BhujangiJedi
01-29-2008, 12:07 AM
I'm $300 into my "simple, basic, cheap" dual-blade MHS saber project, and I'm not even sure I'm done spending yet. I hope this information will be of help to other TCSS/DIY saber newbies, all bleary-eyed and excited at the discovery of the wonderful parts of TCSS and the information in this forum.
An optimist, and minimalist, might come up with the following pricing:
DIY Blade (tube, diffuser, reflector, tip) - $20
Set screw for blade - $0.20
Blade Holder1 - $18
Hilt1 - $23
MPS Pommel1 - $6
Lux III - $8
Lens & Holder - $6
Resistor - $0.75
Switch - $2.35
4 AA Battery holder - $2
TOTAL: $86.30
This looks pretty nice, even compared to Ultra's (http://www.ultrasabers.com/) (very nice) stunts that are occasionally available at $80. They have some with sound for $100. However, if you're capable of customizing those, then you're probably not really interested in this thread anyway. Having a saber made with MHS parts leaves a lot of room for easy customization down the road - different colors, different blades, hilt modifications, sound/light FX boards, and more.
Now that we're at about $95 (after shipping), let's look at some details that may have evaded you:
Did you really choose the right blade for you?
There's a whole host of blades available, with varying levels of illumination, durability, and light distribution. At a minimum, evaluate (and understand the differences between) the TCSS style (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LED-TCSS-style-Battle-blade-1-OD--P155.aspx) blades, the Corbin style (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LED-Corbin-style-Battle-blade-1-OD--P198.aspx) blades, Ultrasabers (http://www.ultrasabers.com/)' blades, and Xwingband's (http://www.incomsabers.com/) blades.
You will probably find yourself spending $25 minimum on the blade (even if you make a DIY blade, you will want to stuff it with some poly-p), maybe upwards of $30.
ADD $7
Are you really happy with a cheap set screw? Maybe, since they can nicely rest completely within the hilt, leaving the outer surface smooth. But maybe you're the type who prefers the decoration (and convenience) provided by a thumb screw.
ADD $2
As you realize your mounting costs, you might find yourself deciding to make minor upgrades - heck, since I'm already spending a bunch, I may as well throw in a few bucks more and get something I really like. Blade holders 3 & 7 add some flair without breaking the bank like some of the really nice ones.
ADD $6
While I'm upgrading, I really want MPS Pommel 5 (to match blade holder 3) or Screw-in Pommel 5 (nice rounded pommel).
ADD $3.50
There's actually a non-trivial level of variance in the Luxeon LEDs that are manufactured, which means to get the best performance with a resistor, you need to have some fancy electrical equipment to test the particular LEDs you receive and determine the optimal resistor to use. Even with the best resistor, you'll still get a dimmer blade as your batteries die. There's a good chance you'll decide you're really best off with a buckpuck.
ADD $15
I've made fairly conservative additions, but we're already adding $33.50 to our $86.30 saber. Now we're up to about $130 after shipping. Depending on preferences and budget, it's really easy to add way more parts - just look in the gallery for some really beautiful sabers people have made. Most of them use more than the "bare minimum" of parts listed here, and some extra DIY parts and work.
Some useful parts you may have overlooked:
Wire - $0.75
Heat shrink tubing - $0.80
MPS Pommel Insert - $1.05
Quick Connector $0.45
Switch Boot - $1
Some other considerations - how much tools and parts do you have available for the DIY aspects? If you're a poor noob like me, your most advanced tools are philips screwdrivers.
$10 for drill bit & tap (and do you already have a drill? better yet, a drill press?) OR pay TCSS $7.50 for each hole
$10 - cheap 25W soldering iron & solder
If you don't have the tools, materials, and skills to do a DIY blade, you'll spend a bit more for a pre-made one
After buying a (cheap!) soldering iron and paying TCSS to drill a hole in the blade holder and make a blade for you, it's pretty easy to be at about $150 (shipped).
Finally, how do you plan to set everything in place inside the hilt? It can be done cheaply and effectively with a bit of creative cardboard cutting & folding, but for a more professional feel & improved convenience, you may want to create your own plastic shuttle using a dremel & some PVC tubing that fits inside the MHS hilt.
An optimist, and minimalist, might come up with the following pricing:
DIY Blade (tube, diffuser, reflector, tip) - $20
Set screw for blade - $0.20
Blade Holder1 - $18
Hilt1 - $23
MPS Pommel1 - $6
Lux III - $8
Lens & Holder - $6
Resistor - $0.75
Switch - $2.35
4 AA Battery holder - $2
TOTAL: $86.30
This looks pretty nice, even compared to Ultra's (http://www.ultrasabers.com/) (very nice) stunts that are occasionally available at $80. They have some with sound for $100. However, if you're capable of customizing those, then you're probably not really interested in this thread anyway. Having a saber made with MHS parts leaves a lot of room for easy customization down the road - different colors, different blades, hilt modifications, sound/light FX boards, and more.
Now that we're at about $95 (after shipping), let's look at some details that may have evaded you:
Did you really choose the right blade for you?
There's a whole host of blades available, with varying levels of illumination, durability, and light distribution. At a minimum, evaluate (and understand the differences between) the TCSS style (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LED-TCSS-style-Battle-blade-1-OD--P155.aspx) blades, the Corbin style (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LED-Corbin-style-Battle-blade-1-OD--P198.aspx) blades, Ultrasabers (http://www.ultrasabers.com/)' blades, and Xwingband's (http://www.incomsabers.com/) blades.
You will probably find yourself spending $25 minimum on the blade (even if you make a DIY blade, you will want to stuff it with some poly-p), maybe upwards of $30.
ADD $7
Are you really happy with a cheap set screw? Maybe, since they can nicely rest completely within the hilt, leaving the outer surface smooth. But maybe you're the type who prefers the decoration (and convenience) provided by a thumb screw.
ADD $2
As you realize your mounting costs, you might find yourself deciding to make minor upgrades - heck, since I'm already spending a bunch, I may as well throw in a few bucks more and get something I really like. Blade holders 3 & 7 add some flair without breaking the bank like some of the really nice ones.
ADD $6
While I'm upgrading, I really want MPS Pommel 5 (to match blade holder 3) or Screw-in Pommel 5 (nice rounded pommel).
ADD $3.50
There's actually a non-trivial level of variance in the Luxeon LEDs that are manufactured, which means to get the best performance with a resistor, you need to have some fancy electrical equipment to test the particular LEDs you receive and determine the optimal resistor to use. Even with the best resistor, you'll still get a dimmer blade as your batteries die. There's a good chance you'll decide you're really best off with a buckpuck.
ADD $15
I've made fairly conservative additions, but we're already adding $33.50 to our $86.30 saber. Now we're up to about $130 after shipping. Depending on preferences and budget, it's really easy to add way more parts - just look in the gallery for some really beautiful sabers people have made. Most of them use more than the "bare minimum" of parts listed here, and some extra DIY parts and work.
Some useful parts you may have overlooked:
Wire - $0.75
Heat shrink tubing - $0.80
MPS Pommel Insert - $1.05
Quick Connector $0.45
Switch Boot - $1
Some other considerations - how much tools and parts do you have available for the DIY aspects? If you're a poor noob like me, your most advanced tools are philips screwdrivers.
$10 for drill bit & tap (and do you already have a drill? better yet, a drill press?) OR pay TCSS $7.50 for each hole
$10 - cheap 25W soldering iron & solder
If you don't have the tools, materials, and skills to do a DIY blade, you'll spend a bit more for a pre-made one
After buying a (cheap!) soldering iron and paying TCSS to drill a hole in the blade holder and make a blade for you, it's pretty easy to be at about $150 (shipped).
Finally, how do you plan to set everything in place inside the hilt? It can be done cheaply and effectively with a bit of creative cardboard cutting & folding, but for a more professional feel & improved convenience, you may want to create your own plastic shuttle using a dremel & some PVC tubing that fits inside the MHS hilt.