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rogue9607
02-24-2012, 10:54 PM
Edit: Adding some of the near-completed photos to this post. The original first post is still in it's entirety below. My wife has named this saber "Holly" (after "Holly Golightly" from "Breakfast at Tiffany's"). So, I'm proud to present... Holly!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7872821298_6b64bb5e45.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872821298/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7872827342_b2f4d019c0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872827342/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7872834070_33e2491148.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872834070/)

Some of the color options: Tiffany Blue, Red, Green, and Blue
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8442/7872814496_c67fd346da.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872814496/)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/7872836902_a3b4eae95e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872836902/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7872840014_9f46c3d510.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872840014/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8306/7872811982_1510768bc3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872811982/)

Original post:

Thanks for taking a look at my first saber build. I did a good month of planning before going to work on the electronics a couple of weeks ago, and started work on the saber itself earlier this week. This is for my wife who loved the look of Satele's saber in The Old Republic cut scenes, but requested a Tiffany Blue blade.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/6781459126_eee9a50374.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6781459126/)

Realizing that her color choice wouldn't come from a standard LED, I headed down the path of RGB LEDs. Seemed easy enough to wire up the resistors once the colors were dialed in, but also such a waste since the LED would be capable of so much more. After talking it over with a friend, who's been a huge help on this project, I decided to go with an Arduino to manage the color mixing of the LED and an Ultimate FX soundcard. The Arduino portion went much better than anticipated and we quickly had a blade that flickered on idle, flashed in input from the impact sensor, and cycled through preset colors. This portion of the project then expanded into sound which is fully coded but untested since the audio module only arrived yesterday. The saber has sensors for swing and impact as well as button push for blaster reflection.

I spent way too much time in sketchup and looking at frame-by-frame stills from TOR to come up with the initial design.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/6927579595_fb3e5fb01b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6927579595/)

Since I've also never worked with metal before, it was time to start with a jig to help hold the pipe for my hacksaw.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7186/6927579789_3e5cc70812.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6927579789/)

I also needed a setup to square/clean up my cuts.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6781459406_13e2940dc3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6781459406/)

After some sawing and sanding, I had the rough parts.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6781459280_9a4060c7df.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6781459280/)

A quick before and after of the aluminum tube as I received it and after initial sanding.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7068/6927580113_152e650464.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6927580113/)

Next it was on to a lot of work that made me want a lathe. I had several ideas on how to approach this, but my first attempt with the radial arm saw worked pretty well so I stuck with it.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/6927579925_6be291302c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6927579925/)

A good amount of cleanup still to do, but I feel it came out pretty well.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6781459672_7b44c4b586.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6781459672/)

Everything slipped together to give an idea of final size/proportion.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/6927580287_22b84ee720.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6927580287/)

The bevels at the end of the emitters took some time since I had to go very slowly.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6781459834_804d00325c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6781459834/)

And after tweaking my RAS setup again, I put the small lip on the end of the bevel.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6927580475_9893f5018a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6927580475/)

I cut a test fin at the bandsaw, and I think that'll work well in general, though this specific piece will be replaced.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6781459992_9a946760eb.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6781459992/)

And that's the progress so far. I'll update this thread as I continue the fins, move on to the acid etch, and eventually get it all put together!

Arryck Corso
02-24-2012, 11:34 PM
For never working with metal before, I'd say your off to a very good start. Your technique may be a bit unorthodox (I would have never thought to use a radial arm saw like that), but clearly, it works. Keep up the good work! I'm looking forward to seeing more progress on this.

mps
02-24-2012, 11:35 PM
So far so good! Looking forward to seeing it all finished.

boshwan527
02-25-2012, 01:42 AM
Sweeeeeeet! That's gonna be my next build too :)

Knighthammer
02-25-2012, 10:17 AM
Looks good - NEVER seen a RAS used like that, just be careful (and keep up the good work ;) )

ARKM
02-25-2012, 01:14 PM
Lookin' good.

Jenny
02-25-2012, 03:35 PM
I am impressed by your ability to improvise, and the quality of results you're getting with improvised tools!

rogue9607
02-26-2012, 09:20 PM
Thank you all for the encouraging words! It definitely hasn't been my most conventional project, and I wouldn't want to do a ton of work this way, but it's been working well even if it is slow. I don't think my stack of 1/32" shims made it into any of the pictures, but I was using them to keep my passes uniform.

This was originally going to be a surprise for my wife, but after realizing I wouldn't be able to finish for her birthday, I shared the project with her. As I did this, she shared some things with me that she'd like me to include. One of which was a change in the fin design away from the style of Satele's saber. Here's what I have so far that she really likes, but I still think could use some more tweaking - though I can't figure out what yet.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6933969537_28d7d6a3db.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6933969537/)

I've only had limited time to work on the project this weekend and most of that was working fin design changes and trying to get sound working. She also mentioned that she'd rather sacrifice battery life for a crystal chamber (with the possible addition of an external battery pack for long events). Should be some fun changes even if it takes me away from the original Satele design.

Silver Serpent
02-27-2012, 05:44 AM
A crystal chamber isn't going to affect battery life significantly. The little accent LEDs draw maybe 20mA or so. Compare this to the main blade LEDs that will draw 700-1500mA or more EACH. If she's expecting to use the saber a lot during long events, a good idea is to make removable battery packs, and just carry a spare or two.

rogue9607
02-27-2012, 06:05 AM
Thanks Silver Serpent. I left out some critical detail from my last post. My original plan was to have 8 AA NiMh batteries wired for 4.8v and 5800 mAh which would give me an estimated 2 - 4.5 hours of run time depending on color. I kept these as standard batteries so that she'd have the option of replacing mid event even it it is a bit cumbersome. Unless I can fit the whole crystal chamber into a 2.5" connector tube, I'll need to go down to 4 AA batteries and 2900 mAh, which will give me 1-2.25 hours. Still reasonable, but could get cumbersome pretty quickly for a longer event.

rogue9607
03-01-2012, 09:45 PM
So progress has not stalled this week, but I've been spending all my saber time troubleshooting my sound setup. I've either got a flaky uSD card or my sound module is bad. A new uSD card should arrive tomorrow, so the troubleshooting can continue.

rogue9607
04-03-2012, 02:20 PM
So progress has slowed, but has not stopped. I've been busy with the electronics side and am close to getting that squared away. I ended up returning the sound module for testing and the company agreed that it was not working properly so they replaced it (and oddly returned the defective unit to me). I got the new unit connected to my amp and everything is working pretty well. There's still a distinct click when the unit starts/stops, but I just need to add a couple transistors to eliminate that per the datasheet. I tested the "defective" unit with the amp circuit, and that part seems to work (speaker level output was the problem before), so for saber purposes I have two sound modules that work. The other thing I found about this unit is that there's always a very slight gap between files. My plan is to use both units in the saber with one only playing a hum and the other doing all of the sound effects. This has the added bonus of opening up some fun sound theme options. I need to redo a bit of the code to account for this and make sure the clicks go away, but I'm pretty hopeful that everything will pull together.

I did some test etches using hydrogen peroxide and hydrochloric acid. I think this has the potential to give me what I'm looking for, but I need to do a bit more testing for the resist. I tried toner transferred from magazine paper, and the toner held up pretty well, but the transfer was not nearly as crisp as I'd hoped. I just got some PNP Blue sheets in the mail yesterday that should produce better results.

On the design side, I think I'm back to the original Satele-style fins. I've spent some time working on a sample fin and it's quite a challenge.

I've got a good idea on the interior layout and should have room for the crystal chamber, so I've also been working on that design.

All in all, been a lot going on but no fun pics to share yet. :)

TD-2272
04-03-2012, 05:14 PM
Hey Rogue for etching have you thoughtof copper sulfate it may be a littleless cuastic. I'm testing this approche myself very soon. All in all your build is amazing keep at

rogue9607
04-03-2012, 05:52 PM
I looked up copper sulfate etching and it seems I had a few pages bookmarked, so I have thought about it, but I honestly don't remember much. What kind of resists can be used for this type of etching? Right now I'm working on variants of toner resists so that I can do the design in Illustrator and then transfer to the hilt.

TD-2272
04-03-2012, 09:22 PM
You can use vinyl, sharpie, clear paint, clear packing tape.

rogue9607
04-04-2012, 12:50 PM
I'm curious if the PNP Blue sheets would work for this and how they'd hold up to this solution vs the acid. I have some copper sulfate already, so perhaps I'll use both solutions with my next test to have a good comparison. Thanks for the suggestion!

rogue9607
04-04-2012, 06:12 PM
Spent a little time in the garage this evening and actually have some progress to show. I worked on one of the fin assemblies and got it tacked on with tape. I still need to shorten the connector rod, but I'm really happy with how it's shaping up. :) Just 5 more to go...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/7046518573_3f31e99649.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7046518573/)

rogue9607
04-05-2012, 08:07 AM
I mentioned progress on the electronics side, but wanted to give a glimpse at what I'm working on. Here's a quick video of the blade and the color picker program. Didn't have the audio connected for this vid. Starts off with triggering the clash flicker, then cycling through the 4 color presets, and then around 0:15 I'm updating the color via the color picker on screen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0SZHV1NnRk&feature=plcp&context=C4ba69a9VDvjVQa1PpcFOd1dW7DAJnRVqXHB2uj7qZ sLMjfPXADsg%3D

TD-2272
04-05-2012, 01:34 PM
You forgot the link me thinks

rogue9607
04-05-2012, 02:50 PM
You forgot the link me thinks

For the video or something else? The video shows as embedded on my screen, but the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w0SZHV1NnRk

boshwan527
04-09-2012, 04:34 PM
fins are looking good!

rogue9607
04-10-2012, 08:02 PM
Some small progress tonight... a few pieces for fins are ready to be drilled.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5075/6920389600_ec4182b6b6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/6920389600/)

rogue9607
07-06-2012, 01:25 PM
So it's been quite a while since my last update. Life got in the way a bit, but I'm making a push to get this finished up for CVI. One of my big concerns has been the etching. My last attempt didn't come out as well as I'd hoped. Per TD-2272's suggestion, I did another test with a copper sulfate solution and got pretty good results.

I used some toner-on-magazine-paper printouts that I still had lying around rather than use the PNP Blue yet. I ended up with a pretty poor transfer (some jagged edges and some areas that didn't adhere at all), but I think that will be less of an issue once I switch to the PNP Blue and take a bit more time. I was tempted to clean it off and start over again, but I figured it was a good opportunity to test the permanent marker as well. Below you can see the test piece with the darker areas colored in with sharpie.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8002/7516325970_2d2abdede8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7516325970/)

I used a solution of 1 cup water, 2 tbsp salt, and 2 tbsp copper sulfate (root killer). I left the test piece in the solution for a total of 3 minutes, though I took it out to check at 0:15, 0:30, 1:00, 2:00, and finally 3:00. I did use a feather to agitate the solution some to help remove the residue. The toner held up quite well, though the permanent marker was coming off by 2:00 and almost completely gone by the end. The first pic gives a good idea of the etched surface and the depth of the etch. The second pic really shows where the sharpie failed.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7250/7516303810_5994475ca4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7516303810/)http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7268/7516300514_ffbdcff57c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7516300514/)

I'd like to get cleaner and deeper etches, but I'm also unsure how many tests I want to do. I'll have at least one more test once I get a test printed out on the PNP Blue, so perhaps it'll all come together quickly.

TD-2272
07-08-2012, 05:56 PM
Awesome! Not to HiJack your thread here are some pics I did using the same method. I used vinyl as my resist. Goodluck bud.
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/TD-2272/2b4107c8.jpg
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/TD-2272/9e214753.jpg
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p120/TD-2272/ce563feb.jpg

slothfurnace
07-09-2012, 03:06 PM
So it's been quite a while since my last update. Life got in the way a bit, but I'm making a push to get this finished up for CVI. One of my big concerns has been the etching. My last attempt didn't come out as well as I'd hoped. Per TD-2272's suggestion, I did another test with a copper sulfate solution and got pretty good results.

I used some toner-on-magazine-paper printouts that I still had lying around rather than use the PNP Blue yet. I ended up with a pretty poor transfer (some jagged edges and some areas that didn't adhere at all), but I think that will be less of an issue once I switch to the PNP Blue and take a bit more time. I was tempted to clean it off and start over again, but I figured it was a good opportunity to test the permanent marker as well. Below you can see the test piece with the darker areas colored in with sharpie.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8002/7516325970_2d2abdede8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7516325970/)

I used a solution of 1 cup water, 2 tbsp salt, and 2 tbsp copper sulfate (root killer). I left the test piece in the solution for a total of 3 minutes, though I took it out to check at 0:15, 0:30, 1:00, 2:00, and finally 3:00. I did use a feather to agitate the solution some to help remove the residue. The toner held up quite well, though the permanent marker was coming off by 2:00 and almost completely gone by the end. The first pic gives a good idea of the etched surface and the depth of the etch. The second pic really shows where the sharpie failed.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7250/7516303810_5994475ca4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7516303810/)http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7268/7516300514_ffbdcff57c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7516300514/)

I'd like to get cleaner and deeper etches, but I'm also unsure how many tests I want to do. I'll have at least one more test once I get a test printed out on the PNP Blue, so perhaps it'll all come together quickly.

Very impressive results... I see hope for this yet!

darren1970
07-10-2012, 01:12 PM
Superb work on the acid etching.

I'm a Design Tech ( wood and metalwork ) teacher, so I'm amazed at the standard of the metal parts you are turning out considering you said you had no previous experience.

Kudos to you mate. I'm watching this build with interest.

rogue9607
07-25-2012, 09:14 AM
Thank you for the kind words! Somehow I missed the notification for these comments. I'm certainly learning a lot about working with metal as I go, and, though I'm sure it'll sound silly, the biggest surprise has been just how hard aluminum is. Some tools go though it much faster than I expected (band saw, belt/disc sander) but others are much slower (files and sandpaper).

TD, how did you do the vinyl resist? It came out great! I'd thought about this, but couldn't figure out a good way to position floating pieces.

I've been working away on the switches and have a few updates. My original design was to have a sliding momentary switch that looked like the original Satele saber, but the underlying switches I ordered turned out to be latching (despite the online description) and I couldn't find sliding momentary that would fit the application. I now plan to use some tiny momentary switches from TCSS under the circular recess in the switch (covered with an aluminum disc not shown in any pics below).

I started by sanding out the back of 3/16" blanks using an 1 1/2" drum sander. This was *very* slow, but seemed to work well. The large block in the background was clamped to the table and aligned to keep the small block holding the blank centered on the drum.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7266/7644056086_a06cb06725.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7644056086/)

After I made two of those, I realized that they seemed too thick, so I redid them out of 1/8" aluminum.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7644062556_1c78eff794.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7644062556/)

Here's the first attempt on a "slider" that I later scrapped.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7644052442_e6c4dcd5e6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7644052442/)

Same pieces on the tacked/taped hilt with the switch (which will need to be recessed slightly into the hilt to accommodate the cover disc).
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8429/7644042900_ebbe3515c1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7644042900/)

This piece was a scrap (due to the slip on the second small ridge) but it served as a quick mockup, and I think I generally like the proportions.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7644034128_7acd17f85b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7644034128/)

Here are my four blanks for the final sliders. I'll trim the long end down once the short end is shaped. I'm still undecided if I want to include the small hole at the end of the slider.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7644030548_e7175bc4a4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7644030548/)

Finally, here's a blank that I've cleaned up with a file/sandpaper compared to a rough cut one.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8018/7644023866_d0a532140c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7644023866/)

Hopefully I'll have all the switch parts finished up in the next couple of nights and be able to move on to etching this weekend. <fingers crossed>

rogue9607
07-26-2012, 08:41 PM
Almost done with the switch blocks... Made all four decorative "sliders", now I just need to finish the remake for the base piece that I messed up. Here's a shot of the pieces sitting together:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7654141426_a9d94ba125.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7654141426/)

While I had the sisal wheel on the grinder, I figured I'd test it out on my last test etch. The pictures really don't do it justice. I buffed the right third, or so, and it looks quite amazing imo. The grey etch lightened up and the texture feels very comfortable on the hand.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7654147706_570e7822fa.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7654147706/)http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8002/7654145492_73b09f3afa.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7654145492/)

I still need a better test, but I'm getting really excited about the etching.

Arryck Corso
07-26-2012, 09:12 PM
Looking good rogue!!! This is coming along nicely.

koko kama
07-29-2012, 12:21 AM
this is is bound to be a delicious looking saber.

I particularly like your custom switches, im a firm believer in making switches that
dont look like a switch - if you get my drift.

The force is certainly strong with this one

meridian416
07-29-2012, 04:37 AM
I would like more details on how you did that acid etching on those sample plates. Did you get the tutorial from online? If so what is the link? I would very much like to attempt something similar on a hilt of my own.

rogue9607
07-29-2012, 09:47 AM
I would like more details on how you did that acid etching on those sample plates. Did you get the tutorial from online? If so what is the link? I would very much like to attempt something similar on a hilt of my own.

I wish I could point you to a single tutorial, but I've pulled bits from several different sources and am still tweaking my approach. I've been pretty happy with the saline sulfate solution, but I'm still wrestling with the resist.

This site has some good conceptual information on the process: http://www.nontoxicprint.com/etchzincsteelaluminum.htm

This post has a more practical description and about two-thirds of the way down the page gossiphog has a comment with the mixture proportions I used (1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup, 1 liter water), though I scaled it down for a smaller test: http://forum.make-the-cut.com/discussion/11957/etched-aluminum

Even though this instructable uses a different solution (hydrochloric acid - which I tested on an earlier piece that I don't think I posted), it talks about using PNP Blue sheets as a resist which is what I'm using on my test today. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-etch-aluminum-panel-labelsdesigns-with-a-r/?&sort=ACTIVE&limit=40&offset=40

I like the PNP Blue sheets much better than the magazine paper I'd used earlier, though I'm still having issues with full adhesion of the toner. I'm attempting to fill in again with a combination of Sharpie and paint, and I'll post pics of this test later today. Depending on those results, I may need to change things up again.

After the etch, I used acetone to remove the toner. In the last few images, I used a bench grinder with a sisal buffing wheel to clean things up with a nice result. With the test today I'll test some spray lacquer to prevent oxidation.

rogue9607
07-29-2012, 10:54 AM
So mixed results from today's testing, but definitely some good lessons learned. As I mentioned earlier, I had some issues with toner adhesion from the PNP Blue sheets (though in all cases it was better than magazine paper). This was the fourth test. Not the best or the worst, but I figured I'd need to fill gaps in the final product anyway so I might as well proceed with the test.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7248/7670042208_89058f017b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7670042208/)

My first thought was to use some enamel to paint in the detail work that was missing. I think that would work well... if my painting skills were better. I went back and used the Sharpie again, though I did go over the bad spots three times to try to build a good resist. I used the enamel around the edge and to join to the tape since in previous trials I had issues with leakage at those seams.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8155/7670038794_84f1ac58b2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7670038794/)

I pulled the piece out after roughly two and a half minutes since there were a few places where the Sharpie resist was failing.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8155/7670033248_7332647d7c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7670033248/)

I really liked the contrast/texture after cleaning and buffing, but the etch wasn't nearly as deep as I want.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8289/7670023244_0b59b7a3e4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7670023244/)

I shot with some spray lacquer, and was rather let down. I'm not sure if it was my technique or the nature of the spray lacquer, but there's a definite orange peel texture. Personally, I find this less attractive than oxidized aluminum. Perhaps I'll try some wax on another test, but I'd really like to keep the shine of the bare metal while giving some protection from oxidization.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7670012166_15c1d2d7fe.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7670012166/)

Just to note, this design was just something thrown together quickly as a test and not indicative of the final design. Right now I'm thinking about printing the design on adhesive vinyl, cutting out the areas for the resist, using that as a mask to spray on enamel, and then removing the vinyl. This should give me a good solid resist that could get the etch depth I want, but it would really test my freehand cutting skills which I'm not sure are any better than my painting skills. Any other suggestions here are welcome. :)

ARKM
07-29-2012, 12:39 PM
Your latest idea sound like a good one as a few coats of spray paint makes for a great resist for deep etching. As for cutting out parts of the template, I use a hobby knife with a sharply angled point, with my template resting on cardboard so that when the knife cuts through, it hits the cardboard instead of a desk or table top.

rogue9607
07-29-2012, 05:29 PM
Busy day of testing. I couldn't find any printable adhesive vinyl locally but I did find some removable window stickers. Unfortunately, my printer ran out of ink before I could print on the sticker stock. I was still able to cut a test pattern by tracing from a prior print. I forgot to take any pics before the etch, but I used some spray paint over the mask to create the resist. I didn't use any enamel to seal the tape seams and had some issues with leaking (visible in the upper left). Here's the mask along with the result:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7137/7672642308_f603426d13.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7672642308/)

I left this piece in for 8 minutes to see how deep I could get with this resist (which I realized late was only a single coat). There was some slight pitting olong the edges of a couple lines, but the bigger issue was etch cutting into some of the thin detail.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7121/7672650792_1357178a5a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7672650792/)

This was significantly deeper than my test from this morning and also deeper than my test at the beginning of the month.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7672647018_35542bba8d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7672647018/)

I used some paste wax to try to get some protection and so far am quite happy with the results. The color of the etched area was relatively unchanged and the surface appeared the same as before the wax (note that I didn't sand/buff this piece nearly as much, so there's still swirls from when I was milling the hilt/emitters).
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7672635012_b9a382995b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7672635012/)

This test was done on the back side of the test from this morning. To protect it from the mordant, I covered it with packing tape. Removing that tape also removed half of the lacquer. This doesn't say much for the durability and would be incredibly hard to fix later, so I think I've ruled the lacquer finish out.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7248/7672653844_a1ae2f561c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7672653844/)

The mask/spay paint resist has promise, but I'm concerned with my cutting skill and the time that would involve. I'm tempted to see if a scrapbooking shop in Orlando has a Silhouette they could cut a few pieces on, or if they have any leads on someone that could.

ARKM
07-29-2012, 07:00 PM
I couldn't find any printable adhesive vinyl locally but I did find some removable window stickers.

When I do saltwater etching, I use adhesive backed printer paper. There is more than one type. I used a type that is easily removable. I use Avery 6470 Removable full sheet labels...

http://s7d3.scene7.com/is/image/AveryDennison/72782-06470-p03p

I'll admit that cutting the template out is bound to have some inaccuracies though... but it is an option. Here are my results of what I have done so far using templates I cut with a hobby knife. I sanded and then spray painted the parts after etching. I then used a reverse template over the now painted, etched in areas before sanding the excess paint off using my lathe and foam backed sandpaper...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/Evil-Henchman/Saltwater%20Etching%20Tutorial/SupermanShield.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y237/Evil-Henchman/Saltwater%20Etching%20Tutorial/SWET_Pic_18.jpg

rogue9607
07-29-2012, 07:15 PM
When I do saltwater etching, I use adhesive backed printer paper. There is more than one type. I used a type that is easily removable. I use Avery 6470 Removable full sheet labels...

http://s7d3.scene7.com/is/image/AveryDennison/72782-06470-p03p

I'l' admit that cutting the template out is bound to have some inaccuracies though... but it is an option.

Those look nice. When I was out today I saw full sheet labels and removable labels, but didn't see them combined (only removable were too small). I think what I ended up with were essentially the same, but are a plastic rather than paper surface. I'm guessing the label would be easier to cut, but not sure.

rogue9607
07-30-2012, 02:28 PM
ARKM, I hadn't seen anything past "but it is an option" when I looked last night. You did a great job on those cut outs! I think I seen a post of yours with the superman etch, or at least it looks very familiar.

I got another test in today which was very encouraging. I refined my technique for the PNP Blue sheets by using a freshly jointed board under the work piece, and used an extra piece of aluminum tube as a roller to periodically press the transfer while ironing. The result was a very good transfer with only a couple of holes.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8432/7678785932_1988c2450d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7678785932/)

To patch up the gaps, I tried a couple different markers. On the top solid line and the 'A' I used a new marker that isn't even worth mentioning because it failed miserably. The other three sides and the 'N' were three coats of Sharpie. The green patches on the right were a paint pen that I thought about after I'd filled in the holes.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7678782242_e08e8a28b0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7678782242/)

I left it in the acid for 5 minutes. I checked it at 4 and everything look fine... in retrospect that would've been a good time to stop, but that's what testing is about, right?
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7678778110_f4b9794b2e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7678778110/)

After buffing it looked pretty good! (except the part where I used the new marker)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7678769828_a88c3c8817.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7678769828/)

I'm feeling pretty good about the etch now assuming I can get a good transfer. Either model paint or paint pen seem to produce solid results for the gaps even though they're harder to apply. Hopefully I can minimize the amount I need to patch.

ARKM
07-31-2012, 12:04 PM
rogue9607, thanks.

Yeah that Superman etch pic was posted in my saltwater etching tutorial thread.

Love your latest test. The lines look extremely clean. Way cleaner than I could get by cutting out a template.

Instead of using a paint pen or marker, you might try actual paint and a very fine paint brush and apply about 3 coats. You can even use spray enamel if you prefer by spraying a small puddle on cardboard to dip the paint brush into (though regular Testors enamel model paint might work just as good).

I also want to mention that I love the slider switches you machined for your saber-staff. Excellent work.

rogue9607
07-31-2012, 12:15 PM
Thanks! I'm really happy with the last test (aside from the fail marker), and hope I can get a good transfer onto a curved surface. In one of my tests I used some Testors model paint (the bright red in the pictures) and it did work extremely well. At the time I had concerns with my painting skill, but that was when I was trying to recreate portions of the resist not just filling in gaps.

rogue9607
08-11-2012, 09:17 PM
More progress, but nothing really noteworthy until today. Took quite a bit of time to clean up and polish all the parts. End results look quite nice.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/7763246322_5938363c9c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7763246322/)

Today I finished up my artwork for the etching and got that printed on the PNP Blue sheets. I wrapped it tightly and taped it before putting it in the oven to bake.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8446/7763244352_115d990ae9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7763244352/)

I'm pretty happy with the results. There are some areas I'm touching up with model enamel, but the only areas that need much were from the seam.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8431/7763242186_2654a86997.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7763242186/)

Hopefully I'll have time tomorrow to start the etching!

Dahi Esmeva
08-12-2012, 07:23 AM
Cant wait to see what it looks like!

rogue9607
08-12-2012, 10:35 AM
Wow, what an incredible relief!

I finished up the touch-up paint and then broke out the home chemistry set. Warm water, salt, and root killer along with some very scientific containers and measuring devices (diet coke bottles).
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7268/7766996630_c042b06323.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7766996630/)

After a very tense two minutes, and a lot of scrubbing with acetone, the hilt emerged!
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8282/7766992868_4c2907388b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7766992868/)

Polished up a bit and paired with the emitter. I'm *really* excited with how it came out. Hopefully I can transfer the patterns to the other three pieces and etch in the next couple of days.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7114/7767051642_eabcec42fa.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7767051642/)

Arryck Corso
08-12-2012, 10:41 AM
That is amazing. I'm totally impressed with your results. Fantastic job rogue!!!! Look forward to seeing more.

Dahi Esmeva
08-12-2012, 10:42 AM
WOW!!!! that turned out really good.

ARKM
08-12-2012, 12:25 PM
Wow! That looks great!

TD-2272
08-13-2012, 06:59 PM
Ahhh that's epic Sir

rogue9607
08-13-2012, 08:55 PM
Thank you everyone for the comments and encouragement!

I am *so* excited about this build right now. I had a very productive night and have a lot to share. I finally broke out the real camera, instead of the phone, for some of the shots. :)

First, I realized that I didn't give much detail about my process in the prior post. I plan to do a better stand-alone write up after this build is done. To start, I drew my artwork for the hilt and emitter in Illustrator with a graphics tablet. I used the screenshots from the trailer as reference/inspiration and added some elements at the request of my wife.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7268/7778704090_e4f827ffcd.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778704090/)http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7778704740_571ca174f4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778704740/)

I printed those out on a laser printer onto PNP Blue transfer sheets (typically used for homemade circuit boards). After polishing the saber pieces and cleaning with acetone, I carefully taped (clear packing tape) the transfer onto the piece making sure that it was snug. I was also careful not to touch the metal after cleaning or the printed side of the transfer since oils could impair the toner transfer.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7778369246_d10008d31d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778369246/)

With everything secure it was time to bake in the oven at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. I have my baking stone at the bottom just to give the oven more thermal mass as I opened and closed it.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7279/7778365640_f1c4695d36.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778365640/)

After the 15 minute bake, I immediately rolled the piece on a cutting board to apply some pressure between the transfer sheet and the metal. I don't know if it helped or not, but at least it felt useful. After the bake, the printed areas are significantly darker on the PNP Blue sheet.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8440/7778373656_534bc00241.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778373656/)

I was happy with the result, but that's not to say that the transfers were perfect. Here's the second hilt piece and the two emitters. For the emitters, the left represents the best section, and the right is the worst.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8295/7778378230_3bd6f97aa8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778378230/)http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8288/7778358342_31b61b30f8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778358342/)

To touch up the gaps, I used red Testor model enamel. So that acid didn't get inside the tubes, I used more clear packing tape to seal off the top and bottom of each piece and left a really long piece attached to the top so I had something to hold on to. I also painted the seam between tape and metal to make sure no acid leaked in.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7778352856_b27483c533.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778352856/)

I didn't take any more pics of the etch process since it was dark by the time I got to that point, but the basic setup was shown in my last post. My final mixture was 7 cups of fluid after adding 1 1/8 cups salt and 1 1/8 cups root killer. For both hilt pieces, I put the pieces in the acid for a total of 2 minutes, checking every 30 seconds to make sure the toner wasn't deteriorating. I left the emitters in for 2:45 each since the acid seemed to get significantly weaker. After the acid bath, I rinsed each piece with water then used acetone to remove the toner/paint. Then I lightly buffed each piece and cleaned again with acetone.

At this point I had all these pretty parts sitting in front of me on my workbench and I couldn't resist the urge to quick tack things together for a test fit, and I was really amazed with the results.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8448/7778356156_9f878f94c8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778356156/)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7280/7778364898_4ca8ec0ec7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778364898/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7778390490_49a7c7ee96.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7778390490/)

I'm still in a bit of shock that it came out just as I'd imagined it! I still have a lot of work to go, but I'm motivated now more than ever!

ARKM
08-13-2012, 10:09 PM
Damn that's s exy. Makes me wish I has done etching on a saber back when I did my saltwater etching tutorial instead of just using scrap pieces. Curses!

Thanks for the info on the PNP Blue paper baking process and etching. Question, which version of the PNP Blue paper did you use, the "Press-n-Peel Blue" or "Press-n-Peel Wet"? Please let me know. Thanks.

rogue9607
08-13-2012, 10:14 PM
Thank you! It's certainly nerve wracking to dunk a piece of hard work into a solution that could completely ruin it.


Question. Which version of the PNP Blue paper did you use, the "Press-n-Peel Blue" or "Press-n-Peel Wet"?

I used the "Press-n-Peel Blue" version.

Ty_Bomber
08-13-2012, 10:33 PM
My my. Your wife is spoiled.

ARKM
08-13-2012, 11:52 PM
Thank you! It's certainly nerve wracking to dunk a piece of hard work into a solution that could completely ruin it.



I used the "Press-n-Peel Blue" version.

Excellent. Thank you.

Batosai
08-14-2012, 02:15 AM
damn, that's amazing!
to be specific, that's more than just amazing!!!

rogue9607
08-16-2012, 08:31 PM
Making steady progress over the past few days, but nothing nearly as exciting as the last update. I've secured the pieces together, so I can finally handle the hilt without it falling apart! I have two slots for sound, though the sound quality is my biggest concern. I also cut the blades to length and installed the retention screws. Doesn't look nearly as good without the fins/rods, but it's taking shape!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7799431090_7ac6ccb896.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7799431090/)

captain_mills
08-16-2012, 08:52 PM
totally radical! I am continually inspired and awed by the work people do here in these forums. The etching is amazing!

rogue9607
08-17-2012, 08:36 PM
More steady progress today. Started off by making the small disks that will fit into the switch body and cover the actual switch. This left me with the issue of how to make (near) perfect circles in aluminum. Once again, enter the acid etch! I took one piece of scrap aluminum and made it look like swiss cheese using the same 3/8" bit that made the holes in my switches. I used this as a mask over another piece of aluminum and shot it with some spray paint to act as the resist.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8427/7805684394_51f433e36f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7805684394/)

I left the back unprotected so that the resulting disks would be thinner than the starting piece of metal. The result wasn't the best (there was some paint the pushed between the two plates), but certainly good enough to use as a guide to grind/file to.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7109/7805682324_2753205a15.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7805682324/)

Took a bit of dremmeling to recess the switch into the hilt enough to get the body and cover to sit flush, but I'm quite happy with the result.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7259/7805678218_99844c262e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7805678218/)

My other item for the day was to drill the six holes around the emitters for the inset cubic zirconias. I've been pretty true to the original design, but this was one area I wanted to deviate from since I started designing. The bolts just didn't feel right to me... but I think the modified version looks quite good.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8438/7805692114_e2306f372a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7805692114/)

Jay-gon Jinn
08-17-2012, 10:10 PM
This is shaping up to be one very nice saber.....looking forward to the finished product.

Boj-Vaati Mau
08-18-2012, 08:25 AM
Beautiful work, sir!

rogue9607
08-18-2012, 06:43 PM
My wife joined me in the garage today as I worked on the saber which was very helpful, though it lead to a bit of a design change with the switches. Generally the same, but with a more decorative switch cover. The switches are recessed into the hilt and wire holes in place. That was the last bit of work before assembly!

We attached the fins to the emitters, but stopped short of attaching the pieces to the hilt. Should have the hilt fully assembled tomorrow!
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/7811840366_d5b15a1630.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7811840366/)

scottjua
08-18-2012, 07:48 PM
Dude.. just simply brilliant work on this. I want one... what'll it take for you to make one for me? I'm sure you've gotten 50 PMs along those lines too.

rogue9607
08-23-2012, 05:50 PM
So I've been doing more working than posting and have a mixed bag to report (though it all has a happy ending). I ended up milling some grooves between the inner rings at the center of the hilt for both more airspace for the speaker and a visible section of crystal. This addition took the better part of a day and pushed back an already challenging schedule. However, the result was well worth it!

Tuesday night I finally started wiring the electronics up (had it working on a breadboard prior to this) and learned some valuable lessons, mostly the hard way - I'm sure I could have avoided some of it with more reading. The biggest item was that solid core wiring makes inserting items into the hilt very difficult. Also, my custom Arduino setup, while useful for its purpose, was a huge space hog. This brings me to the part of the build that fell below my hopes - the sound. I finally got to wiring the sound portion up last night, and despite checking and rechecking connections, the SOMO module just seem confused. It would play the sample files just fine, but got stuck in a chopped/repeating loop when I used a card with the boot sounds. Tried different card/file combinations with no luck. Ultimately it was getting late and I needed something "done" for CVI starting today, so I had to remove sound for now. I'm pretty bummed about that, but alas it's better than no saber.

I didn't get everything wired up as cleanly as I wanted, but I'll need to do major surgery on it later which may include ripping everything out and adding something different for sound. At 5:00 AM this morning I finally had a "complete" saber ready for a CVI debut! (who needs sleep, right?)

We got a ton of complements and talked to some really great people (including some on here). Rob from the Saber Guild gave it a spin, and to my delight the saber held up! (and looked really cool) My wife made some blade plugs with some plastic gems that gave a really cool disco-ball effect in the dim hallways leading out of the Celebration Stage.

So enough typing. I apologize for the poor pics (don't have my camera/tripod with me), but here are some shots of the saber in its current form.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7114/7847734306_78c6f8106e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7847734306/)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7847761950_1e2d0aebe5.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7847761950/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/7847772668_68cea04902.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7847772668/)

rogue9607
08-27-2012, 09:19 AM
First, I want to say how much I enjoyed talking to everyone at CVI! I was really blown away by the positive response from the general public, members of this forum that recognized the saber, saber builders whose work I admire, and even a few celebrities! (my wife had quite a good conversation with Sam Whitwer, Dave Fiolini, and Dave Collins as they played with/admired the saber when we ran into them in the halls after a panel)

This saber is far from "done" but it was good enough for the con, and visually is in a near-final state. I got some great advice for the electronics/lighting of the saber which I'll be redoing as soon as I can gather the appropriate parts. I want to make all four switches functional which will hopefully come with the electronics update. The only metal pieces that may be added are sliders on the switches if I can find a suitable option that's visually satisfying while still allowing proper function. (the sliders I currently have impair the use of the switch too much)

My wife has named this saber "Holly" (after "Holly Golightly" from "Breakfast at Tiffany's"). So, I'm proud to present... Holly!

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7872821298_6b64bb5e45.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872821298/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7872827342_b2f4d019c0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872827342/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7872834070_33e2491148.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872834070/)

Some of the color options: Tiffany Blue, Red, Green, and Blue
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8442/7872814496_c67fd346da.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872814496/)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/7872836902_a3b4eae95e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872836902/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7872840014_9f46c3d510.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872840014/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8306/7872811982_1510768bc3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/7872811982/)

boshwan527
08-27-2012, 11:11 AM
OMGOMGOMG so awesome!!!

Batosai
08-27-2012, 11:22 AM
OMFG this one's amazing!!!!

slothfurnace
08-27-2012, 11:48 AM
Absolutely beautiful. Stunning work.

Edit: I haven't been this jealous of another person's work in a very long time.

Silver Serpent
08-27-2012, 01:12 PM
Truly impressive. And I can't think of higher praise than to have slothfurnace be jealous of your saber. :)

You have made a true work of art.

rogue9607
08-27-2012, 01:44 PM
Wow, thank you so much! I really don't know what to say... Thank you!

Knighthammer
08-27-2012, 01:44 PM
Very nice work!

YoRn Mangers
08-27-2012, 04:54 PM
Wow. Simply wow... The etching is so beautiful. Im definatly going to has to try this.

Darth Ryo
08-27-2012, 11:50 PM
So impressive :o
Congrats on such level of awesomeness :cool:

koko kama
09-05-2012, 07:24 PM
That sir is a Masterpiece, and truly inspiring!

I am in eager expectation of what follows....

Nice touch wrapping the little bow. your wife is certainly spoiled :)

Kevin Starwaster
09-05-2012, 08:08 PM
Uhm wow. Haven't checked this thread in awhile and I had to stare at those new photos for almost a minute convincing myself that I wasn't just looking at some CGI from the game.

Very nice with the etching and the switches. Looks spot on.

LionOJudah
09-06-2012, 07:37 AM
I'm still In Awe!!! (Wipes Drool!) You said First Build? (Drops Dead...)

rogue9607
12-12-2012, 09:40 PM
I've been quiet while tinkering/testing/planning over the past few months for the electronics rebuild. The unique ignition/retraction sounds/behaviors have proved a fun challenge, and I think I have most of the details worked out, though there's still tweaking as I get the parts assembled. The main issue is that all of the current sound boards trigger the LED ramp-up when the sound begins. To accomplish the Indiana Jones intro prior to ignition ("Dun-da-dun-tah, dun-da-ta... pseww!"), I need a delay between the sound start and LED ramp-up.

My original solution with the Arduino + Somo cards seemed reasonable in theory, but the sound aspect never worked how I had hoped (mainly issues with the Somo cards themselves). Using the Arduino to run the PWM for the LEDs worked quite well, though the current I was using was more than my transistor array could handle and I fried a few of them.

About this time I saw the email that the Nano Biscotti was finally being sold and I quickly picked one up. My plan is to use it purely as a sound board and use a revised version of the Arduino setup for the LED driver. I have three CAT4101 constant-current drivers for the LEDs. My crystal LED will still be resistor based. The Arduino will control the color mixing and send button input to the NB for sound. I'm keeping my single press for power on, double click for color change, and long press for power off.

So far I've been testing on a breadboard, but just finished my first cut at the two PCBs and hope to etch them later this week. Here are the designs as they currently stand. The first will go in one half of the hilt with the Arduino and the constant-current drivers. The second is little more than a breakout board to mount the NB to as well as the LED/switch connections in that side of the hilt so I can try to keep the number of wires running through the crystal/sound chamber to a minimum.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8337/8268663700_6161fa1bae.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8268663700/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8204/8268663680_a9b92c5756_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8268663680/)

I realize this is not the intended application of the NB, but this whole project seems to be about unique solutions. My goal is to get everything buttoned up so that this saber is fully functional by Christmas. I would say "finished", but there are a few parts that I know I'll want to remake eventually...

Silver Serpent
12-13-2012, 05:40 AM
Looks interesting. I can't wait to see your final results.

rogue9607
12-21-2012, 10:37 PM
Another minor update. The piece that I was least pleased with on the initial build (well, "embarrassed" is probably a better term) was the connector between the two halves of the hilt. The sound slots in the hilt were late additions, and the matching slots in the connector turned into a complete hack job. As part of this rebuild I'm making a sled to both hold the components and act as support for the hilt. I finished rough cutting the stainless steel tube this evening. The openings at the ends will provide access to battery packs and electronics. The center openings will show the crystal, with one of the rings holding the speaker. It'll be a tight fit, but everything should squeeze in (fingers crossed). I'm not going to do much of a crystal chamber for display, just mount the crystal so that it's visible through the slots.

The old connector is the small piece. The new sled still has a lot of cleanup left after the dremel work.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8295568194_4148fb6809.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8295568194/)

rogue9607
02-26-2013, 03:24 PM
My circuit board design has gone through several revisions since I posted the design, but I finally have it etched! Next up, trimming the board to size and adding components.

Resist on the PCB before touch ups:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8510870340_521b14642d_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8510870340/)

PCB after etch:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8095/8510436861_5c3b8132c2_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8510436861/)

hedgehog1
02-26-2013, 11:47 PM
This PCB board etching would look good on any other thread - but when compared to the etching on the saber itself, well, it is 'adequate'. :)

I know it's too late to mention this - but you could have sent the PCBs out to Sunstone or another 'one off' PCB vendor. Of course, you are the creative fellow who used a radial arm saw as a mill. I suppose that sending this work out would have broken that ethos.

This saber is nothing short of amazing. You can see why saber smiths charge so much for a detailed saber. The hours you have lovingly poured into 'Holly' boggle the mind. Keep up the good work!

I would never have thought of using a radial arm saw as a mill... But now that I have seen it done...

rogue9607
02-27-2013, 02:58 PM
Hehe, with all the troubles I've had on the electronics front, I'm just going for guts that work instead of a nice reveal... so 'adequate' works perfectly for me! (well, assuming it does work)

I'd thought about having the board made, but, given the cost/lead time and the fact that I really don't know if it'll work the first time, I figured I'd just etch it myself. I had the PCB and transfer sheets already and plenty of left over chemicals for etching! :)

Thank you for the encouragement!

rogue9607
03-10-2013, 05:56 PM
More progress today and I'm both encouraged and incredibly nervous.

Started out making the piece that holds the crystal and routes 17 wires through the sound/crystal chamber.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8524/8545832743_7a55755717.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8545832743/)

Horrible focus, but here's the wires pre-routed through the tube with plenty of extra to trim to size.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8088/8546928576_7540b40063.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8546928576/)

Here's the chassis with the crystal, speaker, and accent LED installed (and working).
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8101/8546927754_f199922aab.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8546927754/)

The part that makes me incredibly nervous is installing the electronics under all of those wires on top of the battery packs. Time for my masters thesis in cram-fu/constricted soldering!

rogue9607
03-11-2013, 09:10 PM
Getting close!

Everything is wired up and working... including the custom sound delay! All I have left are a few tweaks so that everything slides together.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8246/8550868854_4d7332a9a6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8550868854/)

rogue9607
03-13-2013, 07:45 AM
Woo Hoo! While not completely "done" (still a few code tweaks and one wire is acting up), Holly is operational!

On initial power application she plays "Moon River", as well as when the NB/Arduino come out of sleep mode. Power on plays the Indiana Jones intro before the ignition sound. Power off leads with a few measures of Toto's Africa followed by the retraction sound.

I apologize for the poor video quality, but it shows the first press that wakes the NB/Arduino up, then another press for ignition, and a long press for power down. I didn't show the double click for color change, but that still works. I'll take a better video once I get everything buttoned up.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWkGblZunyY

VicSkimmr
03-13-2013, 08:16 AM
Uh, holy **** that's awesome!

Jedi_Knight_Zekk
03-13-2013, 02:39 PM
Uh, holy **** that's awesome!

I 2nd and 3rd and 4th that motion. Ive been following this thread for some time, and I've been impressed every step of the way. A truly great build!

madmaxx
03-14-2013, 09:48 AM
that is absolutely and truly amazing!! this is in my humble opinion is the best saber i have ever seen...and in saying that i would like to see it on MY wall! very well done

rogue9607
03-20-2013, 06:52 AM
We took Holly to MegaCon this past weekend and everything worked incredibly well! On Friday I realized one slight code issue that allowed the LED and NB to get out of sync. Friday night I was able to correct that code as well as rework the controls. The final version would take a single press when off to turn on LED only (realized that this was the most frequent use in a noisy hall where we didn't want to wait for extended boot/ignition sounds to take a quick picture), long press to turn the saber on with sound (waking up the NB if needed), and a double press to cycle the NB (just included as a fall back, but it wasn't needed). When on, a single press would cycle the color profiles (I added an extra set of profiles with the crystal LED off for power saving), a double press flashes the blade, and a long press turn the saber off (with or without sound as appropriate).

The constant current drivers (CAT4101) worked really well set at 700 mA with the DX RGB LED, though I should note that each driver ran one color for both LEDs in parallel, so each die had a max current of 350mA. I never did check the current draw for the entire setup, since I didn't have everything fully working together until it was assembled on the chassis, and at that point it was rather difficult to get a MM inline.

There are a few things that I'd keep working on in a perfect world with infinite time, but with new projects calling to me, I think it's time that I consider Holly finished!

koko kama
04-16-2013, 04:31 AM
Rogue if there is one word i could use to describe this it would be inspirational...

I know that it certainly contains blood sweat tears, much elbow grease, a generous helping of love and dedication,
they used to say about a warrior sword - that it contained part of the weilders spirit - This saber is proof for sure.

I am still Gobsmacked that this is your first saber build and surely there will be many to follow.

Simply Superb!

Starwinder
04-17-2013, 07:14 AM
I am way late to this party, but ... wow, just ... WOW!
Holly is beautiful! That is one serious first build to be proud of!

Kevin Starwaster
04-17-2013, 10:58 AM
I LOVE the etching on this saber. You really went the extra mile and it shows.

Banaticus
05-02-2013, 11:30 AM
Holy cow, this is an amazing lightsaber. I'm just in awe.

About this time I saw the email that the Nano Biscotti was finally being sold and I quickly picked one up. My plan is to use it purely as a sound board and use a revised version of the Arduino setup for the LED driver. I have three CAT4101 constant-current drivers for the LEDs. My crystal LED will still be resistor based. The Arduino will control the color mixing and send button input to the NB for sound. I'm keeping my single press for power on, double click for color change, and long press for power off.

So far I've been testing on a breadboard, but just finished my first cut at the two PCBs and hope to etch them later this week. Here are the designs as they currently stand. The first will go in one half of the hilt with the Arduino and the constant-current drivers. The second is little more than a breakout board to mount the NB to as well as the LED/switch connections in that side of the hilt so I can try to keep the number of wires running through the crystal/sound chamber to a minimum.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8337/8268663700_6161fa1bae.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8268663700/)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8204/8268663680_a9b92c5756_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26676500@N00/8268663680/)
Do you happen to have a schematic version of those images which shows noobs like me what's going on?

rogue9607
05-02-2013, 01:01 PM
I do have the schematics, but I'm not sure how useful they'll be since I didn't label everything and this was the first time I'd done anything like this, so I'm sure anyone familiar with schematics will cringe. I changed my layouts substantially since the versions I posted before mostly due to space. I realized that I didn't have room for the Arduino/NB to sit on header pins on top of a PCB! I also realized that moving the NB and Arduino to the same side would give me more breathing room and the ability to run larger traces on a one-sided board. Below are the final versions that I used.

This is the LED driver. Pin 1 on the constant current drivers (CAT4101) tied back to the PWM pins on the Arduino for the appropriate color. Pin 2 are all tied together and eventually tie to the positive battery terminal. Pin 3 and the backing pads are all tied to ground. Pin 4 goes to ground through a resistor that regulates the power output of the driver (750mA for this if I remember correctly). Pin 5 is split and ties to the negative pad on the LEDs for the respective colors. The other end of the board has the transistor array that handles the accent LED (my first version version of this for CVI used the same type of array for the main LED, but my current needs eventually fried it). The top leads are the inputs from the Arduino for the three accent LED colors, the Arduino input to control the NB, and a connection to ground (not in that order). The bottom pins are the outputs for LEDs (which connect to the LED via a resistor), and NB. Also, the pin just to the left of these four connects to the positive pad on the LED at that end of the saber.
http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u515/rogue9607/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/Driverv3sch.png (http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/rogue9607/media/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/Driverv3sch.png.html)
http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u515/rogue9607/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/Driverv3.png (http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/rogue9607/media/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/Driverv3.png.html)

This PCB sits with the Arduino and NB at the other end of the saber. I'm not sure if it's simpler to understand or more complicated since there isn't much going on. Mostly I was using this board to tie/split different wires, but lets see what I can remember. The four pads in the lower right, plus all the connecting pads, are ground. The five pads to the left of that are Vin. Vin passes through a diode (per the NB manual when working off 4.8v) and eventually ties to the NB pad after looping around (the NB ground also loops around). When I had this on the breadboard, I had issues with noise getting into the NB from the constant current drivers. I hoped that the PCB would help with the noise, but wanted the ability to add capacitors if needed. I think I only used one in the finished product and that eliminated the noise. I think the three pads in the upper right were for the switches that connected to the Arduino. I'm trying to remember what the last pair are for. They might be to connect the NB switch pin to the pin from the transistor array, but I'm not positive
http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u515/rogue9607/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/NBv2.png (http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/rogue9607/media/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/NBv2.png.html)
http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u515/rogue9607/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/NBv2sch.png (http://s1071.photobucket.com/user/rogue9607/media/Costuming%20and%20Props/Satele%20Saber/NBv2sch.png.html)

I hope that made sense. Please let me know if you have any questions on it.

UrZu2
07-03-2015, 08:52 AM
This might be an obvious question but how did you attach all the aluminum?

TheSilverDark
05-07-2017, 07:17 PM
I hate to necro threads but this one definitely deserves it. Dear lord this is absolutely beautiful and quite a bit of inspiration. Lots of ingenuity in there, good job my friend!

JediRebel
05-30-2017, 01:04 PM
Speaking of bumps... Rogue, were you at Momoncon this weekend? One of my employees showed me a picture of his brother and I immediately said, "I know that saber!"