Tapered blade?

[credozero]

Hi, I've been thinking about putting together a LS for wall mounting (to use as a night-light/office feature/potential *** partner repellent) but the one thing thats stopped me is the seeming unavailability of polycarb blades that taper at the far end. You can tell me all you like that its a perspective trick but young me watching ANH for the first time saw lightsaber blades that were wider at the hilt and I'm determined to get that...somehow.

Anyone here ever seen such a thing or willing to take a guess at how on might be manufactured?

[darth_chasm]

Welcome to the forums!

If we're guessing, I would say you cant extrude a tapered tube. Therefore, it would require additional steps or different processes altogether to get the desired effect, thus driving up manufacturing costs. And I would imagine the demand for tapered poly c tubes is quite low when considering how many other industries aside from lightsaber hobbyists use it.

[Mineral]

If it's just for display, you could probably* just get a 1 inch Plexiglas rod and sand/tool/melt it to the desired shape. The sanding would probably* refract the LED better/brighter than a smooth tapered blade anyway. In fact, frosty evenly-tapered Plexi should* result in a more evenly-lit look than a parallel sided tube can achieve easily.

* I have not tried this. I am hypothesizing based on my -potentially incorrect- understanding of physics. I am neither suggesting this based on real world experience, nor endorsing this as a proven method. Follow this suggestion at your own risk.

[FenixFire]

The easiest way to do it would be to see if TCSS has the capability and desire to machine either a 1"OD PC or Acrylic rod to the desired taper. Quick test with a 36" blade you can get roughly a 0.6 degree taper to the end leaving 1.5 inches untouched for the insertion into the blade holder. It would be a solid rod as you cannot extrude a tapered pipe. So you would need to sand or media blast the exterior of the rod to diffuse the LED light. If not you will need to find a machine shop willing and capable to turn a piece as long as you want it to be.

The other method to produce a tapered plastic tube is to build a forming tool in the desired shape of the taper. It should be just big enough to enter into the hollow of the tube. Then with the whole tube heated until it is "plastic" (soft and formable) slide it over the forming tool. The starting tube would need to be the diameter you want the smallest end to be when finished. This is not easy to do as a DIY and requires an electric oven to be built to the dimensions of the piece you are forming. You will get burned and you will ruin at least 5 pieces before you get one right. Basically a DIY pressure forming process.

[credozero]

Thanks guys, I knew coming to the experts would be the smart move. I've looked into trying to find some-place to CNC mill a rod for me but so far with no luck (what is this TCSS* of which you speak Fenix?)

I had no idea you could heat form plexi, can't imagine finding an over that would work but I could get a wooden form made quite easily and maybe experiment with a heat gun. I'll be sure to update if I get anywhere worth sharing.

*Edit: I worked it out, duh!

[FenixFire]

Thanks guys, I knew coming to the experts would be the smart move. I've looked into trying to find some-place to CNC mill a rod for me but so far with no luck (what is this TCSS* of which you speak Fenix?)

I had no idea you could heat form plexi, can't imagine finding an over that would work but I could get a wooden form made quite easily and maybe experiment with a heat gun. I'll be sure to update if I get anywhere worth sharing.

*Edit: I worked it out, duh!
TCSS is the store/service this forum is attached to. A heat gun will not work. It can work on small parts, but usually nothing past a 6 inch square flat sheet and only if bending a radius bend. You won't find an oven, that's why I said you would have to fabricate an oven to fit the blade length. Just like steam bending wood for furniture and boats you have to build the tools and equipment special to the specific piece being formed.

[Mineral]

Actual Plexiglas isn't that hard a substance. It seems to me* you could mock up a mill at home with a drill, and sand a mild taper yourself. You'd have to start with a fairly hefty grit sand paper, and be super careful, constantly checking against a rule of some kind, but it seems like an achievable goal*. Obviously safety wear would be very important too. Probably more difficult the longer a blade you try to make.

[FenixFire]

Actual Plexiglas isn't that hard a substance. It seems to me* you could mock up a mill at home with a drill, and sand a mild taper yourself. You'd have to start with a fairly hefty grit sand paper, and be super careful, constantly checking against a rule of some kind, but it seems like an achievable goal*. Obviously safety wear would be very important too. Probably more difficult the longer a blade you try to make.

It is doable. At the length of a blade I would want a center pin to stabilize the non-powered end. Like on a wood Lathe

[Mineral]

It is doable. At the length of a blade I would want a center pin to stabilize the non-powered end. Like on a wood Lathe
"Lathe" is the word I was looking for, and what I meant by "mill." Thanks!

[bambua]

So I know this is my first post I've been a lurker for a while and will soon be posting my build thread :D

I do a lot of lathe work using plastics (I make pens and bottlestoppers as my other hobby) on both a wood lathe where I do the cutting by hand, and a metal lathe where I'm using a toolhead to do it. I will tell you if you go that route or even sanding in some mechanical manner, your biggest enemy will be heat. As you run it and especially as it gets thinner it will start to warp and once that happens it gets out of balance and shatters because of the vibration, and it happens VERY quick. You can cool some materials as it runs, I've used spritz bottles with water or oil depending on the material and that helps but sometimes the heat is just unavoidable.

Just wanted to send out a friendly warning if you are going to try milling or putting it on a lathe in some way. Be careful and wear safety equipment.