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meiv4
10-30-2005, 02:24 AM
Has anyone found a good one for the 1/8th walled blades yet? as soon as you stock it ill order it [:D]

hmmm hmmmm whooosh hmmmm whooosh crackel

Strydur
10-30-2005, 11:09 AM
Working on it..as soon as I stock it I can sell it[:)]

Tim

MP2
11-01-2005, 04:33 PM
Hey Strydur,

what do you do to make the blade diffuse on the one in the turotial?

Strydur
11-01-2005, 04:36 PM
That was the stock mr blade.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

Blackcat_00
11-05-2005, 01:49 AM
I looked on the mcmaster.com website and found a 3/4 od 1/2 id 1/8th thickness polyethyl tubing in translucent white(misty colored) that with a bit of greasingmight pull thru the polycarb blade. would be mostly seethru and would hold the color lighting pretty well according to the website, has a nice flex and durability rating, and a long life crack resistance.
Flexible Polyethylene Tubing
Polyethylene Material LLDPE (Linear Low-Density Polyethylene)
it is sold in feet and would prolly be a great buy.
would you agree with my findings?}



We are the Devourers of Worlds and Little Children

Strydur
11-05-2005, 02:27 AM
I am pretty sure I have ordered every 3/4 tube mcmaster sells. The only thing that would fit inside my tubes was the 3/4 hdpe and it dims the light too much. I am working with a plastics company to have a tube similar to what mr uses on the inside made.



Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

Zinje
11-05-2005, 11:35 AM
so you find that the MR Blades work pretty well with the LEDS?

Strydur
11-05-2005, 11:45 AM
They work good..but they arent very strong..so for now they work until I find something I am happy with.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

LAN-ED-TUL
11-05-2005, 12:09 PM
what about the film that ultra uses? he makes the completed blades in varying thickness of outside tube walls and puts the film in there.
just a thought strydur.

Strydur
11-05-2005, 04:51 PM
I think you are talking about corbin's blade film. It works ok but it can be a pain to install and has a seam. I will wait till I find what I consider the perfect diffuser.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

brendon5500
11-07-2005, 11:29 PM
What about sanding the outside of the PolyC tube? I've heard that works well as a diffuser, it's sometimes called 'frosting'. I havn't tried it yet but other people have and liked the results. What's you'r opinion Stryder?

Strydur
11-08-2005, 02:18 AM
I think that sanding the tube might work but would take too damn long for me to use as a sellable item. I have tried frosting spray which did not work good enough.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

tetmatek
11-12-2005, 09:59 AM
I Think i have developed a good diffuser. i first tried the MR one and it was too much. So i thought about sanding but it would not produce a consistant look. THen a buddy comes in my shop and suggest glassbeading the inside of the tube. I threw it in my glassbead cabinet and just blasted inside the 3/4 x 1/8 polycarb tube and it produced a very consistant diffuser. I was also having a problem with a spot towards the end not looking as bright as the rest so I put a piece of "chrome" tape on the half sphere on the inside to reflect the light back down the tube. It also prevents any light from escaping on the end. Total time blasting one tube was less than 5 minutes so its not too time consuming. Let me know what u think!

Strydur
11-12-2005, 11:13 AM
Post some pics?

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

tetmatek
11-12-2005, 03:18 PM
Here are some pics. they don't show up on film as good as in person. Top is MR and lower is bead blasted
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/2128/439453860orig4yh.th.jpg

Mechamaniac
11-14-2005, 12:06 PM
Sounds cool, but what if you don't have a bead blasting machine? [;)]

tetmatek
11-14-2005, 08:12 PM
Bead blasting is available at most machine shop; but i think The custom saber shop will make the best solution available to to everybody. actually a sand blaster w/ glass as the medium and a trash can be a make shift blasting cabinet. I have sent Tim a sample so will see how it goes.

Strydur
11-23-2005, 09:09 AM
I think the bead blasting turned out nice. It would just be a little too involved for me to mass produce. I think I have finally found a good diffuser and will hopefully have a sample within the next few weeks.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

LAN-ED-TUL
11-24-2005, 07:40 AM
please let us know as soon as you find out if it works. hopefully it will.

Stan Johnson
11-24-2005, 01:25 PM
I'm just curious what you have in mind for a diffuser, Strydur. If it is top secret, you don't have to say; I just have an inquisitive mind [8)].

informalmyx
11-25-2005, 04:34 PM
yeah if you can get us tubes that are diffursed you got a order from me

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USFA
11-26-2005, 06:12 PM
Hey Strydur, now the MR like, diffuser you said you almost cracked how goes the results?

Looking foward to see how it turns out.

Strydur
11-26-2005, 07:31 PM
Me too..will take a few weeks to have made and shipped more than likely

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

informalmyx
11-26-2005, 07:44 PM
cool

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informalmyx
11-29-2005, 08:33 AM
is this gonna be a thin walled PolyE oris this gonna be a polyC thats gonna be diffesed on the inside

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Strydur
11-29-2005, 08:51 AM
It will be a thin tube that will fit inside the polyC like how the MR blades are made.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

LAN-ED-TUL
11-29-2005, 09:03 AM
thats great Tim. cant wait to get one along with the blade and tip. also, if you dont mind, i'd like to mention what i told you about the reflective part on the underside of the tip. look in the automotive department at your local wally world and look for the replacement mirror stuff. its a sheet around 4 by 6 or something maybe a bit larger. its farly thick but i think you cut it out with scissors. it would make a great part for the tip. and you could get a lot of circles cut out of just one sheet. oh, and it has self adhesive on the back, ya know peel an stick. thought i'd share my find with everyone if that ok with Tim.

tetmatek
11-29-2005, 05:13 PM
mcmaster sells a roll of 1" reflective aluminum discs that have adhesive also.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

LAN-ED-TUL
11-29-2005, 11:09 PM
i thought i'd throw out this find to all here. cuz just about anyplace someone lives theres a wally world really closeby. and from the looks of this stuff, it will fit the bill perfectly. and it only costs around 5 to 7 bucks. i cant remember the exact price, but know it was in that range.

tetmatek
12-01-2005, 08:40 AM
This my latest diffuser; it is a polyc that has been glass bead blasted on the outside. it was made in less than 3 minutes and can be made available to everyone if they choose. The best part is it requires you to buy nothing extra. No inner tube to add weight or additional cost.
http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/4199/477642867orig2jw.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Left is M.R tube and right is mine
http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/3954/477642868orig4hh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/1889/477642871orig7de.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Left mine Right M.R.
http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/6748/477642876orig8vj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Left M.R. Right Mine
Let me know what you all think. The cost to do this would be minimal ($5.00 per blade).Could be done buy using a 20 dollar sand blaster from walley world and a plastic trash can. the blasting media is cheap also.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Strydur
12-01-2005, 02:19 PM
Does the blade look nice when in normal light and its not turned on?

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

vadeblade
12-01-2005, 02:48 PM
tetmatek,
your samples look impressive. I want to do this.

Forgive me, I have zero knowledge of bead/sand blasting so I have very basic question.

Is the translucence uniform throughout the blade?
How does the blade feel, rough, scratchy, fuzzy?
Can the blasting be done on the inside of the tube?
Is a high volume air compressor necessary or will a small compressor do?
Do you just stick the work and the sand blaster in the cabinet/trash can and turn it on? Or do you need to look at the work piece and manually move a nozel around?

Thanks.


Lightsaber Warning Label: "CAUTION: Do NOT attempt to sharpen blade."

tetmatek
12-01-2005, 07:23 PM
i have tried both inside then another done on the outside. the inside did not difuse as well in the center. but the outside was very even i thought and did not milk up the color with whit. alot of why theres looks pink in room lighting. i have one more test which is using a 3/4 polyc tube inside the 1 inch. the outside blasting is the way to go. i am afraid the inner tube might be too heavy. the glass bead media leaves it uniform and is hard to over do if you happen to stop in one spot longer than others. basically the trash can is your cabinet. it will help contain the blast media. if you want to get fancy cut to holes for your arms get some rubber gloves like the kind you do dishes with . then get a piece of lexan(plexiglass) and cut square hole for a window to see what u r doing. Kind looks like this. very crude i know but should get the wheels turning


o [] o

poke a hole in the side of the can to run the blaster thru. i think lowes or HD sell a kit with gloves and helmet(needed if u can't put the lid on. a small compressor (next size up from airbrush model should work. im me or e mail if u need anymore help

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

tetmatek
12-01-2005, 07:31 PM
the blade looks like a frosted light bulb(like the rough service bulbs for automotive drop lights) in normal light with saber off. the white MR style diffuser tends to milk out the color giving a pink look at times. my next test is going to use a 3/4 " half sphere with a polished aluminum disc stusch to it. instead of reflecting back at itself it would theoretiically go out the blade creating less light degradation at the tip.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Enzerumo
12-02-2005, 11:16 AM
why not put a lens in the center of the blade and a dime mirror at the tip?

Enzerumo
12-02-2005, 06:31 PM
I did an experament I took a stock MR blade and with the foam that covers the leds i sliped some of tim's HD polyethylene inside and took a simple led from radioshack and stuck it in there it was bright as heck with no light on imagine a luxeon with it if some one could test it out with a luxeon and come back with the details or pics it would be cool

LAN-ED-TUL
12-12-2005, 11:27 PM
hey tim, any word yet on the diffusers?

taekwonno
12-12-2005, 11:36 PM
Any of you guys seen those LED sabers on eBay that have blades that have what looks like a metallic blade?

Must be a weird type of diffuser, was wondering if anyone had any insight.

xwingband
12-13-2005, 07:43 AM
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Any of you guys seen those LED sabers on eBay that have blades that have what looks like a metallic blade?

Must be a weird type of diffuser, was wondering if anyone had any insight.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think your refering to UltraSWG's silver blades. It's just his normal stuff with a white LED.

taekwonno
12-13-2005, 11:17 AM
No. Thats not what I'm talking about.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6588465811&indexURL=1&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

It looks like a metallic diffuser of some sort.

xwingband
12-13-2005, 11:33 AM
Why don't you ask him? That's GeluKhanGharr's saber (page 5 of the pictures thread). I bet it's just something like corbin's blade film.

scaloth
12-13-2005, 06:12 PM
strydur,
i like the looks of the new diffuser for the LED blades. were you using the 1" polyC in your initial tests? and also, i apologize if this has been asked and answered before, but are you able to machine your LED blade holders to fit a 1.25" pipe?

Mi Gin Gonn
12-13-2005, 06:30 PM
i tried sandblasting a blade today at an auto body shop i happend to be at. final verdict? even if you own a sandblaster it's not worth the trouble, just get some diffuser film from Strydur or Corbin. it'll look 100X better.

yeah, GeluKhanGharr, what is that silvery-looking stuff anyway?
"Chaka, call off Dawson, will ya?!"

Strydur
12-13-2005, 06:35 PM
Scaloth..Yes I used my 1/8" walled 1" Polyc in those pictures. I have not yet come up with a design for a 1.25" led holder no.


Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

tetmatek
12-13-2005, 08:47 PM
Mi Gin Gonn if you used regular sand like most bodyshops blast rust with you made a big mess. You must use glass bead media like that used in a machine shop. It is more consistant and won't look any different if you "sit" on one spot too long. Body blasting sand is ruff like sand box sand. But anyway too each his own. but i can tell you all the others look better than the MR diffuser.
I have tested Two new tip designs and here are the results. You all be the judge.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/221/img02182do.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
My diffuser with My Clear tip. Next shot is of the tip
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4081/img02204ga.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Same tip with reflective end
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1029/img02225gq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3980/img02249ri.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Top is Corbin's Film and clear poly. Lower is My glass beaded blade with 3/4" hemisphere and reflective disc. Let me know what you all think. Im just trying to further the cause.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

xwingband
12-13-2005, 08:59 PM
Have you attempted a mix? Your refective tip with corbin's film. I don't like how your tip suddenly gets brighter at the tip. I'd rather have the dim tip than a seemingly disconnected brightness. Otherwise the beadblasting seems just as good as someone who uses HD polywhateveritis (I'm not going to try spelling it without looking at the name[:p]).

tetmatek
12-13-2005, 09:34 PM
Here is corbins with reflective tip
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9769/img02257ek.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
corbins with clear tip
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/134/img02267tf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Mine with clear tip
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/134/img02267tf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

xwingband
12-13-2005, 09:43 PM
Dang that was fast! What'd you do read my post and whip out the camera![:p]

Hmm... have you tried a different concavity? Maybe it's getting to bright at the tip because the reflector is splaying it out instead of back down the blade. It's nice and bright though so I wouldn't throw this idea out by a long shot. Keep us updated.[:D]

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tetmatek
12-13-2005, 09:53 PM
Iwanted a little spray to brighten the tip some but not the star at the top look. kind of like one of the star wars movie posters. lol
i have no way of changing the 3/4 half ball. I am sending strydur one maybe his lathe would work if it does not melt it.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

xwingband
12-13-2005, 10:04 PM
Oh no wonder! It's just that ball you posted earlier? That convex surface would reflect the light outward. To reflect back down the blade it needs to be curved inward. As a clear tip I imagine that would rock but for a reflector... well you see.

I think optics wise the reflector would need to be the same angle as the LED lens if you wanted an even light. I wonder if anyone has tried that... make a LED lens reflective and fit it in the tip.

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tetmatek
12-13-2005, 10:20 PM
a convex tip might be the answer.


http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3213/sig35jo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Jedi Ranger
12-14-2005, 03:02 AM
Strydur - I don't recall seeing any info or posts, so I'll ask here. Have you come up with an acceptable solution for a 1" LED blade diffuser?

*********************************
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xwingband
12-14-2005, 08:46 AM
Has anyone ever used one-way film (that type that makes windows reflective on one side but see through on the other)? I've pondered this before but it always seems to get me confused on what it would look like. If ALL of the light was reflected in would you even get an aura?

Anyone tried it? I know of the adhesive backed kind which would be insane to use but a plain film might be interesting to see.

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www.dewbackwing.com</center>

scaarmor
12-22-2005, 06:39 PM
I have question, the new LED diffuser Tim caries-does it even out the light or does it still dull at the tip? I have 2 blades, both bead blasted, and they look nice but it still looks like colored light in a clear tube instead of looking like a light rod-know what I mean? I saw the 12 color disc pic and ordered 2 packs of them, but mine still look like colored light where Tim's,in the 12 color disc pic, look like light rods (meaning solid color all the way down). Did he use his new diffuser in those blades? If so than I definatly need new clear blades with the new diffusers. So I guess the point of all my ramblings is simply-does it look closer to an EL blade or more of the same LED look?

Cain

Strydur
12-22-2005, 08:26 PM
If you have bead blasted PolyC then it probably would look better with a clear polyc with the diffuser. My diffusers look the same as the MR blades so pretty much any LED blade picture I have ever posted. They dont magically make the the blade look more even although putting a mirror in the end helps.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop

scaarmor
12-22-2005, 08:51 PM
Tim,
Thank you for the fast reply. I agree that clear polyc with a diffuser inside looks better, it gives it a core look where blasting makes it just look like light in a tube-although it is just light in a tube but you know what I mean. Anyway, that was the answer I was waiting for so I hope to be placing another order with you in about a week.

If I ordered 2 polyc's -2 diffuser tubes -and 2 acrylic tips would that still ship after the first of the new year? I know you posted that some orders would still be sent out earlier.

Cain

Strydur
12-22-2005, 11:29 PM
Easy orders like that I have been shipping.

Tim
The Custom Saber Shop