A couple of PVC & sink tube sabers. Log.

[Arsies]

As you know I recently built some PVC and sink tube sabers. I want to build some more for christmas as my friends liked them a lot and wanted more (I think all people wants more once they see one finished saber, and building them is adictive).

First time I didn't posted a log while building, but posted in one of my blogs a step by step ( http://cursedmonkeys.com/?p=4884&lang=en ) once finished.

this time I'm going to upload the steps at the same time i'm building them. My idea to start is to build the first 2 one as a simple based vader's one (easier than the first one) and another one as a very simple TPM obi wan's. I don't want to copy their designs, I'm just inspired by them.

First of all is to prepare the sound cards. Cheapo cards extracted from electronic lightsabers. One from an anakin's lightsaber and one from a mace windu's one. I really prefer the second one, it's easier to work with and it's way smaller so it fits better in smaller tube as 32mm PVC while anakin's doesn't. and as leds are connected by wires instead soldered directly in the card, are easier to remove and rewire.

Pictures are from the mace windu's one. In the first pic I'm soldering the momentary switch wires as the sound card used a fixed rubber button. Where to solder them was discovered by test & error. Soldering in this card it's way easier than in the anakin's one as one of the clash sensor's pad is in the same wline as one of the points so we can solder our wire directly to the pad instead in the card.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QsYbhyLIvxU/UmumsKp6VYI/AAAAAAAAC_U/MAtEfAhwluM/w529-h397-no/01.jpg

Second picture shows how I solved the fragility problem this cards have. Wires are too thin so even the original soldering is strong, the wires moves a lot while assembling so first time i worked with this kind of cards almost all wires became broken or unsoldered and it was very diffcult to repair. Now I protect the wires from the beggining with hot glue that doesn't affect the working of the card.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-suubZ-TWHa8/UmumsKh516I/AAAAAAAAC_Y/YXgnPpbpgig/w529-h397-no/02.jpg

It's all by now. soon more steps.

[Arsies]

Next step for now Is to build a inner chasis for electrinics.

I did with plasticard as it's a material wich I feel confortable as I use in my daily work. I built a chasis with 2 sets and cutted the holes to fit my electronics. Then I created a silicon mould so I can have a resin copy in about 10 minutes instead building another complete chasis from nothing that keeps me working for hours.

After soldering my wires to the boards I noticed that I need to made some adjustements to the chasis, but working the resin with the dremel is very easy.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3vUihUJ_SRY/UmvfzDa-1mI/AAAAAAAADAI/1gY_otc5RxM/w600-h450-no/03.jpg

And that how it should look once we put inside the electronics. Those are placed just to take the pic, nothing finaly wired yet.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1heK6r5qUZ4/UmvfzdBhrWI/AAAAAAAADAA/OhlMNI_4NpU/w600-h450-no/04.jpg

Let's start the vader's hilt. First of all I need to cut the sink tube ending that it's useless for this design.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tJpBY6nUILI/UmvfzB9tZyI/AAAAAAAAC_8/-ujqKiOTJdM/w600-h450-no/05.jpg

Of course we need to sand it once cutted. I used a palm sander.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IkUt2v85jDI/Umvf0DHXr5I/AAAAAAAADAM/focwqu_MUIg/w600-h450-no/06.jpg

Now I'm starting the blade holder. I used a sleeve sanded and a piece of PVC 32mm tube as it's inner diameter is almost the same as a blade diameter, while the sink tube it's too heigh. I used PVC glue to fix them. As you noticed, PVC tube is samller as I'm going to need to insert the sink tube in the sleeve too.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A-pxwSmD2c4/Umvf0tP5jjI/AAAAAAAADAo/W2CyovnYwA0/w600-h450-no/07.jpg

After that I cutted both in angle to look like vaders blade holder.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uSp8_wcdMoI/Umvf0ocJzTI/AAAAAAAADAY/WCYxal6128k/w600-h450-no/08.jpg

I used a cutted clamp to look like the inner part of the holder.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7tMp00Nw5mU/Umvf1Fl-xAI/AAAAAAAADAg/Ad1sIqJGXbw/w600-h450-no/09.jpg

Of course this isn't the final looking I want so I work on the clamp with milliput stuff to fill the holes. Now I need to wait a couple of hours to sand it.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ktBC7jy5mlY/Umvf1lEuBpI/AAAAAAAADAs/6dqpQtUnfjY/w600-h450-no/10.jpg

[Arsies]

Lot of work done today. I need to do as most as possible on weekends.

I continued with the vader's hilt. The clamp is finally dry so I sanded it to get a better looking. I'm not so happy with tha black plastic it's done. It doesn't sand very well and I think the difference between stuff and plastic will be visible when painted. I sanded another sleeve to fit it in the middle of the saber. I didn't sand it so much this time, just enought to clean the inscriptions and logos.

Should look more or less like this:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--kspnNbctuU/Um1ZnTgoJ9I/AAAAAAAADC0/7-FO4ML_f0A/w529-h397-no/11.jpg

I fixed in place the clamp with some screws. It has double function. First one is obviously set the piece in it's place, but the second one is to work as stop as for led as for blade. in this picture we can see how the lens is sitted in the scfews inside the tube.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Mlwxhlyq2r0/Um1Zn7jbcTI/AAAAAAAADBc/u-BvglQbPdA/w529-h397-no/12.jpg

As we can see there is lot of free space around the led block. I don't want those pieces to be moving inside the hilt so I made an insert to fill that space with part of the plastic blade of the electronic lightsaber from where I get the soundcard.
This piece will fit in the chassis too.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9iVc8h_wdMU/Um1Zn03--RI/AAAAAAAADBk/dMW88U7rTB4/w529-h397-no/13.jpg

I fit in place the medium sleeve with some screws. For me this will add an industrial look to the saber.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8aUYSfGerrQ/Um1Zomp9zrI/AAAAAAAADBs/SRs7vhGYXQk/w529-h397-no/14.jpg

I sanded another sleeve for the grip, and a plug. I made some holes in the plug for the sound of the speaker.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k929nlSUP1Q/Um1Zou4VLUI/AAAAAAAADCE/f5ofU1AUSwg/w529-h397-no/15.jpg

This is the unpainted look with a couple of o-rings between the sleeve and the plug. I added a resin copy of the anakin's button piece in the medium sleeve. I need to make the switch hole yet.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Uuvg5zY465A/Um1Zpa0mSXI/AAAAAAAADB8/i5aiia_51tg/w298-h397-no/16.jpg

and finally the painted hilt. Of course i need to add some color in some parts. maybe some red lights and little bit of metal parts. The switch is not adjusted to the hole yet as i don't want to scratch the paint working on electronics later.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tTW-fte0Gfk/Um1Zptz23tI/AAAAAAAADCA/TVQd6xeZ4KY/w529-h397-no/17.jpg

I think it's enought for today. Next day I'll set the electronics in the chassis and see how it works.

[Ty_Bomber]

That is coming along beautifully. It is amazing what a few simple materials can do.

[Arsies]

Not so much pics on this step. Just put all electronics in the chassis. I shortened the speaker's and swing senson's wires. Fixed the PNP transistor and swing sensor to the chasis with hot glue and wired almost everything except the switch as I want to put a JST conector that I don't have yet to allow unassemble the chassis.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-YvKSIka4jNU/Um_2j-rSFCI/AAAAAAAADDY/Oi3rFMwMRQo/w600-h450-no/18.jpg

That's how it looks once you unscrew the hilt to acces batteries.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9FOd0Jd-H3o/Um_2kYNF4JI/AAAAAAAADDg/SGG27zfAnaE/w600-h450-no/19.jpg

and that's almost finished.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PmqWgN_xNTA/Um_2kRXn4vI/AAAAAAAADDc/IyUUZiRZG8s/w600-h450-no/20.jpg

And a very small video test


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIFxs9yKWEc&feature=youtu.be

[Arsies]

Not so many pictures this weekend, in fact, just one.

I was working hard today to build some PVC hilts (much easier that working on brass). Still unpainted and empy, but christmas project is starting to grow.

2 of them are very slim as they are for a friend's childs, I did them with 25mm pvc pipe. Still too long as i haven't the batery holders yet. Once I get them I'll cut to the proper size. I'm going to use 20mm polycarbonate tubing and maybe around 50cm blade so they are going to be as long as an ultimate fx or little less (remeber those are for childs). As the hilt is just too slim I solved the switch placing them in the base, it's hard to see in pic.

hope you like them, even if the pictures is terrible.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jdsuL4x-twI/UnaYWNH4Z6I/AAAAAAAADEs/ZQHHPRBd63c/w600-h450-no/21.jpg

[Arsies]

Not so much sbs pics again. I just finished the 2 small stunt's.
Both are personalized as they are for a friend's kids. Smaller than usuall, just 1' OD, with 0,78 blade.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6xr0AwDXzk4/UofQr2Zka8I/AAAAAAAADMc/i_y-m72t2hI/w600-h450-no/22.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WXwwxxbnnvs/UofQr51PerI/AAAAAAAADMg/EuCLmdsSuE4/w600-h450-no/23.jpg

[Flyby Knight]

Love the Vader saber. Is that an Igniter board?

[Arsies]

Love the Vader saber. Is that an Igniter board?

nope, it's a cheapo hasbro board

[Arsies]

Another finished lightsaber today, I changed my idea of making a obi wan based one to a R2D2 based on one. I posted it in gallery ( http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?16153-R2D2-based-on-Lightsaber&p=227010#post227010 )

but here you have a pic:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8DuuRDhd2KE/Uoiykf_NMwI/AAAAAAAADM4/lAV_OfQiHgA/w600-h450-no/24.jpg

[Arsies]

12 in the last 4 months, and i'm finishing another 3 :P

I want to finish all for my friends for christmas so i'm not having so much time to take pics :(

[Arsies]

Ok, it was long time without updating this post. I just hadn't enought time to take WIP pics. Right now I have less work so I can spend little bit more time building sabers :D

i want to share with you what I done those weeeks:

First of alll I did 3 stunt sabers:

Blue huey Jann 5W 120 lumens led, 3xAAA
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/P5a312XXk8WxdWIpUcBJetRQpkQTVr0xuzaV5dYvWdU=w600-h450-no

Green huey Jann 5W 200 lumens led; 3xAAA
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yVJpav6RQPw/UqHe1yIJC1I/AAAAAAAADRg/nBlBw0VAuG0/w600-h450-no/02.jpg

Blue huey Jann 5W 120 lumens led, 3xAAA
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-msCmKq6SYDI/UqHe13WD5cI/AAAAAAAADRk/fUe6mXTQOjQ/w600-h450-no/03.jpg

Later I started the Hasbro econo board sound sabers:

Blue, red, blue
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gHwfE9DCPWU/UqHe26uhaUI/AAAAAAAADRw/4yQwI8_zjpQ/w600-h450-no/04.jpg

At first i started with the resin chassis, but I wasn't happy enought:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SEU3jhrQxlM/UqHe3yqsFnI/AAAAAAAADR8/E3_uycoWa_k/w600-h450-no/05.jpg

So i tried to build compact sound modules in some 25mm sleeves that I can insert in the 32mm pipe, and as speaker is glued to it and everything vibrates so it's much louder :)
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7lljDQFLAS0/UqHe4AgkRWI/AAAAAAAADSE/_utwoBNEsxY/w600-h450-no/06.jpg

And at last I build one with nano biscotte (I really love this board):

Red huey Jann 115 lumens led; 1x18650 battery
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VvfgQnQ1iH4/UqHe4f-bQdI/AAAAAAAADSM/yy8LLfCb3vE/w600-h450-no/07.jpg

And i used same compact sound module as with hasbro's. I used battery holders as I't being hard to find in Spain recharge ports and battery wired chargers.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xMSr1FRv4DM/UqHe5C19yqI/AAAAAAAADSU/QNpRd76gUrg/w600-h450-no/08.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-24VamwuuQKc/UqHe5LCWu6I/AAAAAAAADSY/BqioNdmRjCs/w600-h450-no/09.jpg

so that's what i was doing those weeks.
I still have to build 2 more hasbro sabers and one more nano biscotte one. did i said that I love this board?

[Arsies]

I'm testing hoow it looks a texturized airon fix (adhesive vinyl) for grip. It looks and feel like skin and it's cheap.

What do you think?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aapg9xaTBjQ/UqbQabYzP5I/AAAAAAAADSw/6xPeZ0qPXfs/w600-h800-no/29.jpg

[Arsies]

and that's how they look finished:

both with hasbro cheap board one red one blue.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-KgQvKGT7AR4/Uqb3X1oR2iI/AAAAAAAADTQ/P2S40sYy1ug/w800-h600-no/30.jpg

[vt357]

They look great. What technique did you use for the weathering? It replicates that look you can get with baking olive oil on metal saber parts (but that would obviously melt the pvc).

[Arsies]

just painting.

I'm proffesional miniature painter (plumb soldiers for those who didn't know) so in fact is more or less the same techniques as painting a scale tank model wheatered.

Basically I start from a flat metal painting and then I use airbrush to paint shadows in different tones of black and brown.

Then I add some texture pointing more paint in different tones, that pointing is done from small to big first using airbrush at low presure, then pointing with a brush and then with a spronge. I paint too some scratches with straignt lines withh black and white.

After that I aply some whases with different inks (brown, black, yellow, green... depending what you are looking for) and finally I cover all with glossy varnish.