Opinion on Saber Design, LED color, and Blade length

[Darth Terminus]

I am fairly new to lightsaber building and I was just wondering what more experienced lightsaber builders opinions were regarding lightsaber designs.

What is your favorite and most appealing hilt size and style? Double-sided?

What is your favorite LED color? What style LED (LUXIII, Seoul P4, etc.)?

What is your favorite blade length to work with? For dueling? As a show blade?

What is your favorite sound board to work with? How easy is it to work with?

Do you consider sound important?

What is your opinion on battle sabers (hilts that have no electronics and use a carbon-fiber rod for dueling)?





Thank you for the info everybody,
Darth Terminus

[Silver Serpent]

Typical lightsaber hilts are 10-14 inches long. Longer ones are good for a 2-handed grip, or a double-bladed saber. I like the original trilogy sabers, especially the Obi-Wan saber.

I'm partial to green, as it's one of the most visually bright colors.

Just long enough that it doesn't strike the ground during duels.

Petit Crouton. It's very easy to work with, so long as you have a steady hand and a fine tip on your soldering iron.

Absolutely. If you show off a saber without sound, people think "oh that's kinda neat." If you show off one with sound, you get a MUCH better reaction.

Polycarbonate blades are very durable, and there's really no reason to use carbon fiber rods. Not unless you're doing films and will be adding the blade effects digitally.

[MandoJoe]

Excellent durability test here. Like SS said, unless you're planning on doing film style effects, the polycarbonate tubes are more than strong enough for your needs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqIQ8lkZC3g&feature=plcp

[Zahc Zi Phan]

That YouTube test Madcow did with the TCSS blades was insane. Beat that thing to crap and it stood up well. Thick walled didn't even show wear other than a scuff. I haven't had an LED saber yet (MY PARTS ARE IN THE MAIL, MY PARTS ARE IN THE MAIL, WAITING OH SO PATIENTLY, MY PARTS ARE IN THE MAIL!!!) but I bought an old lightech EL saber when they were the shiz-nit, and you could use that dang thing as a nightstick. Hell bent for stout, and I'm pretty sure it is thin-walled.
Back in the day, I started out with a 36" blade, but shortened it to 30" and re-strung the EL wire to fit in the new length. I find that a blade length of about 30" (shoto style?) is my fav. Nice reach (but hell, I'm 6'3", reach has never been a problem), and doesn't scrape the ground when twirling. The color? Hero GREEEN. This new one is PC driven (petit crouton 2.0, sounds WICKED from what i can tell online) and DEEP RED. Can't wait to put it together and imbrace my inner dark side... MWAHHAHAHAHA!!!

[Darth Terminus]

That video is awesome! Now, I don't really see the point of a carbon-fiber blade.

[Darth Terminus]

By the way my lightsaber is a Seoul P4 Red LED with a MR Darth Maul soundboard a 34" blade and a 16" hilt. I am planning on building many more though