clamp switch?

[chase]

i want to get a graflex clamp for my saber, and i was wondering how to incorperate a switch into it. i know the vader clamp has one but how is it done? can anyone help?

[Darth Tollo]

This is only theory as I have not done it yet but I plan to get the MR switch and mount it so the switch goes into a notch in the bottom of the slider. I believe that is how the MR Vader is done but if that fails, I plan to take apart my Vader and find out how it is done.

[Darth Morbius]

A graflex/Mpp clamp is a totally different beast than an MR switchbox, and not really keen to the idea of a switch in the clamp itself. Without modification that is. :wink:

The Clamp lever is what holds the clamp band together, and keeps the clamp in place on the hilt.

It really depends on how you are wanting to wire it all up. Pics of the hilt you want to use the clamp on would help in this instance. 8)

[Darth Lars]

I think you could make a sliding circuit board inside a real Graflex clamp.
You could make it out a piece of plastic that is thin and T-shaped, around 2-3 mm thick -- Think of a T-shaped grip track, but with a fin that is a few times higher. This goes inside the clamp with the fin inwards.
You need to cut a notch for the bolt in the clamp, and a little bit larger to allow it to slide back and forth.
The point is that you also cut a notch that touches against a sliding switch that is mounted inside the clamp.

Another thing, that I have done on my Obi-Wan saber, is to use the "transistors" on the side of the saber as push buttons.
I got real vintage transistors and filed down the leads. Then I drilled (filed actually) transistor-sized holes in the side of the clamp and mounted the transistors on the inside with some common sticky tape. These touch against switches on a circuit board mounted on the inside.

MR's Obi-Wan ANH LE and AFBB replicas have clamps that are not held together by the lever! Instead, the clamp has two additional bolts hidden underneath the sidebars. You could use the same idea. Real, and most replica sidebars are hollow, and roomy enough for a small bolt head and nut.
Then you would have the difficult task left of making the lever slide back and forth.

[987654321a]

Original Graflex and Heiland Clamps are not practical for sliding switch applications. Unless you get a 1 piece machine clamp which would just slide over the hilt, and no clamp lever would be needed.