has any body constructed a "force touch" saber?

[morpheus1977]

For example instead of having a switch you just touch a specific part of the saber to activate it. I was thinking about doing something like this but using those cheap self install door alarms that use the magnets as a switch. Have one inside the hilt and one in a glove.

[strengthofrage]

Instead of a glove you could set up an activation plate. It would have a switch under the pressure plate but it wouldn't be visible.

[TimeRender]

Or you could use a touch sensitive lamp switch, but you would have to be careful to isolate your activation plate from the rest of the saber, as it is aluminum and electrically conductive. The biggest problem though is with the possibility... indeed the extremely high probability, of accidentally turning the saber on and off if you used any sort of "touch sensitive" switch. It is much better to go with a standard push button, toggle, rotary or slide switch instead.

[morpheus1977]

Or you could use a touch sensitive lamp switch, but you would have to be careful to isolate your activation plate from the rest of the saber, as it is aluminum and electrically conductive. The biggest problem though is with the possibility... indeed the extremely high probability, of accidentally turning the saber on and off if you used any sort of "touch sensitive" switch. It is much better to go with a standard push button, toggle, rotary or slide switch instead.
I totally agree with you but you have to admitt. It would be really really cool....

[acerocket]

You want a piezo switch. I think Parks had something along these lines once. I looked into them once, but they don't come in micro sizes - they are typically about 3/4" in diameter. Depending on the switch, you may need a secondary relay circuit to convert the piezo switch output to a useable means of turning the LED circuit on.

[TimeRender]

I totally agree with you but you have to admitt. It would be really really cool....

No doubt about that!

[Do-Clo]

Parks uses a touch sensitive switch on some of his sabers, it works good but you would have to build a guard around the touch plate to prevent accidental on/off.

[Tenric Starkindler]

I know its not on the exact topic in question.....
but what about having the bottom section of the saber turn slightly to activate. Kind of like a twist/on switch. You wouldn't accidentally turn it on, there would be no external switch, and it could be turned on and off rather smoothly I think.
Just an idle thought late at night.

[xl97]

set-up your pommel or lower-half to use a rotary switch or something...

[fawnheart2000]

Well that could be done with MHS parts and say a MR board and a MR 3 AAA battery pack.
take the terminal that the battery pack "plugs" into and secure it inside the hilt with screws then have the battery pack slide in and truly connects with the terminal when the pommel gets screwed down all the way. Also would need to place an O-ring on the male threaded part so it would not be loose. I'll try to get pics of one of my sbers that use a joe jedi board with something similar.
Sorry forgot to mention you would need to leave the switch wires for the MR board soldered together.

[DarthFender]

But then you will lose the power down sound and light effects, as all you are doing is cutting the battery.

[fawnheart2000]

true you would lose power down effects. hadn't thought about that. sorry.

[Tenric Starkindler]

couldn't a capacitor be used to allow for the power down effects?

[Count Malik]

Maybe if there was a sensor that if you put your hand on it the heat would turn it on. That would be awsome!:rolleyes:

[darthnerdold]

Ultrasabers has a product that has exactly what you're thinking. It's a stunt saber called the Wraith. That is now discontinued. There current product that there selling that has the technology is the stunt saber, the Liberator. It is currently out of stock. Here's the link to the page:

http://www.ultrasabers.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Stunt-Liberator

[Shadow]

I tried using reed switches on one of my sabers, with a magnet in gloves, but sadly i found the results disappointing as the saber had a habit of turning itself off when duelling.

However i do intend to further experiment with this by rigging up a slot into the clamp, whereby i can place the magnet manually onto the saber to activate it.

That way when anyone else holds the saber nothing happens

[gundamaniac]

Shadow, how powerful was the magnet in your glove? I'm thinking of rigging up a reed switch in my new saber in line with a pushbutton momentary, so it would need the combination of a magnet and a push on the momentary to turn it on/off (as a means of helping prevent accidental shutoff....as well as freaking people out when they can't turn on my saber but i can =D).

It sounds like you found the results disappointing because the reed was oversensitive, am I right? I ask because I'm worried the reed switch will not be sensitive enough (it would suck to go "voila! it's on!....oh wait...no it's not...let me try again" while I'm trying to freak my buddies out)

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

Ultrasabers has a product that has exactly what you're thinking. It's a stunt saber called the Wraith. That is now discontinued. There current product that there selling that has the technology is the stunt saber, the Liberator. It is currently out of stock. Here's the link to the page:

http://www.ultrasabers.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Stunt-Liberator

I love my Wraiths and yes the screw-twist switch is excellent for duellers it CANT turn off accidentally if screwed all the way on

The Liberators however though they share a family resemblance to the Wraith use a push button end cap instead