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Ronin
12-24-2006, 02:35 AM
Okay, what do you guys know about using PVC pipe for hilt building? Clearly it is not as strong as the metal parts here but would it be sturdy enough for the blades and the basic electronics package?

darthdan
12-24-2006, 03:28 AM
PVC sabers can be pretty sturdy... Ultra uses PVC in some of his sabers, and I've heard they are solid. You'd still want a blade holder of some kind, and find some way to add some weight to the hilt for balance, but it's doable.

xwingband
12-24-2006, 05:18 AM
Yeah, PVC isn't bad at all. It'll take 90% of the dueling out there. I have and posted a vid of Ultra's "kids" sabers and can attest they do really well.

With the new custom heatsink doing a PVC saber is even easier.

Firebird21
12-24-2006, 06:59 AM
With the new custom heatsink doing a PVC saber is even easier.


Plug...


And a good one I might add. :wink:

Ronin
12-24-2006, 12:33 PM
Thanks guys.

james3
12-26-2006, 07:40 AM
Hey Ronin.
PVC makes for some great saber designs. That was pretty much all I did for a long time before I found out about all the electronic options :D
The nice thing with it is that you can play with just about any design you can think of and it won't cost much to do.

Having that new heatsink is just like icing on the cake too.

Jedi Ranger
12-26-2006, 06:04 PM
Speaking of PVC, does anyone know how much heat is required to 'reform' a piece of PVC pipe?

All I can find locally is 2" OD (1/8" wall) pipe, so I want to cut a section out, and curve it to fit a 1.5" OD pipe.

I don't have a heat gun or hair dryer, but I do have an oven.

xwingband
12-26-2006, 06:22 PM
Speaking of PVC, does anyone know how much heat is required to 'reform' a piece of PVC pipe?

All I can find locally is 2" OD (1/8" wall) pipe, so I want to cut a section out, and curve it to fit a 1.5" OD pipe.

I don't have a heat gun or hair dryer, but I do have an oven.

mcmasters shows the top operating range at 140 and 200 as a max. Even if it takes a fair amount more than that your oven should do fine.

Makes sense as vacuum forming PVC is pretty common and they use ovens.

Jedi Ranger
12-26-2006, 07:08 PM
Ahh....thanks xwingband. Now I have a reference point to start. I just don't want to melt PVC all over my oven tray. :oops:

Jedi Belinos
12-26-2006, 09:33 PM
What I have found that works going over the 1.5" sink tube is the 1/4" 160PSI PVC. you get it from lowes in 10' sections for around $4. Fits perfect. Just for anybody who was wondering.

Jedi-Loreen
12-26-2006, 11:24 PM
That particular size of PVC is now hard to find in Orange County California, for some reason. There used be lots of it a few years ago, it's what I used for the grips and emitter shroud on this hardware EL saber I built back in '02.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b8/JediLoreen/ed11f448.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b8/JediLoreen/3rdsaber2.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b8/JediLoreen/26147bc7.jpg

Jedi Ranger
12-27-2006, 04:01 AM
Well, that stuff is even rarer up here in Canada. Well, at least it was last summer. That's why I need to use the 2" OD stuff. :cry: :evil: :? :(

vortextwist
12-27-2006, 07:56 AM
couldn't you just order what you need online? They have everything else.

Ronin
12-27-2006, 11:37 PM
I have worries about the blade holder, It should be made of metal ( or must be?) How would you secure it within the pipe, retention bolts? I think it ought to work the same way a sink pipe set up wouldbut i could be wrong.

james3
12-28-2006, 06:47 AM
Depends on what you want done. I know some folks have used blade holders out of PVC but I don't know how hard they dual with them or if they use them more for show props. This kinda goes in line with converting MR stuff. There is nothing wrong with using the existing blade and parts but one with Tim conversion kit will beat the crap out of it.

Dregan
12-28-2006, 03:39 PM
Having bent a LOT of PVC for other hobbies, your two best options are to either get a heat gun (for quick and easy) or use very hot steam (for ultra-smooth bends) and G-O V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y. Otherwise you can buckle the PVC.

One trick that a friend of mine does is to wait for a real hot, sunny day, and put a piece in his car on a jig, and slowly form over a few hours. Works great, but I'm not that patient and don't want to waste time and materials making a custom jig to bend it in...

Oh, and +1 on Ultra's kids line. Great example of how good PVC and be.