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Kant Lavar
03-29-2008, 07:30 AM
So... looking decent, or am I doing too much LDS? (Oh, yeah. A Star Trek line in a Star Wars forum. I went there. :p )

Shopping list:

Screw on LED blade holder style 5
MHS ribbed extension v-grooved
Double threaded hilt style 3
MPS Pommel style 3
MPS Insert style 5
Black machined button for Covertec clip
Covertec Clip
LED "TCSS style" Battle blade 1" OD (40 inches)
Build Your Own Luxeon V Electronics Kit
1-3/16" ID Black O-ring


Yes, I know I will need to get holes drilled in for the thumbscrew and the clip.

Questions:

Does the Covertec clip fit on a normal belt? (I ask mainly since none of the belts on here fit me. *shakes fist*)
Does the Covertec button come with the appropriate hardware for attachment onto the hilt? If not, what do I need?
The O-rings come in the quantity ordered, i.e. I select "1" on the online order form, I get 1, I select "14" I get 14, etc., correct?
Do I have any glaring omissions from my shopping list?

DarthFender
03-29-2008, 07:50 AM
So... looking decent, or am I doing too much LDS? (Oh, yeah. A Star Trek line in a Star Wars forum. I went there. :p )

Spok: The hell, you did.
Right!

That ought to look good. Besides, it's all about what YOU think looks good.

jpbeck
03-29-2008, 08:13 AM
So... looking decent, or am I doing too much LDS? (Oh, yeah. A Star Trek line in a Star Wars forum. I went there. :p )

Shopping list:

Screw on LED blade holder style 5
MHS ribbed extension v-grooved
Double threaded hilt style 3
MPS Pommel style 3
MPS Insert style 5
Black machined button for Covertec clip
Covertec Clip
LED "TCSS style" Battle blade 1" OD (40 inches)
Build Your Own Luxeon V Electronics Kit
1-3/16" ID Black O-ring


Yes, I know I will need to get holes drilled in for the thumbscrew and the clip.

Questions:

Does the Covertec clip fit on a normal belt? (I ask mainly since none of the belts on here fit me. *shakes fist*)
Does the Covertec button come with the appropriate hardware for attachment onto the hilt? If not, what do I need?
The O-rings come in the quantity ordered, i.e. I select "1" on the online order form, I get 1, I select "14" I get 14, etc., correct?
Do I have any glaring omissions from my shopping list?


1) Yes
2) No-- you'll need: http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-socket-head-P107.aspx
3) That is correct

You have a soldering gun (Flux, Solder, ect.), extra wire, and some heat-shrink wrap?

I don't get the LDS statement-- Latter Day Saints? :)

eastern57
03-29-2008, 08:31 AM
The groves on that hilt are kind of shallow, and the o-rings sold here won't stay put. They work better in the groves of the ribbed section.

Kant Lavar
03-29-2008, 09:02 AM
2) No-- you'll need: http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-socket-head-P107.aspx

Eeeexcellent. *adds to wishlist*


You have a soldering gun (Flux, Solder, ect.), extra wire, and some heat-shrink wrap?

I'm not planning to do more than get the body for this together until I get back to the States, so that's not as much of an issue.


I don't get the LDS statement-- Latter Day Saints? :)

It's a reference to Star Trek IV. Kirk tells someone in the 20th Century that he thinks Spock "did a little too much LDS" at Berkley.


The groves on that hilt are kind of shallow, and the o-rings sold here won't stay put. They work better in the groves of the ribbed section.

Hrm. I really want to put something in or on the hilt, though - give it some definition and make it at least look like there's some sort of grip section there. Maybe see if I can get my hands on some sort of glue or epoxy...? (I have a feeling regular ol' Super Glue won't cut it.)

Disregard - I just started looking at the pics for powder coating. Solves this problem well.

Kant Lavar
03-31-2008, 07:19 AM
Well, I bought all the hardware I need for the body of the saber. I've started looking for an online source for solder (and if it comes right down to it, I'll see if my family can get some themselves and ship it to me), and I can get my hands on one of those Cold Heat soldering irons easy enough. Wire (I'm thinking of doing a quick-disconnect on the LED so I can change it out for a red one if I so desire) should be easy enough to acquire, but for now, things are good.

Updated and semi-finalized plan below. Hooray for the "save as image" function on PowerPoint.

BhujangiJedi
03-31-2008, 10:08 AM
Nooooooo! No Cold Heat! They are crap! I have one, and it might be good for something, but I haven't been able to figure out what. I bought a cheapo 25W soldering iron for $6 - it did the trick, but barely. I'd recommend you at least spring for a 30-35W, or even an adjustable temp iron.

Kant Lavar
04-01-2008, 06:58 AM
Huh. I've talked to a few people who have them, and they say they've got no problems with them. Of course, given the amount of money I'm thinking of sinking into the electronics of this thing (I figured I could go ahead and put together one awesome electronics package for this with a Crystal Focus card, and just change bodies easier than putting together multiple sabers with individual electronics), springing for a good soldering iron can't be that much more...

At least batteries I know - I did a lot of airsofting back in the States, so power supply is at least semi-familiar ground. Also looking at picking up a "Soldering Electronics for Dummies" type of book off of Amazon - anyone have any suggestions?

Kant Lavar
04-01-2008, 07:02 AM
Buh. Stupid Micro$oft... *kicks Office*

Let's try that image again.

EDIT: Oh, yeah, I saw one error already. The positive line to the recharge port does not go through the switch. I know this.

Also, should I stick the resistor that comes with the Lux V kit on there between the board and the QD (the less joints that I have to worry about when changing LEDs, the better), or does it go somewhere between board, switch, and battery? And/or do I/should I replace it with something else for this? (Battery pack, I'm thinking, is 7.2v, 2600mAh.)

BhujangiJedi
04-01-2008, 10:27 AM
Out of curiosity - what do the people you've talked to do with Cold Heat irons? I should sell mine... I certainly haven't found a use for it! :|

If you search these forums for "cold heat" you'll find plenty of discussion about them - I don't recall anyone ever having any success using them for saber building.

Hasid Lafre
04-01-2008, 10:47 AM
With boards and drivers you dont need a resistor. We need to make this point known.

Kant Lavar
04-01-2008, 11:03 AM
Known to me, now. I shall pass along the knowledge as I can.

Insofar as the Cold Heat solder goes, I honestly don't know. I'll defer to the local wisdom on such matters for saber building and upon my return to the states, get a regular soldering iron.

In the meantime, I found a couple of starter books on electronics projects on Amazon, so next time I can, I'm going to start getting smart on this stuff. (Not that hard a tasking, granted, but still.)

Hasid Lafre
04-01-2008, 11:12 AM
Actually soldering is pritty easy. I still cant do that good of a job but am abel to make a in-a-pinch solder joint.

Kant Lavar
04-01-2008, 11:30 AM
I'm certian it is, but since I'm looking at going whole-hog with this thing, and getting a Lux V LED, Crystal Focus card, NIMH battery pack, etc., I want to do this right the first time. Hence the book learnin' while I'm not in a position to really do anything with the electronical guts of this.

I have this idea in my head of getting a sink tube, cutting it down and gluing things in place, so I have an "electronics package" I can flip between different saber bodies. Now that I think about it, it'd require quick disconnects on LED, switch, speaker, and maybe recharge port, depending on how and where I mount that last one. Might not do that, and just mount the battery pack so I can get at its connector for recharging.

Yeah. The more I think about this, the more I'm realizing I'll have to wait to finalize my design until I get the electronic parts put together so I can start seeing how things fit together.

eastern57
04-01-2008, 07:30 PM
Do you have a comm shop out there? Comms personnel are usually good with electronics. You might be able to swing a trade (material or even skills) with someone out there.

Deployed locations are a wealth of very talented and very bored people. Try, its worth a shot...

Maybe even computer support shops, but they usually work under lock & key...

Kant Lavar
04-18-2008, 01:18 AM
Well, after some talking to guys in my unit (turned out the troop sitting next to me took college electronics classes as an elective, and another one was a TA in a high school electronics shop), I've decided to take up the challenge that so many Jedi faced during the Clone Wars - building a lightsaber in the field.

I'm going to be camping on Erv's shop tomorrow night (:twisted:) to get CF v 4, and I have orders in for the rest of the tools, supplies, and electronics I'll need to complete my plan for WORLD DOMINA - I mean, lightsaber construction.