Custom Lightsaber Tool (Hex Wrench)

[darth_chasm]

I was messing around with some scrap materials and got the idea to create a custom blade retention screw tool. Its just some telescoping hobby tube, a knurled thumb nut and of course, a snippet of a hex wrench.

Its such a goofy little thing but I got really excited about for some reason haha

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/mditomo/D8397519-B392-4C3B-8FFB-68AD6BE00B20_zps9pbiofeq.jpg (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/mditomo/media/D8397519-B392-4C3B-8FFB-68AD6BE00B20_zps9pbiofeq.jpg.html)

[Greenie]

Goofy? No, creative! That brain is always ticking darth_chasm, I like it. So what's next?, attaching it to and making it look like part of a saber :cool:

[darth_chasm]

Goofy? No, creative! That brain is always ticking darth_chasm, I like it. So what's next?, attaching it to and making it look like part of a saber :cool:

Hahah, that thought did cross my mind. Hmmm, next build maybe?

[MikeC13]

That is nice. Good use of "scrap" parts.

I'm discovering that a retention screw made to look pretty does not deliver sufficient torque to do its job properly, and have been thinking of how to possibly stow a hex key in a hilt.

I see in my mind a similar thing but with a hinge incorporated into the shaft, so it can fold to a "L" shape to use, and fold flat to either slide into a port or sit in a slot outside. If fabricated out of steel it could be held in place by a couple rare earth magnets.

(Once again I'm kicking myself for not learning CAD when I had the chance years ago. Space is such a premium inside a hilt, it would be nice to see how things fit w/o actual trial and error fitting of real parts. Not to mention being able to 3D print in metal now...)

[darth_chasm]

I can't remember who, but recently someone hid it in their pommel.

One way I was thinking was maybe as a greeble screw. Shorter obviously, maybe spring loaded so it could automatically shorten? I don't know, I'll have to toy with the idea more.

Mike, you can always use some graph paper and a pencil to lay things out. Then cardboard to make prototype pieces. Old school baby!

123d design by Autodesk is a pretty good low level package that a lot of us use. It's free and pretty easy to learn.

[Mineral]

I've been playing with TinkerCAD (http://www.tinkercad.com)
It's not professional grade, but for someone who has not taken the time to learn a real CAD, you can make (or trial) some pretty involved, detailed, and accurate stuff.

[Greenie]

I can't remember who, but recently someone hid it in their pommel.

It was Drawcut :mrgreen:

[Drawcut]

It was Drawcut :mrgreen:

:mrgreen:

This was the thread: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?18858-First-Build-Complete

[FenixFire]

Just made one last weekend to mount the blaster chamber to the front of Lil-Dmans saber blaster. Though mine was more utilitarian...just an Allen wrench cut off and inserted into a drill extender. Nice work on yours.

[darth_chasm]

Had a bunch of scrap left over from the last build so I decided to make some more tools.

Here's another hex wrench, a scriber, and phillips and flat head precision screw drivers.

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t649/DarthChasm/saber_tools_zpssh4dymxc.jpg (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/DarthChasm/media/saber_tools_zpssh4dymxc.jpg.html)

[PhoenixHawk]

Hmmm interesting....:???: tools Darth Chasm. Looks like your ...bored....go build a PVC saber to occupy your time till Tim gets the parts restocked....lol :D

(They do look cool by the way) /thumbs up

[darth_chasm]

If Luke carried them I am too :)

13984

[snilam]

Cool DC. I'm actually about to start a large saber project and was going to make some saber "tools" to go with the theme of the saber. Very cool man!

[PhoenixHawk]

If Luke carried them I am too :)

13984

Indeed my skilled sabersmith friend.:cool:

[darth_chasm]

Cool DC. I'm actually about to start a large saber project and was going to make some saber "tools" to go with the theme of the saber. Very cool man!

Nice. I'm interested to see what you come up with. Will you be turning them yourself? Jealous if you are. Oh, check out this video if you are going to turn them yourself. This is what gave me the idea for a scriber. Now I can stop using my calipers for line work :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Bd8G21Vv8

[snilam]

Nice. I'm interested to see what you come up with. Will you be turning them yourself? Jealous if you are. Oh, check out this video if you are going to turn them yourself. This is what gave me the idea for a scriber. Now I can stop using my calipers for line work :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Bd8G21Vv8

Yes it will be a full scratch build and I anticipate a 2-3 month build time. it will be my shelf queen. Thanks for the video too. I envision alot of joy and frustration in my future :) mostly joy though.

[darth_chasm]

Cool. You'll have fun. I'll be sure to keep an eye out. Good luck

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

I think lightsaber maintenance tools is a good idea we haven't seen enough of in this hobby...it makes sense that a Jedi for whom "this weapon is your life" would carry tools to keep it in good repair especially on long missions and these look very 'in universe' appropriate. Well done.

[darth_chasm]

What are tools without a nice case?

I used some tubing and bent it to an oval. Then soldered and shaped the copper end caps. The interlocking fit of the two tubes was nice but I didn't think the friction was enough to keep the case from opening. So, I soldered on the little clasp and drilled a hole for the pin to catch. Nice and secure now. The clasp is a solder lug I picked up from a tattoo machine parts shop.

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t649/DarthChasm/FullSizeRender_1_zpsp9pddpbp.jpg (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/DarthChasm/media/FullSizeRender_1_zpsp9pddpbp.jpg.html) http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t649/DarthChasm/IMG_1040_zpslpmjuqs6.jpg (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/DarthChasm/media/IMG_1040_zpslpmjuqs6.jpg.html) http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t649/DarthChasm/IMG_1039_zpsmmkba32p.jpg (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/DarthChasm/media/IMG_1039_zpsmmkba32p.jpg.html)

[Greenie]

That's a real nice touch DC. You're just too good!

[darth_chasm]

I think lightsaber maintenance tools is a good idea we haven't seen enough of in this hobby...it makes sense that a Jedi for whom "this weapon is your life" would carry tools to keep it in good repair especially on long missions and these look very 'in universe' appropriate. Well done.

Thank you sir. I do like all these little things that make a saber and the experience more complete. Plus making the accessories is really fun.


That's a real nice touch DC. You're just too good!

Haha thanks. I don't know if you'd still think that if you saw all the failed attempts that led to this. :D

[Greenie]

That's how to reach perfection. Everything I make,I make twice, I call it practice or prototyping lol ;)

[PhoenixHawk]

D'iiii vote for prototyping....:lol: