Fitting blade into blade holder

[Robodoc]

This is my first attempt at building a saber. I ordered the "LED "TCSS style" Battle blade 1" OD (40 inches)" and the "Screw on LED blade holder style 4". Let me first say that the blade holder is a real quality piece of machining! :D But how snug a fit should it be? I ask this because mine is so snug that I can't insert the blade all the way into the blade holder without fear of breaking something. Is this normal and should I use some kind of lubricant?
My second question regards the screw used to hold the blade. I bought some of the nylon screws (4-40 Nylon Screws) from TCSS, but they seems to be too short. Fully tightened, the screw doesn't seems to come into contact with the blade. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

[Malaki Skywalker]

I had the same problem with the Blade not fitting very well, just take some sand paper to the bottom area till it fits in nicely. The 4-40 Nylon screws are used for holding the LED's to the heatsink, they are not really ideal or used for the blade retention screw :???:

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

If the blade is a little snug in the blade holder, just sand it a little. There may be a little ridge where it was cut. To make it secure enough to duel with, it should sit all the way in until it bottoms out.

As far as the screw goes, the nylon 4-40 screws are only meant to hold the LED down onto the heat sink. They would never be strong enough to hold your blade in. The thumb screw works by squishing the blade against the opposite side of the blade holder, and creating friction. You need to torque it pretty tight to make it hold. Most people use either the 8-32 or 10-32 thumbscrew or allen head set screw.

Have you drilled and tapped the hole yet? There's a good tutorial here:

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=5724

Edit: Malaki beat me to it!

[Novastar]

Drilling and tapping usually causes a (semi-microscopic) "lip" on the inside of the blade holder where the screw would come through. This happens to me all the time, and you just have to forsake that "ooo, preettty, shiiiiiny!!" look on the inside a bit and sand those metal "burrs" out.

Sanding the blade can work to an extent too, but when the blade catches on the metal burrs, the best is to get the holder and inspect it... then file/sand.

[Strydur]

If you get a blade holder and you can't push one of our blades into it all the way let me know and I will have you send it in so I can fix it. They should not be THAT tight. A lot of times when someone says the blade wont fit its because they just bought the blade parts and the tube still has the flared end on it but since you bought a complete blade there shouldn't be a issue getting it into the blade holder.

[Hasid Lafre]

The only time i seen a blade not fit well into any of tims bladeholders was on my friends 1.25 holder. I had to sand the poo out of my blade to get it to fit and it still dosent fit very well.

[Robodoc]

Thanks for all the tips! And thanks Strydur for the kind offer. The blade makes it into the holder about 80% of its length, so I'm going to try some light sanding first. As for the set screw ...boy do I feel silly! :oops: I thought I had read a recommendation in the forums to use a nylon screw so as to minimize the scoring on the blade. But it's probably just premature senility, lol! :rolleyes: Thanks again all!

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I have also found that polycarbonate tubes from sources other than Tim don't fit in the blade holders at all without either sanding the blade or honing the blade holder. Differing brands of polycarbonate might have different nominal tolerances and may be more or less than 1" in diameter.

That being said, Tim's blades should fit in the holders just fine, and since you got a completed blade form him, I'd suspect that there may be a burr inside the blade socket as was suggested by Novastar. You did say you drilled and tapped for the #4-40 nylon screws, right? That might be the culprit.

[Novastar]

The only time i seen a blade not fit well into any of tims bladeholders was on my friends 1.25 holder. I had to sand the poo out of my blade to get it to fit and it still dosent fit very well.If the blade is an "Ultrablade", it will not fit outright. A little sanding/precise milling or whatever is required.

This goes to exactly what Jay Gonn said which is... you can't expect a bolt from company X to work with company Y's washers. :) If they do... it's usually just luck...

and since we don't have some "industry standard" or "according to Hoyle" spec setup for blades... welcome to the real world!! :)

[Hasid Lafre]

N ope it was a tcss thickwalled blade.