Need Help / Advice Custom Building my First hilt

[nwoods29379]

I have been debating on buying a saber for awhile but decided to utilize my resources and custom make my hilt. I have three 31" pieces of 1" ARC (1" id 1.3" od aluminum conduit). I do not plan on having and deep ridges so the wall thickness should be fine and a 1"blade should fit perfectly. I know that the id limits my choice on electronics, my biggest question is will an led assembly fit inside (I can bore it out some if needed) or will I need to figure out something else for the blade holder (possibly adapter to MHS)?

[Ty_Bomber]

A true 1" ID may be too tight for the 1" heatsink sold in the store, but it can be sanded down to work.

[FenixFire]

The 1inch heatsink lens holder is actually just shy of 1 in. Mine slid right into the 1" id pipe I machined my sons blade holder out of.

[nwoods29379]

Excellent, then i guess it's time to get to work. Still need to figure out something for the pommel though.

[FenixFire]

The blade seams to be just proud of 1" od and I have not cut it down from the 40" yet. I think just Running a sanding bit down the holder will be enough to get the blade in.

[nwoods29379]

Sounds like it should work. I know the build I'm going for is going to be difficult, but I'm basically going for just a 2 piece saber, a main body and pommel.

[Greenie]

Sounds like it should work. I know the build I'm going for is going to be difficult, but I'm basically going for just a 2 piece saber, a main body and pommel.

That sounds like a challenge for installing electronics and wiring. Still, good luck dude :mrgreen:

[nwoods29379]

That sounds like a challenge for installing electronics and wiring. Still, good luck dude :mrgreen:

Yeah, I think the hardest part will be the switch and recharge port. I'm thinking a modified mhs v1 activation box should do the trick though. Either way, I love a challenge.

[Miraluka]

Yeah, I think the hardest part will be the switch and recharge port. I'm thinking a modified mhs v1 activation box should do the trick though. Either way, I love a challenge.

Getting a recharge port to poke out from the inside of a 1 piece hilt nearly drove me mad one day. Hands down, the most challenging part of that hilt...

[Greenie]

Cut the pins real short and solder your wires the other way, so the run back towards the port ;)
Can save 1/4" in depth.

[Miraluka]

I didn't have issues with the size of the port, I meant that the hole was in the middle of a long, 1-piece tube and accurately pushing it through the hole from the inside was difficult because I couldn't reach it. Buuuut that's where I wanted the port, so I made it happen, eventually.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I didn't have issues with the size of the port, I meant that the hole was in the middle of a long, 1-piece tube and accurately pushing it through the hole from the inside was difficult because I couldn't reach it. Buuuut that's where I wanted the port, so I made it happen, eventually.
That can be difficult, so I came up with this about 7 years ago:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/Blue%20EL%20Saber%20Conversion/c62835d3.jpg
There's more about that here: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?2738-Jay-Gon-s-RLSA-EL-saber-conversion-%28CF-V4%29&p=116183&viewfull=1#post116183

[nwoods29379]

That is an ingenious solution, I will have to check it out. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I saw somewhere that MHS V2 parts are for 1" ID, is this correct?

[Miraluka]

I'm fairly certain my solution ended up being something involving a wire coat hanger and a flat-head screw driver.