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xwingband
12-11-2005, 06:06 PM
To all those out there that want to get a hilt made by a machinist or a place like www.randomsabers.com or just want to get a nice blueprint made I can help out.

I'm an architecture major and have AutoCAD 2006. I can CAD you up your design. I'll do it for a minimal fee. Even $5 means a meal to me and in my off time I can spare an hour to draw up your design. All I'd need is a sketch and an overall length. If you're interested send me an e-mail or catch me on IM.

Jedi Ranger
12-11-2005, 08:35 PM
Hmmm.....sounds interesting. I will keep this in mind. In the meantime, do you have any examples of your work?

*********************************
http://www.members.shaw.ca/Dahak/

xwingband
12-11-2005, 08:44 PM
Sure, I have some but not much. This is the CAD blueprint of the saber I just posted in the picture thread.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/Concept-1hacks-rev.gif

It was a friend's design to start with but he was having trouble getting any interest in it to start with so I changed the design to that.

I guess I can show some CAD drwings of houses but otherwise I don't have any other saber designs although I assure you I can do them. Sabers are easy compared to drawing sections of walls with all the right beamwork...

EDIT:
When we were trying to get 10 to go for the run of the stunt saber above some still wanted a slightly different design and I made another slight modification just in case we really needed those people on the edge. Here it is: (this took 5 minutes more to make from the above)
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/Concept1hacksrev2.jpg

Mi Gin Gonn
12-11-2005, 11:40 PM
this gets me to thinking xwingband...i've always wanted a nice ROTJ-style hilt but didn't wanna fork out a couple hundred bucks for a MR or a Parks Arc Wave. i know there are blueprints of it online, but i'd probably wanna modify a few things.

once a CAD is made, what is the machining cost (ballpark figure)? Strydur, you're the guy with the lathe & stuff, got any info on this? rough estimate of course, i know prices for custom stuff vary greatly.

also, how hard would it be to have a ROTJ-type hilt made for converting into a LED saber? i don't wanna mess with the FX ROTJ, it has that hideous ugly big neck on it & is oversized all around anyway. should i have a piece of aluminum custom machined, or just buy a Parks Arc Wave & gut it? questions, questions, sorry...[:I]

"Chaka, call off Dawson, will ya?!"

Strydur
12-12-2005, 12:57 AM
You need to remember that if you want a LED saber wit a 1" blade you have no choice but to have a big emitter end on it. I wont make sabers that look too close to replicas...dont feel like getting sued.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

xwingband
12-12-2005, 07:31 AM
Well, I have a non-CAD drawing I've accumulated in my searching of a Luke RotJ saber. I could CAD it up. CAD is great because you could send it straight to a CNC machine. As for the neck that's really unavoidable. I've got an idea though if anyone wants to hear it.

For ballpark figures, randomsabers does stunts for $50-75 and LED/EL ready sabers for $75-125 at the simplest design, but again Styrdur is right they won't touch screen designs for fear of getting sued.

If you got a local machinist to do it it would probably be similar. Raw stock of solid aluminum is $30 @1.25 diameter and $40 @ 1.5. Then their hourly rate is usually $30. So if your design is tough and takes a while it will cost more. There is a huge learning curve to operating those machines so don't complain about the cost either.[V]

journeyman171
12-12-2005, 04:56 PM
Hey,

Do you have a number i can call you at? I have a bunch of questions but i don't want have to type them all out when it would take like two seconds to ask you.

Tim

xwingband
12-12-2005, 05:11 PM
Sure, I'm not about to put my number up here though. E-mail me or IM me for my number. I'll be around my computer most of tonight so I should be able to get back to you rather fast.

EDIT: Nevermind I'll just use the e-mail button to give it to you.

Mi Gin Gonn
12-12-2005, 06:29 PM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Strydur

You need to remember that if you want a LED saber wit a 1" blade you have no choice but to have a big emitter end on it. I wont make sabers that look too close to replicas...dont feel like getting sued.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Oops, I should have specified it didn't have to be a 1" blade. In fact, I was thinking more along like how that guy DrumShenanigans on the other board uses just raw nylon for a blade. Since that's what I use as a diffuser anyway & my polyc blades aren't sanded, it would look the same.

The reason I mentioned the Arc Wave is 'cause I love that hilt, it's got everything I like about the ROTJ saber & lacks everything i don't (that bronze/gold piece, yuck, I honestly thought it was a goof from MR when they put it out until I looked closer at my old VHS copy of ROTJ I grew up watching). Obviously Jeff's been making them for some time without any trouble from Lucasfilm. To call it an "original" creation is stretching the limitations of that word a bit, though. I'm no lawyer, but if you change the dimensions slightly I'm pretty sure you can get away with copying designs.

But I was wondering if any collectors here owned an Arc Wave, & if so how difficult you'd think it'd be to convert to LED. Strydur, you got one? C'mon man, fess up...[8D]

"Chaka, call off Dawson, will ya?!"

xwingband
12-12-2005, 06:51 PM
Is the EL to LED conversion even possible? The reason MR to Luxeon conversion works is because the basic electronics are the same. You'd have to gut the Arc-wave completely (if it's even possible). Honestly at $275 you'd be better off getting a true to specs Luke RotJ milled out.

Since you seem intent on this idea I'll throw my idea to get the LED blade secure. The arc-wave gets away without extra securing because it's EL with the monoplug extending further in and the little screw they added. I got this idea from looking at my old Hasbro Qui-Gon saber. It was a part inside the blade meant to keep all the different pieces lined up.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/Lukeholder.jpg

Imagine a part made like that out of clear acrylic. The ID of that would match the OD of the blade. It would screw into the emitter and the extension up would offer some stability to the blade. Any thoughts? That was a quick paint job but I could CAD it up showing how it would go on the saber emitter.

Mi Gin Gonn
12-12-2005, 09:39 PM
i just looked up the precise specs of the ROTJ, and the neck is 5/8" at its smallest part. so yeah, a 3/4" won't even fit. well, fart. it'd have to be expanded somewhat to fit a 3/4" blade. i guess i didn't realize that Parks got away with a little bit of cheating with that mono plug.

whelp xwingband, thanks for the help, but it looks like i'd end up shelling out some major bucks either way i go [:(] i guess i'll just stick with something simpler/more economical this time around. but i appreciate the info!!!



"Chaka, call off Dawson, will ya?!"

xwingband
12-12-2005, 10:06 PM
Here's a CAD drawing of my idea. I did just the top of the saber and the hidden lines to show how it would work. It was taking forever to upload the bmp from CAD so I went to photoshop and added a little color before I saved it in a smaller format. Tell me if it's too big.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/Drawing5.jpg

EDIT: Yeah, it is small on the neck. The above is drawn with the intention of a 3/4 blade. If my idea was made I'm sure an LED could be mounted.

ntyatecafe
12-13-2005, 07:57 AM
Why bother trying to get one made true to form of the movies? It's much better to get a custom design or design your own IMHO...it makes it more yours (if you know what I mean).

Besides...if you want a Luke style, you may as well just buy the MR replicas one and convert it...it would probably be cheaper and easier that way.

xwingband
12-13-2005, 08:27 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Why bother trying to get one made true to form of the movies? It's much better to get a custom design or design your own IMHO...it makes it more yours (if you know what I mean).

Besides...if you want a Luke style, you may as well just buy the MR replicas one and convert it...it would probably be cheaper and easier that way.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

If there wasn't a business for movie sabers MR and all those converters would be out of business. Thread continual derailed...

You obviously didn't read that he thought the MR Luke was hideous because of the oversized neck too.

Mi Gin Gonn
12-13-2005, 11:56 AM
ntyatecafe- the reason is because i love that hilt, plain & simple. the forward grip on it reminds me of old 1950's sci-fi type stuff. besides, i'm not particularly crafty at making my own designs anyway.

wingman, i'm confused about that last CAD . is the green part the blade? if so that doesn't look like it would hold in there very well. or is the blue part the blade? if the green part is the other thing you were mentioning, how does it help hold the blade in place?

"Chaka, call off Dawson, will ya?!"

xwingband
12-13-2005, 12:37 PM
I updated the last drawing to show the solid nature of it. I was thinking of it as another part but I showed how you could make a blade like it. Even with so little in the saber since it's threaded into the emitter I imagine it'd be pretty darn solid. You'd have to break the acrlyic! Does that clarify it?

Strydur
12-13-2005, 02:48 PM
You'd have to break the acrlyic! ...sheesh man dont use bad language on my forums!!
We only use Polycarbonate around here, acrylic is fragile.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

xwingband
12-13-2005, 03:03 PM
hehe, bad language... I've never had problems with acrylic tubes. Does PolyC bond just as well with Weld-On? I use acrylic all the time with my architecture projects.

EDIT: I forgot to mention I like that acrylic comes in colors.[:D] I want to use a colored tube and sideglow cable someday...

GeluKhanGharr
12-13-2005, 03:15 PM
I think Tim meant acrylic is fragile by comparisson to polyC. The only time I broke something, it was the acrylic tip, but never the blade. And the tip didn't just come unglued, it actually shattered.

Born of Sith, seduced by the light.
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xwingband
02-16-2006, 06:44 PM
Well, this is old... I decided to pull it back up for giggles I guess.[:)]

I didn't want to post in the pictures thread really either...

Here's some CAD models I was making up to get a ballpark idea of look for my saber I'm designing. I gave it some colors to corrispond to the metals (red=copper, white=aluminum, and yellow=brass). It's not a perfect render, but good enough to get the idea. I didn't want to mess with the curves in 3D.[:p]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/saber3.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/saber2.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/saber1.jpg

I guess I'll just say I'm still open to helping people out. I don't have tremendous amounts of time to work but I can draw a saber or two. Heck if you just want blueprints, a 3D model, whatever... give me a shoutout.
<hr noshade size="1">

EDIT: did a render with materials[:D]
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/saber4.jpg

<hr noshade size="1">
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Nightwing
02-16-2006, 08:14 PM
^^^Cool. The shape reminds me a bit of the Arbiter hilt from JK: Jedi Academy.

xwingband
02-16-2006, 08:29 PM
Yeah, it actually started from someone who wanted to have one built by me. He sent me a screenshot of the one he wanted from Jedi Acedemy. He wanted more changes, I didn't like them and started morphing it myself. That's a very basic idea though. The part of the s-curve that extends and wraps will be cut to accept the switch (a safety toggle [8D]). I may add in the grips but it's a pain... they'll be aluminum strips riveted on.[8D] ...and another secret too.[:p]

EDIT: put the grips in badly...
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/saber5.jpg

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987654321a
02-26-2006, 07:12 PM
pshh thats cheap i can do a better drawing than that n paint. lol just kidding, thats really interesting, i might buy bluebprints from you! :))

The Dark Side will kill you
www.starwarscustoms.bravehost.com

Darth Frieds
02-26-2006, 10:41 PM
Hey xwingband, it so happens that i've been trying to find a way to make blue-prints and 3D designs for a hilt from jedi academy also. That hilt you showed looks a bit like it but i want mine to look exactly like it does in the game. Could you possibly help me out. I tried learning how to use Auto CAD, but i think I have a long way to go.
C:\Documents and Settings\Jonathan\My Documents\My Pictures\ATArbiter2.JPG

I have surrendured to the ways of the darkside. Fear is my ally

xwingband
02-27-2006, 05:46 PM
Yeah, sorry about missing that Darth Frieds. I missed it... Send me the pics of what you want through to my e-mail. I replied to the message you sent me.

987654321a, actually if you have dedication you can create some good blueprints in paint. The problem is you have to go pixel by pixel with your own scale. 72 pixels per inch is the native resolution but it depends on your hilt.

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xwingband
03-19-2006, 06:46 PM
Well, I've been working with Darth Frieds to get the arbiter hilt done. I hope he doesn't mind but I liked the render so much I wanted to share.[:D] I won't share the blueprints (unless he says it's okay) because he wants to have it made and I don't want all you saber nuts taking it and using it.[:p]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/reelbigporter/arbiter7.jpg



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james3
03-19-2006, 07:31 PM
Nice job man, when ever your ready I have 1 or 2 as you have the time.

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must." - Obi-Wan Kenobi

xwingband
03-19-2006, 07:44 PM
Just drop me a message with the e-mail poster option and we can start. I'm not too fast with this but I get it done... eventually.[:D]

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Nightwing
03-19-2006, 09:12 PM
You know, you could just pull the file for the arbiter hilt into the 3D program...

xwingband
03-19-2006, 09:16 PM
I guess, but it wouldn't be very detailed or scaled...

I'll try that.

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Darth Frieds
03-20-2006, 10:34 AM
Xwingband has more than exceeded my expectations on this project. I can't thank you enough. After Random agrees to biuld my saber I won't mind having the blueprints posted. i will let you know when that happens.
Thanks once again.
Darth Frieds

I have surrendured to the ways of the darkside. Fear is my ally

DARTHMONKEY1706
03-20-2006, 12:06 PM
I need blueprints, but how do I load a picture?

xwingband
03-20-2006, 12:11 PM
I can blueprint your design... if it's unique and there's not already basic stuff out there. This is mainly for show, sending to someone to fabricate or mill out.

Look at the FAQ (link is in my sig) for posting pictures. It's the third question.

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DARTHMONKEY1706
03-20-2006, 12:15 PM
thinx ill get back with the pic

meiv4
03-20-2006, 01:02 PM
i can probably help blueprint a few things. here is a drawing of the headpiece on my current prioject. and the piece itself.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/meiv4/emitter11.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/meiv4/saber/IMG_0424.jpg
no promises on time, but if theres a pic and im bored i might work on it.

hmmm hmmmm whooosh hmmmm whooosh crackel

DARTHMONKEY1706
03-20-2006, 01:30 PM
here they are not great but my first two concepts
http://www.psdshack.com/download.php?id=JxJRdEDgnbJigYcZ5YD7

http://www.psdshack.com/download.php?id=Oac9oyktDkkBdZtru2IX


told ya they aren't great but if ya could do something with them i'd be greatful[:D]

xwingband
03-20-2006, 04:02 PM
That second one seems to be corrupt and not the whole file.

Okies, that isn't hard but I want to ask some questions first:

The scale... do you really want an activation box that large and a shroud that way too or is it bad MS paint skills?
All the ridges, curved?

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DARTHMONKEY1706
03-20-2006, 04:19 PM
the second picture isn't corrupt from the black part on the top. the red on top is the saber. the first picture I didn't mean to post. I will re-do the second and put the right picture up. I'll get on that.

DARTHMONKEY1706
03-20-2006, 04:46 PM
for my post on the concepts of the sabers here are the ones I ment to post. Can someone do something with them.
http://www.psdshack.com/download.php?id=M02bWLH9ik9Ns8heaaJ5
http://www.psdshack.com/download.php?id=WE8BjentqSNjzUEmg3IV

curtainguy
03-20-2006, 05:22 PM
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a232/curtainguy/sabrdesign.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/vader.jpghttp://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/maul_saber3_small.jpghttp://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/dooku.jpghttp://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/sidious.jpg

curtainguy
03-20-2006, 05:28 PM
can someone blueprint that for me


http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/vader.jpghttp://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/maul_saber3_small.jpghttp://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/dooku.jpghttp://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b121/curtainguy04/sidious.jpg

xwingband
03-20-2006, 05:31 PM
I could do all of those, but I'm not fast. I make sure you get what you want (I ask plenty of questions) and I'm just plain busy. I'll be spending much of this week in the woodshop.[:)]

Maybe meiv4 can give it a go?

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DARTHMONKEY1706
03-22-2006, 02:11 PM
my other design
http://www.psdshack.com/download.php?id=gcLRpr7v5Ej3bm3EGFbS

meiv4
03-22-2006, 05:03 PM
heres something for curtainguy
let me know if you want anything changed or anything.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/meiv4/yoursaber1.gif

hmmm hmmmm whooosh hmmmm whooosh crackel

xwingband
03-22-2006, 05:07 PM
Nice, you like reflections don't you? LOL

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meiv4
03-22-2006, 05:07 PM
hey darthmonkey, try saving your pictures as .gif or .jpg. you can do it in paint, and it makes them a lot smaller.

nah it just throws those on there automatically when i make it some shiney material. i <3 inventor.

hmmm hmmmm whooosh hmmmm whooosh crackel

xwingband
03-22-2006, 05:12 PM
Ah... I use straight AutoCAD. I could do that but I tend not to like it and Darth Frieds didn't even call for it.

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meiv4
03-22-2006, 05:16 PM
i just used inventor more then autocad so i tend to like it more.

hmmm hmmmm whooosh hmmmm whooosh crackel

Darth Frieds
03-22-2006, 05:31 PM
I never heard of inventor. I'm not familliar with any of these construction programs. I first heard of autoCAD when i was browsing the forum. i didn't ask for shineyness because I didn't think of it.

I have surrendured to the ways of the darkside. Fear is my ally

xwingband
03-22-2006, 05:58 PM
You want it? I can add it. I thought it looked neat but the pics of the game seemed to be matte.

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Darth Frieds
03-22-2006, 06:49 PM
if that wouldn't be much trouble, sure thanks. I've been trying to find a way to make the shroud more curved useing paint or microsoft word but it just aint workin.

I have surrendured to the ways of the darkside. Fear is my ally