A neat exar kun idea

[Vereous]

Guys I had a really cool idea today, and I'm hoping we can discuss it. I'm sure someone else has thought of this, and I'd love to hear how it worked out!

A two bladed saber built in a standard saber size. (Like Exar Kuns short saberstaff)

So with a NB v4 I think it would be blade one on channel one. Blade two is wired to a extender so it's on channel three. Channel two is two white LEDs in parallel (one in each blade holder) for the flash on clash.

So profile one is one bladed with an added white FoC.
Profile two is both blades with added white FoC.

One momentary switch, cycling between one blade and both blades.

Now, unless there is such a thing as a fourth channel, I think I'd get a white flash out of the inactive side in this theoretical profile one. I could live with that.

What are everyone's thoughts?

[jbkuma]

Your initial premise is very nice. You could even give them both tri cree LEDs and the board should be able to power, so long as each has their main colors in parallel.

The Crystal Focus 8 supports Quad LEDs, but I haven't used them so I recommend reading the manual first (as I would even if I had used it).

Would you have the off blade in in single blade mode? You could hide a momentary or a snap action switch (typical limit switch) in the second blade socket so it only completes the circuit if the blade is inserted. Then you wouldn't even have to rely on profile wizardry.

[Vereous]

You bring up a very good point! I suppose I would ~not~ have my second blade in all the time. That's a really cool thought, the tiny momentary pressed by the blade. And even though this is more bulky and less high tech, I could probably get the same result with a latching switch going to blade two yes?

The product page for the CF8 also says 4 channels, i hadn't seen that, but I will definitely read the manual to see if they wire the way I'm wanting.

I checked my NB4 manual and I've come up with another question: do y'all think one board can run two speakers?

[jbkuma]

A latching switch would very definitely work if wired appropriately. Switches are switches, they don't care what they are attached to, so long as they are rated for the load.

It might power the speakers, but the result won't be twice as loud, since your perception is logarithmic, and it's rated for one 2w 8ohm speaker. You can get a little boost circuit to give you, for instance, 2 3w outputs, and I have seen this done.

[Vereous]

My goal behind two speakers was not twice as loud, it was some kind of zany idea for even sound no matter where the saber is held. But I suppose that boils down to proper sound vent placement.

The only thing that bothers me about using a latching switch for blade two is the blade will turn on without a sweet activation sound. The profile wizardry was an attempt to keep a continuity between blades lighting up and a proper activation sound. I suppose the tiny momentary pressed by the second blade would solve this, since I wouldn't be changing blades with the saber on anyway (safety first!).

You have given me much to think about, thank you. :)

[jbkuma]

You could make a very simple Arduino sketch that will simply ramp a pwm signal to a transistor for ignition effects. Come to think of it, some boards have quillion/crossguard delay effects but I'm not sure any of them support secondary activation.