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View Full Version : New here, have a couple questions.



Ashiva
09-28-2011, 05:31 PM
I'm new on the board, and I've done as much research as I could to build a saber to my liking (Luke ROTJ style)

I've gotten the idea in regards to using a PC-L eventually, but my questions pertain to the MHS parts.

I didn't want an extremely long saber, so I was thinking I would use a Style 3 pommel, 4 inch extension, ribbed extension, and a Style 8 blade holder. What I was wondering was is there enough room for me to put an activation box on the 4 inch extension (just the box without the tubing), and drill a hole in the tube for a switch, but still have enough room for the battery compartment, speaker holder w/ speaker inside, and the PC-L inside it with the button in it. I was trying to keep the size less then 12 inches, cause that seems about right. Anyone have any suggestions on if that would work/fit?

Crystal Chambers
09-28-2011, 05:48 PM
Welcome aboard!

Yep! You just need to make sure your screws are no longer then needed, and you'll want to use 2 Li-Ions cells. Totally use some MHS sleeve for this. The control boxes are made for the MHS bodies but still fit fine over sleeve material. The difference isn't much so it leaves a very small gap under the center of the box but it works great.

Ashiva
09-28-2011, 05:58 PM
So I should go with a 2 AA battery pack and 2 Li-ion batteries? Or should I add in a recharge port? If I had to do a recharge port, could I just put it in the center hole of the activation box so it was hidden beneath the natural card I plan to put on the activation box?

Ashiva
09-28-2011, 06:04 PM
And you mean this one right?
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Activation-box-style-7-P607.aspx

I just wanted to make sure Ihad enough room inside the 4 inch extension for the battery pack, and possibly put the PC-L inside the ribbed extension. I just gotta think of a way to make it so it would be stationary.

This was the set up I was thinking about.
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Screw-on-LED-blade-holder-style-16-new-style-P416.aspx
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/4-Double-female-threaded-connector-P123.aspx
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Ribbed-Choke-Combo-P520.aspx
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MPS-Pommel-style-3-v2-P90.aspx

Ashiva
09-28-2011, 10:54 PM
Any ideas on this would be appreciated. I don't want to buy parts that won't work for what I would plan to do. Also, does anyone have a suggestion on what to use to mount/pad the PC-L so it won't short out?

Crystal Chambers
09-29-2011, 04:53 AM
Sounds like you have some reading to do. Make sure to check through the stickied posts. They'll put you on the right track. Look for build threads with similar things you want to do.
Doing a first build with sound can take a while to get everything right. It took me several months to do my first one and I was on the forum for at least an hour a day everyday.

Instead of double and triple posting edit your posts. Double posting and asking basic questions won't get you the best advice. Once you have access to the chat room you can ask these questions in real time or private message members with specific questions without having to post a topic. You'll have access to the chat room very soon.

Otherwise I recommend a recharge port when installing a PC. I don't think they fit in the control boxes unless modified. Pommel is the easy route but you could mount it anywhere really.

LDM does lots of ROTJ V2s. Have a look at his build threads and you'll see how he approaches them.

Jay-gon Jinn
09-29-2011, 09:11 AM
what you're asking to do has been done before, I have done it myself at least 4 times that I can think of. Here's the last one:
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?13124-Jay-gon-s-Chrome-Saber-36

I have a "tutorial" for another one here as well:
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?12142-Jay-gon-Jinn-s-Chrome-Saber-33-Build-%28MHS-MR-FX-illuminated-AV-switch-AAA-Alkalines%29
With your design using one of the switch boxes, you should have no trouble at all in getting the battery pack, a speaker and a recharge port in the 4" extension. you may have to make your own speaker mount, though like I did.

Ashiva
09-29-2011, 11:24 AM
Yeah I figured I would need to make a mount with the idea of using maybe the 1 18500 (I think that was it, I'll double check it before I do it) li ion battery method of powering the pc and all, since crystal suggested the li ion instead of regular batteries. I may dO two in succession like I saw in the battery pack tutorial jus to give the whole thing a full 7.4v to be on the safe side

Jay-gon Jinn
09-29-2011, 11:31 AM
You might be able to make that work if you put one battery in the robbed extension, the other in the four inch extension and the petit crouton mounted on top of the battery in the four inch extension. Making an actual "stick pack" like.in the tutorial may not work due to the smaller inside diameter of the ribbed extension.

Ashiva
09-29-2011, 12:01 PM
It's hard to explain right so I'll just say what I meant is the first one made here with the red batteries http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?12829-Li-Ion-Battery-Packs
If you think 1 would work fine though then I'll go with that. I'll have to see Once I start ordering parts and see the inside diameters and sizes of stuff what would be best I guess. Although I do like your idea and I had thought about doIng the quick dissconnect on the batteries and your post definately made me decide on that part.

Crystal Chambers
09-29-2011, 01:31 PM
There's so many ways to install electronics that it comes down to what works for you. This is where the research and even some headaches set in but it really does help to have things at hand to visualize the space. You could even put the board in the the ribbed grip section if you want, and then the 4" section could hold your batteries. The only problem is that makes SD card access more difficult since you'll need room to counter twist wires before assembling the MHS parts. Every solution has it's benefits, limitations, and sometimes solutions. Unless you repeat hilt design aspects every build presents new challenges.

Ashiva
09-29-2011, 02:11 PM
That was my other idea. I figured as long as I made a mount for the pc-l and bot could fit inside the ribbed extension, I could just make the wiring long enough to accommodate unscrewing either the choke or the ribbed extension off and pulling the pc-l out enough to get to the card. I will look and see when I get parts. It may be a while before I get the pc-l though with them being more then almost all the other parts together. What do you think would be easiest? Using a battery holder that is sold in the store wired to a recharge port with 2 aa li ion batteries in it, or making a pack instead? I would probably do it the way you suggested with the batteries and speaker in the 4 inch extension and the pc-l mounted in the ribbed extension.

Jay-gon Jinn
09-29-2011, 09:46 PM
In the sabers I built that use the same style of construction you're thinking about, I mounted the soundboards to one of these:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/Custom%20saber%20for%20Zod/355aa0d9.jpg
That is made from a TCSS chassis disc style 1 with holes (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Chassis-Disc-style-1-with-holes-P595.aspx) and some of the 4-40 rod and spacers I had on hand, but it could also be done with the aluminum tubing sold in the store. The soundboard can be made to fit on top of it like so:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/Custom%20saber%20for%20Zod/dc061959.jpg
This location allows for accessing the sd card by simply removing the blade holder and the led module without having to worry about wires twisting. This probably wouldn't work if you wanted to also put an 18500/18650 in there with it though. It would work just fine if you wanted to use only one to power the saber. I've done that a few times and it seems to work just fine for me, even though it isn't the ideal power supply for the PC.

Ashiva
09-29-2011, 11:20 PM
But if that would work with a single cell then I would probably do something similar.

Do you mean using these
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Aluminum-4-40-all-thread-P600.aspx

With these overtop?
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Aluminum-316-OD-tube-P601.aspx

And that wouldnt short it out if you hot glued it together?

thejedilestat
09-30-2011, 12:19 AM
hot glue will keep everything from shorting out the same way heat shrink will its just heat shrink is better. or so i have heard eather way if you wanna be safe heat shrink the aluminum tubing and all should be well in the world.

Ashiva
09-30-2011, 07:14 PM
Would you recommend doing 2 14500 Li ion batteries with PCB for What I was wanting to do, or should 1 protected 18650 be enough for sound and all? i'm not very savvy right now with Amps and voltage and such. I would think the 1 protected (No extra PCB cause I read as much as I could about the Li ion batteries and making a pack if needed) 18650 would be enough wired to a recharge port in the 4 inch extension would be ok. Also, Can someone explain why you would wire an aux switch and not just one switch, like a latching switch, to turn your saber on and off? I tried searching for a while to find out what one would use the aux switch for, but I couldn't find anything really.

Jay-gon Jinn
09-30-2011, 11:51 PM
Would you recommend doing 2 14500 Li ion batteries with PCB for What I was wanting to do, or should 1 protected 18650 be enough for sound and all? i'm not very savvy right now with Amps and voltage and such. I would think the 1 protected (No extra PCB cause I read as much as I could about the Li ion batteries and making a pack if needed) 18650 would be enough wired to a recharge port in the 4 inch extension would be ok. Also, Can someone explain why you would wire an aux switch and not just one switch, like a latching switch, to turn your saber on and off? I tried searching for a while to find out what one would use the aux switch for, but I couldn't find anything really.Well to start, the aux switch activates extra features that you wouldn't be able to use if you didn't have one. if you tap it once, the board will play back a blaster sound or other sound in the blaster slot in the sound font, and when you hold it down, the blade will flash and shimmer while a lock up sound is played to simulate crossed and locked blades.

you can use a single protected 18659 if you want to. it will have a longer run time than a double pack of 14500's. The 14500's may fit better, and if you only need it to run for say, an hour, that might be your best bet. you may get 2 1/2 hours with the single 18650.

Make a list of what you want it to do, and write down the pro's and con's of each set up. look at how much it will cost with either battery set up and see which one would give you the most bang for your buck.

Also, if you use the aluminum tubing for the sound board mount, you could also use some 3M double sided foam mounting tape to attach the sound board to the legs of the mount to insulate it from the inside of the hilt. I have done it several (over 20, I think) and not had any trouble with any boards shorting out yet.

Ashiva
10-01-2011, 12:44 PM
Great! I think I'm ready to partake in the next step of building a working saber (as I've built just a hilt a couple times).. One problem though, which I think we've all had happen at one point or another.. Getting the money to do it with LOL