A few questions before finishing build

[Magrok]

Hello! New poster here, though I've lurked for a while and read just about every thread I could find. I still have a few scattered questions before I'm ready to finish my design and post my parts list, though, so any advice here would be appreciated.


In no particular order -

>What is the diameter of the top of a recessed AV momentary switch? The gold plated, item code (switch18) if it makes a difference. I can't find it listed, and am trying to place it within 1/16th or 1/32nd of an inch to assist in cram fu.

>Am I correct that attaching a covertec belt clip does not take up any internal space? I won't have much space to spare, and haven't yet decided whether to include a belt clip at all, so this'll factor greatly into that decision.

>I've seen a lot of information on how to implement heat sinks, some of it contradictory. For using the new style MHS blade holder and heat sink, specifically, what else would I need for it? Thermal tape, metal screws for thermal conductivity, plastic screws for the Seoul LED, some combination thereof?

>What sort of damage mitigation would be recommended to have on hand while making a Li-Ion battery pack (of two 14500 3.7V batteries)? Eye protection I'm sure, what about gloves? A bucket of sand? I've not worked with electrical hardware before, what might be needed?

>How much does a Petit Crouton soundboard's placement close to the hilt's spin center affect sound quality, given 0.5" - 0.75" of resonance? It'll be almost exactly at the center unless I severely rework my design.

>Does sealant or a clear coat of paint damage or mess up powdercoating in any way? I understand this isn't necessary for the powdercoat, but planned to paint some detail work in a second color after receiving the pieces.

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If I've noobed up and missed something I could've searched for, I apologize. Thanks for any help you can provide!

[Kant Lavar]

I'll try and answer what I can. Some questions I'll be passing on to older and wiser heads around these parts.



>Am I correct that attaching a covertec belt clip does not take up any internal space? I won't have much space to spare, and haven't yet decided whether to include a belt clip at all, so this'll factor greatly into that decision.

Short version: Maybe.

Long version: I've sometimes had the screws for my Covertec wheel stick just a very little bit into my saber. It's not noticeable - they're usually placed down where the speaker mount is anyway, so in a way they act more as set screws to hold the speaker mount in place, more than anything else. It shouldn't be a big issue, and even if it is for you, a second or two with a Dremel drum tool will fix that right up.


>I've seen a lot of information on how to implement heat sinks, some of it contradictory. For using the new style MHS blade holder and heat sink, specifically, what else would I need for it? Thermal tape, metal screws for thermal conductivity, plastic screws for the Seoul LED, some combination thereof?

I haven't used one of the new heat sinks yet, myself. However, my understanding is that they're designed for use with thermal tape, which in the old heat sinks was more than sufficient.


>What sort of damage mitigation would be recommended to have on hand while making a Li-Ion battery pack (of two 14500 3.7V batteries)? Eye protection I'm sure, what about gloves? A bucket of sand? I've not worked with electrical hardware before, what might be needed?

Honestly, if you can get away with it, I'd suggest just slapping them in a AA holder or buying a premade pack, especially if you're new at working on electronics. That having been said, I've soldered wires to batteries, both successfully and not, so my biggest bit of advice would be to simply learn to work fast - apply heat to the batteries for no more than five seconds at a time - and test EVERYTHING before you put it together. I looped a battery pack in on itself with a kill port and didn't realize it until I noticed the battery pack was getting really hot. Fortunately, I caught it and cut the circuit before the battery burst. But seriously, if you're new, hold off on this as it's probably one of the more dangerous bits in this hobby.


>How much does a Petit Crouton soundboard's placement close to the hilt's spin center affect sound quality, given 0.5" - 0.75" of resonance? It'll be almost exactly at the center unless I severely rework my design.

If you're talking about the board itself: placement of the card doesn't affect sound quality in any way. What you may be thinking of is sensitivity; if so, it's just a matter of tuning the settings on the board until you're happy. If you're talking about the speaker... well, I know several people have had great success with reverse-sound sabers, so looking up their builds and threads would probably be instructive.


>Does sealant or a clear coat of paint damage or mess up powdercoating in any way? I understand this isn't necessary for the powdercoat, but planned to paint some detail work in a second color after receiving the pieces.

To the best of my knowledge, no.