PDA

View Full Version : Old Hasbro Luke ROTJ Conversion



Zero Unit
11-25-2007, 01:30 PM
I am not sure whether this would fit under Sound or LED Wiring, but since it involves both, I will place this here.

What I have is an old 1995 Hasbro Luke Return of the Jedi saber. Its blade has been broken and the incandescent mount has been damaged, so I would like to convert this into a lux saber.

My question to you wise members is how to go about that while at the same time preserving the sound board that came with the item, since I don't want this conversion to be too overly expensive. Can the stock board drive a Luxeon, or will I have to work around it?

Remember, this was an incandescent saber, not an LED.

Thank you,
Zero.

Lord Maul
11-25-2007, 02:23 PM
The stock board will drive a luxeon fine.

Zero Unit
11-25-2007, 02:27 PM
I should have put this in the first post, but is that for a [green] Lux III, V, or K2?

Lord Maul
11-25-2007, 04:52 PM
Lux III

Zero Unit
11-25-2007, 05:00 PM
Thank you kind sir.

Now, all that I'll need is the blade (plus a spacer since the blade is too thin for a 1.5" holder), film, lens, LED, heat-sink, and some chrome paint. This will be my first project to get me started on this addicting hobby. :D

Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie
11-25-2007, 09:59 PM
How do you plan on adapting it to hold a blade?

Zero Unit
11-26-2007, 04:29 PM
I will fashion a spacer (probably out of wood, since I lack metal working tools) not unlike the 1" to 3/4" adapters sold in the store here. Where I will place the blade retention screw, I have yet to decide. I'll have to wait until after installing the electronics before I can even begin to decide that though, since I don't quite know how deep I can set the blade in.

Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie
11-26-2007, 07:39 PM
If you tried it with one of the newer Hasbros with the spring loaded blade, there's tons of room for a blade holder, since the blade retracts completely into the hilt.

There's got to be at least 8" in there, between the bulb and the end of the emitter.

Zero Unit
11-26-2007, 09:42 PM
It will require some Dremel work, but I have room in here. The neck at its narrowest is still at a 1.25" outer diameter, so I'll be able to squeeze a blade in there. As for the length, the hilt is a tad over 12", so I assume I'll have enough room in there for optics and the LED itself.

About how much room does a Lux III with a 5 degree lens take up, length-wise?

Thank you,
Zero.

Lord Maul
11-26-2007, 10:05 PM
Just the LED and optics, no heatsink = ~3/4"
LED, optics, heatsink = ~1 1/2"

Jedi-Loreen
11-27-2007, 12:22 AM
I'm just wondering why someone would want to convert an oversized, plastic lightsaber hilt to LED.

Hasid Lafre
11-27-2007, 03:48 PM
doclo did and it sold really well.

Lord Maul
11-27-2007, 03:50 PM
That is because he did a Dooku hilt. The Hasbro is basically the only Dooku replica (I use the term loosely) out there, whereas a Luke ROTJ Hasbro has the MR counterpart.

Hasid Lafre
11-27-2007, 03:56 PM
And with mr not doing sw stuff anymore I wouldent be supprised is there are more converted habros on ebay.

Zero Unit
11-27-2007, 07:05 PM
Well, I am modifying it because:

A.) This is my first venture into the world of Luxeon sabers, and sabersmithing in general.

B.) I don't have money for a totally custom saber (or an MHS for that matter).

C.) This ol' school saber is actually pretty decent (it is thinner than my Anakin/Vader RotS Hasbro), and feels good in the hand.

D.) It will make a good Christmas present for my father, since this was his, but it was pretty much destroyed my my younger siblings. I think he'd like to have it back in even better condition than when it was bought 12 years ago.

Jedi-Loreen
11-27-2007, 08:21 PM
Well, that's kind of cool, then. :D

yattle
12-01-2007, 04:30 PM
How are you going to wire the Lux lll to your Hasbro board?

I have some Hasbro boards I want to use for Lux lll's and K2's in an MHS hilt and thought I clould find some wiring drawings in this thread.
yattle

Barmic Rin
12-01-2007, 05:21 PM
Sounds cool, though I personally wouldn't do it as the effect from the Lux on the hasbro blade can't be too impressive, & the size difference between the emitter & 1" blade would look weird.
Do-Clo has done his Dooku's, but it's smalller than ther luke ROTJ emitter, so doesn't look too bad.

My first custom was a Hasbro, but that was years ago, before I was luxing or using EL!
Used a quigon hilt, Obi-wan blade & bits from cheap knock off sabers, then sprayed hilt black & grey.
Based it of KOTOR style from the comics. Will dig it out of the loft sometime as that turned out well.

Do-Clo
12-01-2007, 10:26 PM
With some planing you can turn a hasbro saber into a not to bad looking and working saber. With the proper speaker the hasbro sound board will actually sound decent.

LAN-ED-TUL
12-01-2007, 11:00 PM
actually if the speaker doesnt have too much static in it, and is fairly clear sounding, just a echo chamber increases the volume exponentially.


i have used several hasbro boards stock with the original speakers, and set them up in the new hilts, with echo chambers, and they drown out the MR FX's like crazy.

Zero Unit
12-02-2007, 08:59 PM
I will definitely need a new speaker. This one is louder than the new ones, but the quality is hardly the best. If any of you have heard the lightning ignition effect of the 1995 RotJ, you know what I am talking about.

I've finished the sanding and will be applying the first coat of paint shortly. I'll get some pictures up soon.

As for the wiring, I myself need some assistance with that. I was thinking about using a Buckpuck with this and 4.8v 2600 mAh NiMH battery pack. Would the puck go between the pack and the board or between the board and the LED?

Thanks,
Zero.

LAN-ED-TUL
12-02-2007, 10:56 PM
the puck will drive just the led alone, you can only link the board and the puck via a dbl latching switch that would turn both seperate units on.

so basically, you only use the board for sound, and the puck for the led.