dolphin.jpg?w=300&h=225

equinox13
12-17-2010, 07:38 AM
i'll take one of those too! ^_^

equinox13
12-18-2010, 05:47 AM
sorry for the double post, but here's a quick update. talking to slothfurnace about wood, weathering, and metal, i decided to do some extra detailing. i needed to redo the wood grip part anyway, so i used a dremel (yeah i thought that was a bad idea at first too...) and stripped off the paint, leaving the paint in the grooves and streaks in the aluminum itself. after washing the part as well as i could, i put 2-3 coats of primer on it - the grooves filled in just enough to look more natural and the damage from the dremel sanding drum actually looked almost like woodgrain, which then looked even more natural after the dark brown base coat. i then mixed up a special selection of reddish browns and tans and drybrushed it in them. as for the yellowish detailing, i used a LOT less than on the box. in person they look great together - a lot better than they did. as for the pommel, i drybrushed a dark metallic paint over it to give it a kinda rusty look. i figure if you wield it the upper part will get worn by the hands, leaving it relatively rust free, so i might add a touch of detail later, but not too much. anyway, here's a current pic.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_k8Kp4lNYp8g/TQyqecFjLMI/AAAAAAAABcQ/28vgjSE7zDI/s800/Pc180022.jpg

dgdve
12-18-2010, 06:10 AM
I'm so loving the natural feel of this build