Crystal Chamber help

[Jediseth]

http://i.imgur.com/jhMzKbD.jpg

Here is my first attempt at a crystal chamber. Many trips to the hardware store and some time playing with crystals and this is what I got. I have no idea how to get this into a saber. Any ideas on how I can make this chamber better would be greatly appreciated. Or even how to start putting it into a saber. The disks are TCSS disk #3
Thanks!

[minorhero]

Well you are going to need a way for wires to pass through the chamber unless its in the very tip of the pommel. Unless you have hollow tubes I can't see you will need to add some. How big those tubes are and how many you need will depend on where in the saber you stick the chamber. If its going to be between the sound board and the switches then you will need to pass a LOT of wires through it. If the switches and soundboard and speaker are on one side and the only thing on the other is the led then you only need to pass your main LED wires through it.

[Greenie]

Have you designed the look of your saber? The parts you use may dictate how and where the CC fits into the build. If it's a reveal, you could use the discs that lock between MHS parts so part of the hilt can be removed to expose it. You will also need to construct a chassis to hold a battery and soundboard which will join to your CC. As minorhero says, tube to pass wires through will be essential.
This was my first saber, with a similar CC to yours.

15017

[Jediseth]

Yes thank you both. Your right I'm going to need some brass tubes to pass wires through. I do need to start thinking about design. I think locating it below the switch would be the best location. Your CC looks great Greenie, nice work. I see you found a different solution to holding the crystal, I racked my brain trying to figure that out. How would I get the hollow rods to stay in place without pulling out through the holes on the disks?

[rlobrecht]

Disk #3 is the smaller one, meant to go inside a ribbed section. Do you know what your hilt will look like?

[Jediseth]

Disk #3 is the smaller one, meant to go inside a ribbed section. Do you know what your hilt will look like?

I didn't know which disks I got. They were the only ones available. I haven't figured anything out yet. I was thinking that the image that Greenie posted was the type of disks I had. I'm new to all this. I started buying Ultrasabers is how I got introduced. I'm realizing I'm venturing into a more sophisticated world than US. I'm going to have to dig into looking at what part TCSS offers and how to do this. So for a setup that I have I'm looking for a ribbed section, thanks! I will take a look at the shop.

[Greenie]

By the time you've built the CC and chassis then fed wires through the tubes, they won't slide through the disc holes. The set up I showed above uses three holes (in a triangle) for threaded rod, then two for wiring. The crystal is 'clamped' between discs once the nuts are tightened on the threaded rod.

[darth_chasm]

How would I get the hollow rods to stay in place without pulling out through the holes on the disks?

The holes in the discs are around .116". You could use brass tubes from the shop which are .1875" OD. The OD of the tubes will prevent them from passing through the holes.

[Jediseth]

I see, that does answer my question thanks! Greenie, what # disks did you use on that CC you posted? Also what did you use to hold the crystal on the ends? I'm finding unless you have a lathe finding parts that will work is a little tricky. Thanks!

[Greenie]

The discs at either end are #2. There are also spacers at one end and a disc#1 (locking disc) with a female coupler in between.
The crystal is between a stator coil (from a disk drive) and the cut off end of a hose coupler.

15018

[Jediseth]

Oh yes, I see. I'm going to need some other disks. Thank you so much Greenie, I appreciate it!

[Jediseth]

The discs at either end are #2. There are also spacers at one end and a disc#1 (locking disc) with a female coupler in between.
The crystal is between a stator coil (from a disk drive) and the cut off end of a hose coupler.

15018

I think that is the gender changer not a female coupler, is that right?

[Greenie]

I think that is the gender changer not a female coupler, is that right?

Yeah. I meant gender changer (male coupler)

[Jediseth]

Yeah. I meant gender changer (male coupler)

Thanks! I'm impressed by your ideas on holding your crystal. It takes a little creativity for some of that stuff.

[Jediseth]

Here is another attempt at a crystal chamber. This one is an original machined round quartz crystal with all the flaws and inclusions. I'm using it as a representation as a Krayt Dragon pearl.

Still waiting on rods to use to transport wires across the chamber.

http://i.imgur.com/iQs8sh3.jpg

[darth.maledous]

http://i632.photobucket.com/albums/uu46/rockblade19/IMG_0382_zpsr5kuuvxb.jpg (http://s632.photobucket.com/user/rockblade19/media/IMG_0382_zpsr5kuuvxb.jpg.html)

Here is another attempt at a crystal chamber. This one is an original machined round quartz crystal with all the flaws and inclusions. I'm using it as a representation as a Krayt Dragon pearl.

Still waiting on rods to use to transport wires across the chamber.

@Jediseth - If you don't mind me asking, where did you buy brass tubes and whatever it is you have the crystal sitting in between? I'm working on my first build and I plan on adding a crystal chamber. Thanks in advance.

@Greenie, you mentioned that TCSS had .1875" OD brass tubing that could be used to route the wires through, but all I see are the 3/16" OD brass/aluminum tubing. Are those the tubes you're referring to?

Lastly, I just want to say thanks for all of the info shared in this thread, it's been extremely helpful.

Thanks.

[rlobrecht]

@Greenie, you mentioned that TCSS had .1875" OD brass tubing that could be used to route the wires through, but all I see are the 3/16" OD brass/aluminum tubing. Are those the tubes you're referring to?



3/16" = 0.1875"

[Silver Serpent]

@Jediseth - If you don't mind me asking, where did you buy brass tubes and whatever it is you have the crystal sitting in between? I'm working on my first build and I plan on adding a crystal chamber. Thanks in advance.


The brass parts on the outside appear to be barbed hose fittings. The crystal holder on the left looks like some type of thumbscrew, and the part on the right looks like a LED bezel. Should be able to find most of those items at your local hardware store.

[darth.maledous]

3/16" = 0.1875"


The brass parts on the outside appear to be barbed hose fittings. The crystal holder on the left looks like some type of thumbscrew, and the part on the right looks like a LED bezel. Should be able to find most of those items at your local hardware store.

Thank rlobrecht & Silver Serpent.

[Jediseth]

Sorry for not responding sooner. Yes he's right a bezel and thumb screw. You can also use a Allen head bolt with nuts on one end and then reverse tighten to hold the crystal secure. I have also seen coaxial cable ends that can hold a led on the other end.

[Jediseth]

I thought I would post another attempt at a CC I did today. This time I have extra spacers for wires put in. I do need to tap in a set screw into the TCSS extension, but I only have a hand drill and I'm a little nervous about ruining the material.


http://i.imgur.com/EE4RPMh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iUkbnfp.jpg

[darth.maledous]

I thought I would post another attempt at a CC I did today. This time I have extra spacers for wires put in. I do need to tap in a set screw into the TCSS extension, but I only have a hand drill and I'm a little nervous about ruining the material.



http://i632.photobucket.com/albums/uu46/rockblade19/IMG_0486_zpstawckwib.jpg (http://s632.photobucket.com/user/rockblade19/media/IMG_0486_zpstawckwib.jpg.html)


http://i632.photobucket.com/albums/uu46/rockblade19/IMG_0485_zps9xfcpfsa.jpg (http://s632.photobucket.com/user/rockblade19/media/IMG_0485_zps9xfcpfsa.jpg.html)

That looks nice! If you don't mind me asking, how tall / long is that CC from end to end. I'm trying to determine how long the spacers for my chamber need to be.

Thanks.

[Jediseth]

The aluminum spacers are 2 inches and came from the shop. Then you add the disks on each end which are disk #3. It all kind of depends on your crystal as well. Luckily the 2" spacers fit. Sometimes I have to cut them or add washers so the crystal is nice and tight. I don't like to use glue, so I don't.

[Jediseth]

Here is one I just did using a Flourite crystal.



http://i.imgur.com/INmoIhR.jpg

[Jediseth]

A crystal reveal done with TCSS parts.

http://i.imgur.com/msxm3mI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ijKgIOn.jpg

[Greenie]

Nice work dude.

[Jediseth]

Nice work dude.


Thanks man, I do have a few members here that I look up to on this subject. I'm officially inspired. I do have a ways to go.

[Jediseth]

http://i.imgur.com/CB9Sxoy.jpg

Here is a new one with a ultramarine crystal. I'm using different parts on each of these as much as I can just to try out different things I have found.

I have sort of decided to just make this my CC album page. Why not-

[darth.maledous]

http://i632.photobucket.com/albums/uu46/rockblade19/2017-02-09%2022.53.12-2_zpstf6jowu3.jpg (http://s632.photobucket.com/user/rockblade19/media/2017-02-09%2022.53.12-2_zpstf6jowu3.jpg.html)

Here is a new one with a ultramarine crystal. I'm using different parts on each of these as much as I can just to try out different things I have found.

I have sort of decided to just make this my CC album page. Why not-
@Jediseth - are those thumbscrews that are holding the crystal at each end? I'm going to the local hardware store this weekend in search of crystal chamber parts and I'd like to see if I can find these.

Thanks,

[Jediseth]

@Jediseth - are those thumbscrews that are holding the crystal at each end? I'm going to the local hardware store this weekend in search of crystal chamber parts and I'd like to see if I can find these.

Thanks,

These are actually coaxial cable parts. They have a threaded end. I can fit them on both sides of the chamber. With one I cut off the nut and the remainder of it fits in a chassis disk. Where the 5mm led can fit into. On the other I cut off the screw nut end and then cut the remainder off with a Dremel and cut off wheel so there is a hole for the Crystal. Then you just look for a screw to fit in the hole on the other end and screw it in place on the chassis disk. Very easy to do. You may also have to cut off some of the screw to make room for the crystal to fit. I actually got these coaxial cable ends at Radio Shack, but I'm sure if you look around you can find them elsewhere. The screw on ones work the best.
http://i.imgur.com/2UfLefo.jpg

[Jediseth]

Crystal chamber reveal I just put inside one of the other guys hilts. Using chassis parts and a 7 inch powder coated wet black body section. From TCSS's shop.

http://i.imgur.com/hCvEVu6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/aDYYQjk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8OF4a9J.jpg

[themadscientist]

Very nice, indeed.

[Greenie]

Very nicely done Jediseth.

:mrgreen:

[Avidgrant]

nicely done

[Jediseth]

Thanks guys, it's a challenge getting a CC inside a hilt that isn't designed for one.

[Jediseth]

Someone here messaged me and asked how I made one of the CC I posted here. So I made a video on how to make a basic CC.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73cSDd9zI-g

[Jediseth]

I found this from an old grandfather clock today. I'm going to tear it apart and see what I can salvage for crystal chambers and saber building. This one is broken and I got a good deal on it, but you can find new ones of these in the two hundred dollar range. When you start looking at it and seeing how it works I can see why, It's very impressive.

I would also like to add I did my best to update all the missing images on this thread. I would also like to thank Photobucket for the years of free service even though I think it's complete rape to erase all my images.

http://i.imgur.com/QbyZ5FG.jpg