I'm new and have lots of questions.

[Azlon]

So later this month I plan to buy all the parts to make my first saber. I have the mhs parts planned out.

Blade Holder Style 13
Choke Style 1 Short
Hilt Style 4 with guarded switch hole
Pommel style 4
Pommel insert Style 6
(Powder coatings and drill and tap on the blade holder and main body)
Rebel Star green.

I am going with the MWS so I can avoid any soldering.

I am also interested in rigging everything up in a chassis to keep at neat and possibly make a crystal chamber for show.

I have some concerns though. I want both lights AND sound but it seems the buckpuck and nano biscotti are incompatible as the NB only uses momentary switch and the BP only lists latching switch.

I also don't know what battery to get (I want to do a recharge) port in the bottom)

Again I'm hoping to fit all of this into a nice chassis with a crystal (non illuminated) if possible so I can open it up to show the internals.

So any help will be appreciated.

[Silver Serpent]

Don't forget the MPS Clip to hold your pommel insert in place.

The Nano Biscotte and the Buckpuck are incompatible, but not for the reason you listed. The Buckpuck needs a minimum of 5v to operate, while the NB takes a maximum of 5.5v. There's not enough room for a viable battery solution that accomodates both.

The good news is, you can use a NB, a single 3.7v li-ion battery, and your Rebel Green LED, and receive both sound AND light without trouble. Certain other LED colors or brands would require the use of a resistor, but the Rebel Blues and Greens can survive fine with a 3.7v power supply and no resistor.

A crystal chassis is an exercise in cram-fu, and generally not recommended for a beginner. Depending on your personal skill set, you may be able to accomplish it. If you have experience building small things like models or whatnot, you may be able to accomplish it. If not, I'd try to build the saber first, and then upgrade it later with your crystal chamber. It's nearly always easier to build a simple saber and then upgrade it, than it is to start with a big plan and get overwhelmed.

Be advised, you run out of room VERY fast inside a hilt. It's easy to underestimate how much room the various parts will take up. Good luck with your build!

[Symbiant]

Don't forget the MPS Clip to hold your pommel insert in place.

The Nano Biscotte and the Buckpuck are incompatible, but not for the reason you listed. The Buckpuck needs a minimum of 5v to operate, while the NB takes a maximum of 5.5v. There's not enough room for a viable battery solution that accomodates both.

The good news is, you can use a NB, a single 3.7v li-ion battery, and your Rebel Green LED, and receive both sound AND light without trouble. Certain other LED colors or brands would require the use of a resistor, but the Rebel Blues and Greens can survive fine with a 3.7v power supply and no resistor.

A crystal chassis is an exercise in cram-fu, and generally not recommended for a beginner. Depending on your personal skill set, you may be able to accomplish it. If you have experience building small things like models or whatnot, you may be able to accomplish it. If not, I'd try to build the saber first, and then upgrade it later with your crystal chamber. It's nearly always easier to build a simple saber and then upgrade it, than it is to start with a big plan and get overwhelmed.

Be advised, you run out of room VERY fast inside a hilt. It's easy to underestimate how much room the various parts will take up. Good luck with your build!

So you don't need a resistor when the NB pads at 3.3v?

[Silver Serpent]

The 3.3v pad on the NB is for accent LEDs, not for the main blade LED.

The NB doesn't have a LED driver on board like the higher end cards do. It will send the full 3.7v from your battery pack to the LED (with fluctuations and such for flicker/blade effects). Different LEDs have different forward voltage requirements. The Rebel Reds need 2.4v @ 700mA, and so would need a resistor with that setup.

The Rebel Greens and Blues just happen to be in a magical sweet spot that they run fine off a single li-ion, without overheating or being damaged.

[Azlon]

Thanks for the replies. I wrote the post in a hurry and skipped over several parts like the "C" clip for the pommel, the Covertec thumb screw, etc. I only very VERY rarely build small models (though I have done bot Obi Wan's jedi fighter and the ARC 170) but I am an experienced 3D modeler. If I had the exact dimensions for ALL the components, I could probably plan out the chassis digitally to see exactly what I can pull off. Unfortunately I don't have all the dimensions for things like the battery pack, speaker, sound board etc. I also get the feeling that I will not be able to escape having to buy a soldering iron for this. After all, I want full light and sound (possibly even motion effects) and a recharge port. I want it to be like a ForceFX only better. Unfortunately the pre-wired NB is also sold out. I could try cannibalizing my MR Luke ANH Saber for the sound board and motion sensor but I don't know the first thing about how to integrate that into the MWS system. I seriously don't know jack about electrical work.

960296039604

[Silver Serpent]

Don't worry. The NB has all the blade effects that the higher-end boards do, minus Flash on Clash (FoC). Hopefully they will be back in stock soon, possibly as an upgraded version.

If you find yourself unable to wait for the NB to be restocked, the Petit Crouton is a fantastic board as well. It has numerous additional features, to include FoC, programmable accent LED pads, support for multiple sound fonts, etc. I would highly recommend reading through the user manuals for both the NB and the PC while you're waiting. There are excellent wiring diagrams available in both manuals.

[Azlon]

If only the PC came pre-wired. I really detest the idea of having to solder the wiring. I lose patience rather easily with things like that.

[Silver Serpent]

Shoot an email to sales@thecustomsabershop.com and ask Tim if he can do it for you. If so, he'll quote you a price and you can use that with http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Custom-Wiring-Work-Fee-P876.aspx