Lord Dottore Matto
06-29-2008, 03:23 PM
To begin, let your imagination help you design the looks of your hilts. I use what I call a PVC skeleton with "windows" to create the backbone for these sabers. I also use this technique for most of my PVC sabers.
This tutorial is actually based upon the creation of a short double bladed PVC saber for my son, but I will reference where 616 parts should be added. (the final post in the series will be pix of the finished saber).
Pix 1- this is one of my finished products (just to give some motivation!)
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/1-Exemplar1.jpg
Pix 2- these are the basic PVC parts for this saber. It also shows the first cuts.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/2-basicpartscuts.jpg
Pix 3- this shows the s-shaped cuts (made with a coping saw) of the emitters. I drew the curve on a paper cutout, traced it onto the PVC, then cut each one.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/3-emitters-cuts.jpg
Pix 4- shows what the saber will look like when assembled. the lower part of the pix shows the cutouts for the grip sections of each hilt and the pommels for the sabers when not connected. I cut the grip cutouts with the dremel cutting disk.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/4-Origcutstogether.jpg
Pix 5- this may be the most important part of the tutorial, the windows. I always cut an LED window (to insert and work on the LED assembly) and a work window (for working on the wiring, etc.). Here I traced where the grips will be placed, because I will be covering these areas with some type of grip material during the final assembly process. Yhis pix also shows proposed switch holes. Be sure to label everything so that you know where each cutout goes during re-assembly!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/5-windowsplacement.jpg
Pix 6- This shows the windows after they were cut out with the dremel. I have combined a pix of the LED windows, the Work windows and the shrouds in place with the switch holes drilled. it is important to know where you want the switch to go, so that you can cut/drill the hole/window before you try to put everything together. Here, I taped the shrouds in place so the grip cutouts and the switch holes would line up later.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/6-Windowscutout.jpg
Pix 7- shows the shroud removed and the hole/ window detail.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/7-LEDwindowSwitchhole.jpg
Pix 8- shows the final window detail including the battery windows (I use thick PVC for strength so I have to cut battery windows) I used resistored 9v batteries for these sabers to save space.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/8-finalwindowcutouts.jpg
Pix 9- shows the some of the basic parts. I use cut pieces of MR blades to house the LED assemblies in these type of sabers. These pieces are about 1.5 inches long. Standard heatsinks fit nicely into these assemblies (I have a pix coming up)
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/9-BasicpartsView1.jpg
Pix 10- this shows the painted PVC parts and all of the rest of the parts for this project. I purchased most of these items from Tim, but my son wanted cyan (these are bin 5) so I got the LEDS & heatsinks elsewhere. (now that TCSS has cyan in stock this problem is eliminated!)
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/10-Finalparts.jpg
Pix 11- the LED assembly fits perfectly into the window. The LED (WITH WIRES SOLDERED ON) is a Lux III cyan and is attached to the heatsink with thermal epoxy and the lens/collimator assembly is also attached with thermal epoxy. When the assembly is dried/cured, slide it into the cut piece of poly tube (aka old cut blade) up to the heatsink. I glued the assembly into the tube with craftics glue (thanks to Do Clo). the bottom of the pix shows the assemblies inside of the PVC skeletons. These assemblies protect the LED lens and provide a nice "blade stop" for when the blade is inserted later.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/11-LEDdetailbladestopview.jpg
Pix 12- Shows the assemblies inside of the skeletons (I just slid them in). They are glued to the PVC with craftics glue which "fuses" the plastic. This also shows how to use the work window to attach/solder the wiring. I will not go into wiring here, because I assume that most of us know how to wire a resistored LED.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/12-Wiringview.jpg
Pix 13- next, replace the window cutouts. I glue them back in place with the craftics glue. In this case, I glued the work and LED windows back in. Now you have completed the basic PVC skeleton.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/13-windowsreplaced.jpg
Pix 14- this is where you add the 616 pieces. I find that one single layer of duct tape makes the pieces nice and snug. Push the switch down inside of the skeleton and slide the 616 pieces on. I fix these in place with drilled and tapped buttonhead screws. If you plan ahead as to where the 616 parts will go, you can plan where to drill your holes and I usually drill them prior to installing the electronics that way when the skeleton is finished, I slide the 616 pieces on, screw the screws in and Voila!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/14-Thisishow616partsfit.jpg
Pix 15- this shows the completed skeleton, 616 pieces on a completed skeleton, and a completed spare parts saber that shows screw an example of screw placement.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/15-616partfitwindowskeletonexemplar.jpg
Pix 16- this shows the placement of the grips before the shrouds are added. I chose a gritty board tape, cut it into rectangular pieces about 1 cm larger than the grip cutouts and stuck them to the PVC skeleton over the pencil tracings of the grip cutouts. Next, I added the shrouds, connected the sabers and...
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/16-PVCdoublesabergripplacement.jpg
Pix 17- Lit them up!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/17-PVCdoublesabercompletedfirstigni.jpg
Pix 18- this is the finished product with 24" poly (ultra) blades attached!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/18-PVCdoublesaberfirstignitionwith2.jpg
Once again thanks for the interest and I will answer any questions the best that I can! :cool:
This tutorial is actually based upon the creation of a short double bladed PVC saber for my son, but I will reference where 616 parts should be added. (the final post in the series will be pix of the finished saber).
Pix 1- this is one of my finished products (just to give some motivation!)
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/1-Exemplar1.jpg
Pix 2- these are the basic PVC parts for this saber. It also shows the first cuts.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/2-basicpartscuts.jpg
Pix 3- this shows the s-shaped cuts (made with a coping saw) of the emitters. I drew the curve on a paper cutout, traced it onto the PVC, then cut each one.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/3-emitters-cuts.jpg
Pix 4- shows what the saber will look like when assembled. the lower part of the pix shows the cutouts for the grip sections of each hilt and the pommels for the sabers when not connected. I cut the grip cutouts with the dremel cutting disk.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/4-Origcutstogether.jpg
Pix 5- this may be the most important part of the tutorial, the windows. I always cut an LED window (to insert and work on the LED assembly) and a work window (for working on the wiring, etc.). Here I traced where the grips will be placed, because I will be covering these areas with some type of grip material during the final assembly process. Yhis pix also shows proposed switch holes. Be sure to label everything so that you know where each cutout goes during re-assembly!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/5-windowsplacement.jpg
Pix 6- This shows the windows after they were cut out with the dremel. I have combined a pix of the LED windows, the Work windows and the shrouds in place with the switch holes drilled. it is important to know where you want the switch to go, so that you can cut/drill the hole/window before you try to put everything together. Here, I taped the shrouds in place so the grip cutouts and the switch holes would line up later.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/6-Windowscutout.jpg
Pix 7- shows the shroud removed and the hole/ window detail.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/7-LEDwindowSwitchhole.jpg
Pix 8- shows the final window detail including the battery windows (I use thick PVC for strength so I have to cut battery windows) I used resistored 9v batteries for these sabers to save space.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/8-finalwindowcutouts.jpg
Pix 9- shows the some of the basic parts. I use cut pieces of MR blades to house the LED assemblies in these type of sabers. These pieces are about 1.5 inches long. Standard heatsinks fit nicely into these assemblies (I have a pix coming up)
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/9-BasicpartsView1.jpg
Pix 10- this shows the painted PVC parts and all of the rest of the parts for this project. I purchased most of these items from Tim, but my son wanted cyan (these are bin 5) so I got the LEDS & heatsinks elsewhere. (now that TCSS has cyan in stock this problem is eliminated!)
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/10-Finalparts.jpg
Pix 11- the LED assembly fits perfectly into the window. The LED (WITH WIRES SOLDERED ON) is a Lux III cyan and is attached to the heatsink with thermal epoxy and the lens/collimator assembly is also attached with thermal epoxy. When the assembly is dried/cured, slide it into the cut piece of poly tube (aka old cut blade) up to the heatsink. I glued the assembly into the tube with craftics glue (thanks to Do Clo). the bottom of the pix shows the assemblies inside of the PVC skeletons. These assemblies protect the LED lens and provide a nice "blade stop" for when the blade is inserted later.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/11-LEDdetailbladestopview.jpg
Pix 12- Shows the assemblies inside of the skeletons (I just slid them in). They are glued to the PVC with craftics glue which "fuses" the plastic. This also shows how to use the work window to attach/solder the wiring. I will not go into wiring here, because I assume that most of us know how to wire a resistored LED.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/12-Wiringview.jpg
Pix 13- next, replace the window cutouts. I glue them back in place with the craftics glue. In this case, I glued the work and LED windows back in. Now you have completed the basic PVC skeleton.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/13-windowsreplaced.jpg
Pix 14- this is where you add the 616 pieces. I find that one single layer of duct tape makes the pieces nice and snug. Push the switch down inside of the skeleton and slide the 616 pieces on. I fix these in place with drilled and tapped buttonhead screws. If you plan ahead as to where the 616 parts will go, you can plan where to drill your holes and I usually drill them prior to installing the electronics that way when the skeleton is finished, I slide the 616 pieces on, screw the screws in and Voila!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/14-Thisishow616partsfit.jpg
Pix 15- this shows the completed skeleton, 616 pieces on a completed skeleton, and a completed spare parts saber that shows screw an example of screw placement.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/15-616partfitwindowskeletonexemplar.jpg
Pix 16- this shows the placement of the grips before the shrouds are added. I chose a gritty board tape, cut it into rectangular pieces about 1 cm larger than the grip cutouts and stuck them to the PVC skeleton over the pencil tracings of the grip cutouts. Next, I added the shrouds, connected the sabers and...
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/16-PVCdoublesabergripplacement.jpg
Pix 17- Lit them up!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/17-PVCdoublesabercompletedfirstigni.jpg
Pix 18- this is the finished product with 24" poly (ultra) blades attached!
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/drdicarlo/PVC%20and%20616%20Tutorial/18-PVCdoublesaberfirstignitionwith2.jpg
Once again thanks for the interest and I will answer any questions the best that I can! :cool: