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elrond.406
12-19-2006, 10:52 PM
With no experience with EL technology so far, I am sorry if this obviously doesn't work, but from what I've heard, EL wire is flexible. If this is true, is it possible to make a "Light Whip" using EL wire?

http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/d/d2/Githany_lightwhip.jpg

xwingband
12-20-2006, 06:41 AM
Yup. It's possible. You may want to get thinner stuff than what Tim has to have maximum flexibility though.

I remember JLo talking about this... did she ever make it?

Jedi-Loreen
12-20-2006, 07:19 AM
Nope, not yet. Still in my mind to make one though.

The problem, as I see it, is coming up with a good strain relief so that you don't break one of the fine wires at your connection.

I was originally thinking of using some 5mm wire for this. Red would be cool, but Lime Green would show up better.

The older wire, before High Brightness came out, was more flexible, but, obviously, dimmer.

LordArgyll
12-20-2006, 07:30 AM
What if you looped the wire around a cross-beam or two inside the hilt? It would, in theory, take the stress off of the solder points, assuming it's flexible enough to wrap a few times.

Edit: Because I likes me an illustration:

http://darkside.sandwich.net/images/random/el_whip.jpg

james3
12-20-2006, 09:15 AM
It still would not be the best idea to play with it to much. The wire could still break somewhere in the line. When we talked about this before I wasted a section of EL wire playing with the idea. It would be cool for a costume and doing some pics but you really can't beat on it much.

xwingband
12-20-2006, 10:04 AM
Sideglow fiber optic cable might work better. The cable isn't the lighting mechanism itself.

Strydur
12-20-2006, 10:04 AM
I would get the 5mm wire as it has beefy outer sheathing. It would probably survive as a prop just dont actually whip anything with it.

elrond.406
12-20-2006, 10:54 AM
I would get the 5mm wire as it has beefy outer sheathing. It would probably survive as a prop just dont actually whip anything with it.

Darn. I was actually looking forward to whipping people with it. Oh well :roll:

Jedi-Loreen
12-20-2006, 07:09 PM
Sideglow fiber optic cable might work better. The cable isn't the lighting mechanism itself.

Yeah, but how would you light that with something small enough to hold in one hand? :P


:roll:

xwingband
12-20-2006, 07:25 PM
Sideglow fiber optic cable might work better. The cable isn't the lighting mechanism itself.

Yeah, but how would you light that with something small enough to hold in one hand? :P


:roll:

It wouldn't be EL... Luxeons work well though. Look in the New Tech forum for when Tetmatek (I think) tried it.

Lord Maul
12-20-2006, 10:37 PM
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=339

linky for what xwing was talking about^^^^^

987654321a
12-20-2006, 10:42 PM
yea that fiber optic stuff would work really good but it would be considerably heavy, if the fiber optic cable is as heavy as the TCSS blades, PM tetmatek and ask him how much it weighs.

thejedilestat
02-18-2008, 06:44 PM
why not just use a neon jump rope?

Corbin_Das
03-06-2008, 11:40 PM
It can be done. These are EL wire wrapped around a flexible tube. They're not mine though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/corbin_das/lightwhips1255.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/corbin_das/lightwhip.jpg

Sideglow cable tends to be too stiff I've found. At least the stuff I play around with.


Corbin

Ghostbat
03-07-2008, 10:08 AM
A few years ago at Burning Man someone brought lightwhips to the saber fight. He was a very good fighter and kind of a terror to behold and (and this is a point to keep in mind) those things HURT!

He was using flexible colored plastic with LEDs in the base. Not nearly as bright as a LUX but they stood out quite well against the cheap $1 toy sabers that were the majority.

Not sure I could recommend these for dueling. Flail weapons are mighty dangerous and infamously hard to keep in control, but very very cool.

Barmic Rin
03-10-2008, 01:18 PM
I may just get a leather belt with a scrolling LED buckle. Still hurts like hell to be smacked with it & it lights up!

chase
03-11-2008, 01:21 PM
In the picture that Corbin posted, it looks like the guy used electrical whips (used for lighting mostly). The are flexible, but if there is nothing in them, they will split because it's basically aluminum tube that's in a big spiral the length of whatever you are using. They would work as a prop, but I don't know how they would stand up in a fight.

Corbin_Das
03-11-2008, 03:01 PM
Hi guys and gals
If I remember correctly, they used a silver rubber hose like you have on your removable shower head, then wrapped it with EL wire. I could be mistaken though. That's what I seem to recall them saying however.
As to the durability of it lasting in actual combat, I can't imagine EL wire would like hitting something very much. From my understanding of EL wire (feel free to jump in here J-LO), all colors but the green are coated with a type of "paint" to get whatever color they want (red, blue, etc). That's why the green tends to be brightest (plus our eyes are more sensitive to green). I'm not an expert on EL technology though, so I'd differ to someone more knowledgeable in that area.


Corbin

Novastar
03-17-2008, 02:20 PM
In terms of a battle, it'd be pretty ridiculous to mess with someone with any kind of whip (let's take blasters/guns off the table for a second).

You can TRY to parry with a saber, but... it's really all about luck if you're able to do so for 2 or 3 moves, get in and hit. Trying it without a mask would just be INSANE too, especially if the whip was practical in any way (able to be used!).

If you don't trust me, try it. Give your untrained buddy a cloth-ish/nylon rope. Decently long. You wear a fencing mask or whatever and some long sleeves. You have a saber prop. Stand back. Go. If you don't get hit AT ALL (and remember that's just a ROPE) and you can do it 3 times in a row, that would impress me to see on film.

I don't think hardly a single person alive could do it unless it was choreographed though! :)

But whips are neat for exciting a fun "twirly" props. Or "snappy" if they're true whips and all that jazz.

I think those EL guys look GREAT! Too bad whacking 'em might cause damage... d'ohhhhhh.... :(

Ghostbat
03-18-2008, 11:04 AM
In terms of a battle, it'd be pretty ridiculous to mess with someone with any kind of whip (let's take blasters/guns off the table for a second).

You can TRY to parry with a saber, but... it's really all about luck if you're able to do so for 2 or 3 moves, get in and hit. Trying it without a mask would just be INSANE too, especially if the whip was practical in any way (able to be used!).

If you don't trust me, try it. Give your untrained buddy a cloth-ish/nylon rope. Decently long. You wear a fencing mask or whatever and some long sleeves. You have a saber prop. Stand back. Go. If you don't get hit AT ALL (and remember that's just a ROPE) and you can do it 3 times in a row, that would impress me to see on film.

I don't think hardly a single person alive could do it unless it was choreographed though! :)


Nova speaks the truth!

One of the strengths of whip/flail type weapons is that it is REALLY hard to protect yourself against. Add that to the increased momentum and you have a very dangerous toy, for yourself and others. I really can't recommend taking one of these into a dueling situation unless your opponent is quite prepared and you have practiced quite a bit yourself. As the old saying goes: It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

Of course all warnings aside when I faced a whip wielder in the desert I certainly didn't back down... and I carried the welts to prove it for days :)

Barmic Rin
03-19-2008, 03:52 PM
If one of the duellers doesn't get hurt, the kid watching that gets to close certainly will....

Great looking, but impractical at conventions/ public places/ anywhere....

Drichar Deis
03-21-2008, 09:02 AM
If one of the duellers doesn't get hurt, the kid watching that gets to close certainly will....

Great looking, but impractical at conventions/ public places/ anywhere....

The price that has to be paid for good entertainment! ha ha ha! (Evil Cackle!)

Novastar
03-22-2008, 02:25 AM
Personally, *I* would not only try it, but I'd have a lot of fun. Not being the one with the whip, but the one with the saber prop trying to "get in there" and smack the dude. Mask, gloves and jacket only though!

But, even on my best day of sensing the *EXACT* perfect measure (and I mean exact) and putting my blade in the right place even 80% of the time to prevent serious hits... I'd get my *ARSE* handed to me many, many times!

I mean, imagine a video game with the whole "one hit, and yer DEAD, sucka!" That sucks spunkballs already, sure, but... then imagine the THWACK being added... I mean, no joke! Like--fine, you "die" in the game, but it literally SHOCKS YOUR DUMB ARSE for screwing up, then adds a fun text: "NOVASTAR, YOU SUCK! Insert some more quarters, you welted piece of nut butter garbage! Or... wait... are you not MAN enough?! Oh fine. Walk away then. Go on.... .... Weasel!"

:mad: lol... and so, there you go again. Yer a fool, and plunk down yer quarters again... yep, you survive another glorious 6 seconds...

...and *SHHHHHHHHHMMMMAAACK*!!! You made yet another SINGULAR mistake. That's right... ONE error. Not six... not two. ONE mistake, as in one millimeter too far to the right, too far to the left, too far forward, too far downward... whatever.

So, anyhow. If you're like... Jesus or something (and thus, you're PERFECT), go for it. Fight against a whip-user all day, all night. But since none of us ARE perfect (except Erv, just kidding)... yer gonna get yer spleen served to you on a golden platter of death. I guarantee it. And that's with someone untrained with the whip.

Mess with someone TRAINED with the whip, and good luck at being able to do anything but double the pain, twice the speed. :???:

What is it Dooku says? Ah. "Twice the pride, double the fall." :) :twisted:

Corbin_Das
03-22-2008, 06:27 PM
If it's a "one hit and you're dead" kinda thing, I'd probably have to agree with Novastar. Even if the hit wasn't that hard, it's really tough to block a flexible weapon without it touching you. Now, if we're talking a standard leather bullwhip against a katana, then it's a whole different story. A superficial hit would sting a bit, but not take you out of the fight. I play around with bull whips a little and I can tell you, I'd much rather have a sword for a real fight. I could use the whip to block and strangle better than to try to "Indiana Jones" it and wrap it around your hand or something.
That's not to say a lite whip wouldn't be a good weapon though. Obviously, this is all speculation until they can make a REAL lightsaber and a REAL lite whip and a couple folks decide to go at it.


Corbin

strengthofrage
03-23-2008, 05:29 AM
Kind of like a celebrity death match.

In the first Darth Bane book, a character named Githany uses a lite whip and their instructor mentions to Bane that the strength of the weapon is in the opponents lack of familiarity with it. If you duel with sabers all the time and then someone stands in front of you with a whip, I would imagine that it would be pretty confusing and then painful... and then maybe real dark and cold and the lights go out.

As Nova said, it would be fun though (aside from the 'lights out' part lol).

Anavrin
09-22-2008, 05:49 AM
Bringing the thread back to life, but, seriously, this area gets no love anyway ;) I just had to note that Taomoon of NYJedi made a fully functional EL Light Whip. It will even crack when snapped, and the EL has shown itself durable as sin. Leave it to a guy who works with particle accelerators... What he did was to entwine a thin EL Wire into a braided leather whip (I'm not sure what type as I've never seen it, but he practically glows when talking about it) and house the power in an extension for the grip. I'll try to get him to bring it to practice and post a vid, if there's interest. I could even demo proper use of a whip to these yanks ;)

annon
09-22-2008, 09:01 AM
you've got to get us a link, pic, or vid. I've got to see that!

Anavrin
09-27-2008, 02:37 PM
you've got to get us a link, pic, or vid. I've got to see that!

I'mma ask him to bring it Thursday if he can make it in from the boonies. :lol:

astromech_kuhns
12-06-2008, 06:57 PM
what if you didnt want to duel with it more for show at conventions would it work?

Blue Fox
12-07-2008, 03:07 AM
so what about braiding several strands of the wire together and then putting a thin transparent plastic sleeve over it like those christmas rope lights? you'd get a brighter intensity, still have quite a bit of flexability and some cushion and protection with the transparent sleeve.
Is that possible?

LordJaivus
12-07-2008, 05:44 AM
Why not just double or triple up on the EL wire then use some clear heat shrink tubing?

Jedi-Loreen
12-07-2008, 11:21 AM
That could work, though not everyone knows where to get clear heat shrink. I do, my local electronics store (not Radio-Shack) carries it in 4' lengths and various sizes.

You also have to keep in mind that most battery powered inverters that are small enough to work for this, like the one in the store here, are only rated to power up to 20' of wire. If you used 3 strands, you could only go to about 6.5 feet.

TirolLeonidas
12-10-2008, 06:31 PM
Personally, I highly doubt even if you can get the handle set with the right compnents like the usual sabers, I doubt you could get the saber lighting affect. I am not saying its not possible, as the light can't really bend to follow the whip.

If it was able to, the LED wouldn't be as bright as with the saber.

Jedi-Loreen
12-10-2008, 06:35 PM
Um, we're not talking about using LEDs, we're talking about EL wire. :rolleyes:

Jedi-Loreen
12-11-2008, 01:34 AM
Hey Tirol, this is for you:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-gpZxGDcV0g (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-gpZxGDcV0g)


And, you can buy one here! :p

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Character-Options-02216-Rainbow-Skipper/dp/B000NKFPGG (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Character-Options-02216-Rainbow-Skipper/dp/B000NKFPGG)

Tradeliphine
12-11-2008, 05:48 AM
when i was at skycraft a few weekends ago they had some large gauge EL wire, I mean the el part was probably 1/8-1/4 of an inch in diameter, and the clear tubing around it was pushing 1/4-1/2 I should have grabbed some calipers off the shelf and measured it. It was very bright and required a decent size inverter, but that could easily be hid in a large hilt or have the whip plug into a belt pack. The clear protective tubing could be lightly sanded to diffuse the light. It would be flexible, but you would have to be gently with it .

Sam Skirata
12-11-2008, 10:01 AM
I don't know why no one's ever tried this, but how about fiber optics? They're incredibly flexible, they never fade from bottom to top, and they look awesome. I know it's a noobish question, but still.

Jedi-Loreen
12-11-2008, 11:55 AM
It would have to be side glow cable, or you'd just get points of light only at the ends, and I don't think it's very flexible.

Plus you have to have a very powerful light source if it's going to be bright. Luxeons don't really work all that well with this, so it wouldn't be portable.

Tradeliphine
12-11-2008, 05:31 PM
first lots of people have tried it and done it, this thread is just to hypothesize on how to do it better. second, fiberoptics isnt very flexible, true fiberoptics requires certain safety boundries of how much of an angle it may be bent at

LordJaivus
12-12-2008, 01:42 AM
What about using some clear medical tubing? It's flexible and has high durability and you can usually find rolls of the stuff at medical warehouses. Then you'd be able to use some of that large gauge el wire tradeliphine was talking about.

Jedi-Loreen
12-12-2008, 12:23 PM
Unless you're using muliple strands of EL wire, there's no need to put it inside of some kind of tubing.

LordJaivus
12-13-2008, 07:32 AM
:mrgreen: Hmmm, good point. At least I didn't add diffusing film to that list.

Tyhm
05-15-2010, 12:03 PM
Thread necromancy AND talking about stuff not in the shop: Luxeon makes a lens nowadays just for fiber optics (http://www.luxeonstar.com/Fiber-Coupler-Lenses-for-Rebel-Star-LEDs-s/156.htm)...so answering your p1 question J-Lo, you could adapt any existing hilt for it. :-D

Not sure how best to anchor it to the hilt; maybe get a custom milled piece that thumbscrews into the blade holder that the fiber optics barely fits into, then crimp the hell out of the end that goes back to the lens? I don't know much about fiber optics, and it's bound to be a LOT of strain, but it might work...or again, any of the variations on clear jumprope, medical tubing, etc., but the key is it could be fitted into a disused MHS...

Most importantly, if it Does pay off, I bet we could get Tim to carry it in the shop. There, now it's not brand disloyalty, it's R&D. ^_^

Onli-Won Kanomi
05-15-2010, 02:56 PM
Grayven and Novastar already settled the question for lightwhips...Gravy with his lightwhip PWNED fencing master Novastar with a conventional lightsaber. Even though 'canonically' Luke used lightsaber and shoto to beat Lumiyas lightwhip actual experiment by Gravy and Novastar leaves serious doubt that anything can beat a lightwhip...they are TRES formidable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOHsRtmxzms

Novastar
05-19-2010, 01:45 PM
I don't know about "anything", as there are many weapons that could give it a run for its money (such as a projectile/firearm weapon)... but yes, LightSaber vs. LightWhip = not a good day for the guy with the saber to say "I didn't get hit very much", lol.

I STILL want to do some more experiments with me not being injured (my right ankle was VERY bad in October 2009 from a crashed tricking/acro thing)... and also to experiment with dual sabers or one short and one long... ... but that will come in time.

Besides, I don't think it will make THAT much difference. It might improve things for the saber-wielder a bit--but not much.

Regarding any kind of de-railing (just thought about it), this thread is about EL Light Whips... although it's true that I believe anyone who can illuminate the cable in a smart/bright fashion--will get good stuff from this thread.

grayven
05-19-2010, 02:53 PM
Yeah how are your boys doing? :p

I am really starting to get back the urge to remake my lightwhip. It's all there, you saw Nova. Just sitting waiting for me to put it together that's it. You just think about your present future right now. We have time for me to take the rest of your boys later. :twisted:

Matt Thorn
05-22-2010, 03:59 AM
I just want to say I think it's odd that this thread was started 3 1/2 years ago, yet not one person has joked about the misspelled title sounding like a diet substitute for whipped cream or mayonnaise. :neutral:

Novastar
05-30-2010, 10:38 AM
hahahahahha @ Matt... :P

Lite Whip -- now with raspberry flavoring!