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Vazan Maceu
10-30-2007, 03:28 PM
Hello everyone :)

As my main project (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3390) is kinda stalled for now (need to redesign some parts), I needed something to keep my mind into hilt building... I came across some old tube, and after a little work it looks like this:

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/511/189yn0.png

I like how both of them look, specially the one on the right... But the problem is the ID of the tube, an also its shape. Let me explain myself with a quick drawing:

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/2631/tubesectjv6.png

As you can see, the tube is not perfectly round on the inside. Whereas this could be easily solved for the right one (the "emitter" is wider than the rest of the tube, and has no "obstacles" affecting its inner roundness, the left one has almost no inner space to work with. Hence my question: As this hilt is being built for a person with small hands (at least smaller than mine xD), could I use a blade with an OD less than 25,4mm? Would a Luxeon III fit in there? A 4AA battery pack fits into the tube without problem, so a direct drive configuration with a resistor should work...

... What do you think? Should I go on with the one on the left, or the other one? Should I leave all this for later and focus only on my main project? Should I go see the doc? :lol:

Thank you for your time reading this, and again thanks in advance for any advice you should come up with :)

EDIT: Corrected some typos :P

valeon
10-30-2007, 04:03 PM
Personally, I would attempt them both, just cause I'm stubbord like that. Now, what you could do is find your own parts that would fit, and possibly make a blade holder/LED holder from PVC piping. As far as the wacky shape of the inside, I would find a battery holder that would fit, even if it is for a different amount of batteries, and just jump a wire where you need to cancel out a battery, I did that on some of my current sabers, they are MR with a lux 3, running off a 3 AAA battery holder, and only runs from 3 AAAs. It may sacrifice some runtime, but I haven't had to replace them yet. Keep in mind, you can ALWAYS make things fit, as long as there is room for a lux, it's just finding the right things to keep it in place, you seem pretty creative....now get crackin'.

I REALLY hope to see something cool come out of these.

ArkaiHalon
10-30-2007, 04:18 PM
what's the side to side diamter of the small tube?

doing some simple figuring in my head, this heat sink would work to hold the lux
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/pc-844-22-luxeon-star-heatsink.aspx

This battery pack should fit
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/pc-725-6-4aa-battery-holder.aspx

And i'd be willing to bet that Tim (or someone else)
could modify the 1.25 blade holder to fit.

valeon
10-30-2007, 04:46 PM
If you don't mind me asking, what are those tubes from?

vortextwist
10-30-2007, 06:02 PM
they both would look awsome.

Hasid Lafre
10-30-2007, 06:25 PM
Yes what is this tube from?

alpine
10-31-2007, 03:10 AM
definately try them both, but those are unusual tubes, where did you find those?

Vazan Maceu
10-31-2007, 06:11 AM
First of all, I thank you all for your advice, ideas, and support, you really know how to make someone inspired :D

Since you´re interested, I´ll tell: It was actually one single tube that was cut into two pieces. It was part of an old vacuum cleaner tube... When it broke up I asked the owner of the vacuum if I could keep the tube assembly (as you can see, he agreed :D ). I thought it had definite possibilities :wink:

If you look at the emitter areas you´ll see some rings... I decided to add these in order to get an idea of how they would look with a blade holder. I´d try to use them in the final version.

Thanks again for your help, I´m willing to give shape to these two :D

Sethski
11-12-2007, 02:34 PM
I just spotted these, they're both crying out to be hilts, they look great!

I'm curious what work you've done on them to get them to this stage and what they were like when you started? They look like they have a dark finish to the metal that's very appealing, and they both have emitter qualities at the ends.

Really look forward to seeing how one or (hopefully) both of them turn out.

Barmic Rin
11-12-2007, 02:41 PM
With careful planning, it will all fit in there.

I picked up the same tubing & will be using it for my Imperial knight inspired saber soon.
just got a few other projects to finish first.

As for choosing which one, my answer is Both! :D

Vazan Maceu
11-12-2007, 03:19 PM
Thanks Barmic and Sethski for the comments and advice!! Right now I´m trying to design a custom blade holder for each one. Right one is easier, and I´ve got an idea that should work. The one on the left is a bit trickier, so I´m planning to fill part of it with some putty or clay just to have a clear idea of the inner shape and the space available to work with.

I´ll try to post pics of it all, and I hope it will be soon :wink:

Vazan Maceu
11-30-2007, 07:11 AM
Finally, I´ve managed to come up with some updates :)

I´ve begun to figure out how the components will be placed on the one on the right hand. The following pic shows a 4AA battery holder fitted into the tube:

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/8399/dsc00028qf4.jpg

I´ve got to work out something to keep it in place, though... Next, a pic of the planned emitter area:

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6818/dsc00029lz8.jpg

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8964/dsc00030gj9.jpg

That´s a 1,25" blade holder sticking out a little from the tube. As you can see, the shape of the emitter prevents the blade holder to fit tight into it... And I came up with an idea: What if I used one of those metal repair compounds to fill the top emitter area, and then hollow it to the size of the blade holder? I´ve read that those compounds, once dry, can be sanded, drilled, painted... What do you think?

For the electronics part, this is going to be a resistored setup at first, so no sound for the moment... Maybe a recharge port will be added, but not sure ATM.

So, let me read what you think :wink:

Ghostbat
11-30-2007, 11:24 AM
by metal repair compound you mean a metal filled epoxy like JB Weld? It's tough to work with but when sanded down would work and it's plenty strong enough to be drilled and tapped. I would recommend working with it all the way through it's cure time to get it as close to the final shape and finish as possible (wearing gloves please!) as it's going to be much easier to just sand and smooth than it will be to try to remove large amounts of matter.

Vazan Maceu
12-03-2007, 05:32 AM
Thanks for the advice Ghostbat :) ... I´ve come up with this diagram, just to explain the idea a little better:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6608/emittercrosssectionty7.png

As you can see, what I plan to do is fill the orange area (which is completely hollow right now) with some epoxy to get it in line with the main tube section. The idea is to provide the 1.25" blade holder a tight fit, and some material for the screws to "bite". I was planning on filling that "bell" section completely, then drill it with a drill press to make space for the blade holder, in order to keep it straight.

So, what do you think... Could it be done? A better idea, anyone? Thanks in advance for your time reading this :)

valeon
12-03-2007, 10:34 AM
I would wrap the blade holder in something solid, that wont move when you press it in. I would stay away from tapes, I've tried things like that. Maybe find some old plastic pieces from other saber projects, etc. I've recycled parts many a time with no problem. After you find something that will make it fit tightly, use JB weld or something similar to "clean it up" and keep things in place.

Vazan Maceu
12-19-2007, 05:42 AM
I would wrap the blade holder in something solid, that wont move when you press it in. I would stay away from tapes, I've tried things like that. Maybe find some old plastic pieces from other saber projects, etc. I've recycled parts many a time with no problem. After you find something that will make it fit tightly, use JB weld or something similar to "clean it up" and keep things in place.

Thought of something similar, I´m now searching for a tube section that would fit both the blade holder and the emitter area... No luck as of yet, though :P

And I also wanted to post this:
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/7360/amberlm1.jpg

Just the first steps, and a truckload of work to be done, but I like how it looks :D

valeon
12-19-2007, 05:56 AM
That looks REALLY good. I am VERY impressed. I can't wait to see decoration. In fact, it really doesn't need much of it.