Andrew's personal saber

[amwolf]

Hello, everyone. I’d like to present my newest saber, and this one I’m keeping for myself.

It’s my first crystal chamber, and it’s a reverse sound configuration so hiding all the wires was a priority as originally the chamber was to have been in the back of the saber. During a trip to the hardware store I found some brass washers that fit the MHS interior perfectly, so it got a quick hardware store redesign and got further massaged during the build. I was going for a radiator-style chamber, with copper tubing snaking through the brass fins and around some hollow copper pipe that were the wire chases. I repeated that material scheme through copper tubing wrapped in grooves in the extension, and some copper mesh in the pommel.

I asked Tim to add the grove to the pommel, and he did the copper orange powder coating on the ribbed grooved extension as well. The SD card actually sits a smidge proud of the end of the extension, so it’s really easy to access by removing the pommel. The control box I designed and had 3D printed in “stainless steel” so it’d be durable. And darn hard to drill through… The card insert is friction fit and came from a RAM card pulled from on old computer. I cut the shrouds, and painted and baked them and the control box. Finally, the choke has a black pigskin suede wrap where the recharge port is mounted.

Alright, enough of me babbling on. Here’s the fun stuff…


Specs:

Petit Crouton 2.0 with Madcow’s “Hero” font
7.4V 14500 battery pack, recharge port in the choke
LED Engin configured for “Sky Blue” blade w/ RW FOC
Semi-exposed Quartz crystal chamber
Custom switch box
Reverse sound configuration
Accent leds – turquoise behind the crystal, wired as a power indicator, with white and turquoise keister blinkies




Video:


http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_MVI_2149_zps3a1de41e.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=MVI_2149_zps3a1de41e.mp4)




Photos:


http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2165_zps591b51d1.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2165_zps591b51d1.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2167_zpsed251205.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2167_zpsed251205.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2169_zpsd0328de7.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2169_zpsd0328de7.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2175_zpsd43ffd99.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2175_zpsd43ffd99.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2166_zps8cd441f0.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2166_zps8cd441f0.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2158_zpsc8544fcf.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2158_zpsc8544fcf.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2139_zps14389e37.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2139_zps14389e37.jpg)




Details and in-process photos:

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2024_zpsd0f5516d.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2024_zpsd0f5516d.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2067_zps1ae1273a.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2067_zps1ae1273a.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2076_zpsf09c29d3.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2076_zpsf09c29d3.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2103_zpse565bb11.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2103_zpse565bb11.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2113_zpsafa2ac79.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2113_zpsafa2ac79.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2101_zpsc96d5240.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2101_zpsc96d5240.jpg) http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/th_IMG_2134_zps0725872e.jpg (http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac26/am2wolf/Wolf%20-%20Andrew%202/?action=view&current=IMG_2134_zps0725872e.jpg)




Thanks for looking, and I eagerly await comments and criticisms.

[Arryck Corso]

I love it. The crystal chamber is beautiful. That shroud is amazing. Definitely one to be proud of. Congrats!!!

[Skinnerman02]

Slick, very Old Republic looking. I'd buy it.

[madmaxx]

thats a really nice looking saber well done. Love the chamber

[Boj-Vaati Mau]

Well done! Many interesting features in this saber. But it's definitely not a spinner with the cool activation box where it is. Keep up the excellent work!

[amwolf]

Yes, spin well it does not. Also, I'm hemmed in by 8ft ceilings, which tend to limit experimentation. Thanks everyone!

[TrypWyr]

Wow, beautiful work! Love the crystal chamber with the "fins". How did you get the washers so uniform, don't tell me you did that by hand?!

Okay, and I have to ask... the stick of RAM, how did you manage to curve it for the switch box? It looks amazing! As a longtime tech, I have more RAM sitting around than I care to count... would love to try something like this.

[amwolf]

First, I've got a dremel, and 6" flat file, and a drill press, and I'm not afraid to use them. I drilled out holes for the brass 4-40 rod in all the washers in a big stack (I had a few extra in there in case I screwed up) with a bolt running through the center, so I'd have them aligned correctly. Then I drilled one of them as a template, then things got unfortunate when I tried the bolt trick again. I snapped off a 1/16" bit which was the size of the pipe holes during the first attempt, and had to pull the whole thing apart and curse my way through separating the last now stuck together 3 plates. After that I just mated the template to one fin, pinned together with some short rod sections and some longer hex-bolts I found at a computer supply store, and set into a wood block with matching recesses drilled to hold the bolts. The parts didn't move, allowed for quick alignment, and was easier to reassembly when I snapped off bits. I went through something like one bit per 1.5 fins. The open section was cut with my dremel then filed by hand and mark-1 eyeball to an offset of the aluminum rod cover's radius.

As for the RAM, it was an older card (my wife's office has a room full of discarded PC's, so asking the IT office for parts was no problem). I was only about 1/16" thick, and once it had been cut to width it actually had some bend to it. It's a friction fit, so I cut wide then checked for fit, followed by one lengthwise pass with my file, check for fit, lather, rinse, repeat till it snapped into place. Getting it back out during dry fit was a real pia; I had to pry my smallest allen key into the open slots in the card and convince it to pop one end out. Drilling it out after that for the switches was the nerve racking part - I'd made 4 concept attempts out of generic plastic sheet before tackling the card and I knew I did not want to mess up and have to start over. Pushed in the switches, added a smidge of hot glue to hold them in place, wired it up, and shove-fu'd that bad boy into place.

[Boj-Vaati Mau]

Yes, spin well it does not. Also, I'm hemmed in by 8ft ceilings, which tend to limit experimentation. Thanks everyone!
LOLZ! As am I, my friend! There are a couple of maks on the celing that my wifewill disdainfully look at when I start swinging a saber in the living room.

[FenderBender]

Nice job! Everything 'flows' well with this one. I love the ramped box up front, helps with the aforementioned "flowing". Do some more!

[Darth Ryo]

omg that's definitely a big "WOW" impression I got when first looking at you saber, excellent work (and great design) :D

[shmoetech]

man that is a well designed saber....looks great

[Crystal Chambers]

I love that "box"! That has to be a found item like off a vacuum right?

[amwolf]

Sorry,CC, it's not a found object. I do my initial design and layout in AutoCad - shroud templates, internals modeling, etc. - so the box was done that way too then emailed it off to the 3d printing company. I had to guess on the rake over the blade holder because I didn't have one, but it came pretty close to matching up... I designed in a two holes for retention screws locations (which had to be drilled out to size), a slot for wires (which should have been bigger, as you pay by volume and type of material) and a small shelf for the card insert to lay on. It's heavy, too...

[Silver Serpent]

It's a fantastic design. I don't see too many 3d-printed parts on sabers, but the company you chose did an excellent job (and so did you).

My only nitpick is that the grey coloring on the shroud looks like primer, and so it kinda looks unfinished (to me). It may look different in person. That's only my opinion though, and if you like the color scheme, then by all means enjoy your saber.

[amwolf]

It actually is primer... 4 coats, sanded between coats w/ a satin clear coat. The clear coat has a texture to it, which is what may make it look gritty or unfinished. I thought white, my wife liked the grey...

[SithArts]

Just came across this post and im drooling!

[Sevinzol]

I like it. the box is very much 'part' of the saber. It has a nice heft - from what I could tell in the video. It must feel solid to wield.
I read about you breaking drill bits. for sheet metal I use a Roper & Whitney #5 Jr. Punch (http://www.roperwhitney.com/portable-light-duty.html#) . I use it a lot when making SCA armor. You might be able to buy a knock-off from harbor freight for cheap.

[amwolf]

Thanks. It's hefty - makes a nice paperweight (and cat toy). A year of "use" has revealed a few things I wish I had done differently due to "field conditions", but that's the way every project goes.

[Kyaryo Ysoyav]

Looks great! Have you thought about doing the copper powder coat on the emitter too? Might unify the unpainted emitter into the overall design? I really like that shroud!

[SithArts]

What is it that you would have done differently?

I myself would like to make a crystal chamber like that one day too but probably not for my first saber. I was looking over parts and sizes last night and realized that a lot of the chassis disks will not fit in the ribbed section and because of my design I don't know if I can set everything up the way I want it. :/

[amwolf]

Minor things, mostly. I wish I had detailed the chamber some more, but that comes from another year of looking at other people's work and developing higher aspirations. The battery and sound board are at the back in the ribbed/grooved piece, and while everything fit nicely during dry-fit when it came time to screw that part on everything got bindy and twisty (wires take up space, you see), so my solution was to remove the male threads and add a set screw to hold it. I should have used a few more, as it loosens up after a while and the shroud was never intended to be an external load-bearing element. However, it was already wired up, so I had to work around having this dangly electronics suite going back into my drill press... Also, there's way too much wire in there, but you can't see it and I'm always striving to be better at that.

Still the best saber to come off my bench, though, in my opinion.

[SithArts]

I see....

Can you tell me, as I've been very curious as to how the speaker holders mount into the pommel? When I look at the parts I don't see how they will hold in place unless they have been mounted to the chassis rods and other chassis pieces if that's correct? I don't see a groove on them like the led heatsink to lock them in place.

[amwolf]

I went with a reverse sound setup on this one (it's up behind the emitter and in front of the crystal chamber), but typically the V2's drop in and are held in place between 2 parts while the V4's need a set screw someplace to pin the chassis in place. Both only work with the standard MHS interior diameter.

[cannibal869]

Very interesting and unique design.... I like it!
Strong work!

[JRD1]

really a nice saber! I don't comment too often anymore, because I see a lot of the same thing generated, which is not bad at all but something like this makes me want to build again!:p

[amwolf]

Thanks for the comments! And JRD1, there was a time when you didn't want to build? I want to build, just seem to have a hard time finding the time to do so... and the resources to match the will!

[jedimastergarcia87]

Nice saber dude. That's some serious shroud work. Love how you placed the buttons too. Bet there be tons of room for spinning and such. The Hero font sounds amazing on your saber too.