New Saber rundown

[Master Valon]

Hey guys! I'm thinking of making a new saber for a good friend of mine as a gift, and wanted to run the parts lists by you guys to see if I'm missing anything, and for any thoughts on improvement. The hilt parts are:
BH 17 (Media Blasted)
Choke 3(PC'd Brass)
7" Fluted main body w/ guarded style switch hole(Media blasted, PC'd in grooves brass)
MPS Pommel style 6(PC'd brass)
MPS c- ring clip
MPS speaker grill
Gold anodized thumbscrew for blade retention screw
I was kind of inspired by the main Jedi's lightsaber from the TOR "Decieved" trailer. the electronics are:
Rebel star led (Green)
2006 MR Darth Maul soundboard
AAA battery holder w/ speaker assembly
SPST guarded latching switch(red)
4x AAA Ni-MH batteries
5 ft. of 18 gauge wire
Missing anything? Suggestions/opinions?:D

[cardcollector]

You appear to be missing a speaker for your speaker assembly. You may also want to get a lense and holder for your led if you want the blade (also missing) to be lit up.

[Master Valon]

Yes, sorry, of course I will be ordering a blade and lens assembly( 36" corbin style 1" OD blade and 8.7 degree lens and mount assembly for a Rebel Star, correct?). And am I mistaken in reading that the AAA battery holder/ speaker assembly comes with a speaker?http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MHS-speaker-and-battery-holder-P315.aspx

[Jedi-Loreen]

No, it looks like you're correct. It says right in the description that the speaker is included.

It didn't used to be, though, so that's probably why cc said that.

[Master Valon]

O Ok. So other than that how's the build lookin'? D'you think that the double choke combo would be comfortable or not so much?

[Jedi-Loreen]

Which choke combo are you referring to? There are 2.

Have you put this saber together in the MHS Builder, to see what it will look like?

[Master Valon]

Sorry, I changed the parts around since that original post; it goes: BH 17, choke style 1, 3" double female connector, another choke style 1, then pommel.Double female, pommel, and BH media blasted and both chokes PC'd brass. Sorry I failed to mention that.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Are you intending to hold this saber at the chokes? Could feel a little awkward.

You'll have to put the batter/speaker holder in the 3" double female extension. I'm pretty sure the board isn't going to fit into either of those chokes, though.

[Master Valon]

Oooo... ok yeah I see your point... what do you suggest, then? Like, a 4" female connector? Or maybe just one choke and a main body? I dunno, I'll work it out on the MHS builder lol

[Darth Enab]

You won't have much workable room in the new design, with about 6 inches of choke and only half as much normal space. It won't be possible unless I'm understanding the design wrong. If you changed the back choke and 3" extension into a main body (an inch longer...), it would be workable. I don't completely understand your design, though, so follow J-Lo's orders and post pictures from MHS builder. Good luck!

EDIT:
Or maybe just one choke and a main body?

Looks like you already figured it out.

[Master Valon]

Alright I think I've worked it out. It goes: BH 17(Media blasted), Choke style 1(PC'D brass), Main body style 2( Media blasted, PC'd brass in grooves), and MPS pommel style 6 (PC'd brass). Sorry I don't know how to post a pic of the MHS builder.

[Master Valon]

Sorry for double posting, but though the machinations of the creative process, I've completely scrapped this concept in favor for a black and brass Sith saber. The new list is as follows:
BH 14 PC'd brass
2" double female connector PC'd solar flat black
Choke style 1 short PC'd brass
Double male adaptor PC'd flat black
3" fluted double female connector PC'd flat black
Gear extention PC's flat black
MPS pommel style 6 PC'd brass.
Electronics: Maul FX board, red Luxeon rebel star or P4, guarded SPST latching switch, 4x AAA Ni-MHs. premium speaker
Opinions?

[Azmaria Dei]

no worries. ^_^ many sabers end up looking nothing like the initial designs and get scrapped a few times in the creative process. do you have an MHS builder pic with all the parts? you can hit the save button and download the picture and post it here. that'll make it a lot easier to see what you're aiming at. ^_^

[Invisas1979]

Where is the MHS gear going, between the pommel and the 3in double female? If so I seem to think the ID is the same as a ribbed extension and the speaker holder doesn't go in those. Someone correct me if i'm mistaken.

The design is nice but this will take some serious cram fu. Where will the switch sit?

[Master Valon]

Yes, I have a pic of the mhs builder, but I don't know how to post it. :( And to answer your question Invisas, the switch will barely fit on the 2" double female section that will be just below the BH.

[Jedi-Loreen]

I do a Print Screen of the finished render, open it up in Paint, crop where necessary, save and then upload it to my Photobucket account.

Then copy and paste the Image link, like this:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b8/JediLoreen/Lightsabers/NewSaber12-10-08.jpg

[Skottsaber]

J-Lo, I suggest you move your retention screw to the other side of the emitter. Also, do you really want a graflex clamp there? It would seriously get in the way of handling / spins.
Also, the midsection is a little bland. Why not add some detail like powder coating or milled slots to help break it up a bit? Oh also, your invisible covertec knob is upside down ;)

[Jedi-Loreen]

Thanks, but I'm not looking for critiques for this saber, it's just an idea, Skott.

I don't know if it'll ever get built.

That thumbscrew is for looks and I would probably put a hidden set screw on the other side of the blade holder for better blade retention.

It's meant to be sort of an homage to both Luke's and Anakin's sabers, and would use one of the boxes from the Store, and not the Graflex clamp. That was the only thing to use in the MHS Builder when I did this a couple years ago.

[Azmaria Dei]

in that case, D-ring all the way! ^_^

[Jedi-Loreen]

Nope, don't like D-rings.

Plus, I still have a lot of dished Covertec buttons that I bought years ago from another guy who was making them before TCSS was in existence.

[Master Valon]

Mkay, well I don't have or want a photobucket account, so I guess I won't be posting any pics anytime soon- sorry.

[Jedi-Loreen]

What do you have against having an online photo album? They can be very handy.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

There are also other online photo storage options than photobucket like flickr and you certainly don't have to use one account for all your photos if you don't want people here to see those...you can always get a separate account on one or another and use it just for posting renders or sabers on forums and not use it for anything else, which is what I did.

[Invisas1979]

Yes, I have a pic of the mhs builder, but I don't know how to post it. :( And to answer your question Invisas, the switch will barely fit on the 2" double female section that will be just below the BH.

I thought you might say that, where will the board go then? If you use a regular size AV and a bezel the switch will just have enough distance from the inside of the extension to wire but a board wont go in that section.

I'd say used the small AV and a bezel but I don't think they work together.

So..... maybe cosider making a 3.7v pack using a trustfire and a dummy cell, and have the board sit on top in the extension. It'll be a tight fit but I have seen someone do this before or even better a single cell pack if the trustfire will sit inside the choke with enough room for wires to pass.

Switch placement is essential when cramming in lots of goodies with little or awkward spacing.

[Azmaria Dei]

i use picassa for most photos myself, being a google-holic. also, you can upload pictures directly to the forum in your posts, so you really don't need one anyway.

[Master Valon]

Invisas, I'll be using a guarded SPST switch, so hopefully that will cut down on space issues, but yeah, I see your point- this is going to take some serious crammage!