Hoagies and Grinders, Toggles and Rockers

[Darth Siggious]

Just curious, but has anyone ever built or seen a custom saber using toggle or rocker switches?

I'm very curious to see how they look on a hilt...I figure the toggles would give it an antique look and the rockers would look futuristic old school (like vader's buttons on his chest)...or it would just look mad stupid...I don't know.

If anyone's made one, can you please post pictures?

Thanks,




If I was Han in ESB, I probably would've started randomly pressing all the little buttons on Vader's chest piece...then I'd win while he was rebooting!

[Lord Maul]

There have been sabers. I know Madcow has made a saber with a rocker switch. Look through the custom sabers and the MHS sabers galleries. You'll find some ;)

[swear000]

what is key is using a cool looking switch. Everyone has their own definition of cool though.

[JasonEuc]

My saber has a rocker:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll40/JasonEuc/Lightsaber/Saber-Piper-MHS/Piper-MHS-Finished-03.jpg

Got it from AutoZone, but it has proven to be a bit glitchy, and is scheduled for replacement by another type.

[Darth Siggious]

Thanks for the picture Jason...it definitely is what I was looking for...doesn't look too bad either, but I hear ya, if its got problems, then it should go.

There aren't many good looking switches in the DPDT category at Radio Shack or other local stores...so I might be using something similar to what you have there for my next saber.

I really like the blue color on your saber too...(it is blue right, I'm colorblind)...

[Sairon]

clockwork has a steampunk saber with a toggle switch, but as stated above look in the gallery.:)

[swear000]

There are rocker type switches called carling switches that look cool:

http://www.carlingtech.com/images/photos/switch_v-series-contura-iv.jpg

Not sure if they would be small enough or look right with the curvature of the hilt. Would be great if they made more switches that would contour with the bevel.

[Arm on Fire]

I used a DPDT toggle recessed in the Pommel of my Anomaly saber

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/armonfiredesigns/th_2007_1215Saber0003.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/armonfiredesigns/?action=view&current=2007_1215Saber0003.jpg)

you can see it better in the CAD render

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/armonfiredesigns/th_anomaly_saber_2.jpg (http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/armonfiredesigns/?action=view&current=anomaly_saber_2.jpg)

[Darth Siggious]

Nice design on the Anomaly...definitely a nice way to hide the toggle switch too...I feel like the toggle jumps out at you way too much in the conventional way that it is used. Plus it would make my saber look like my Les Paul...

Definitely a good idea though AoF...nice work indeed.

You got sound in there too?

[JasonEuc]

I really like the blue color on your saber too...(it is blue right, I'm colorblind)...

Thanks, I like the blue, too. It's just Rustoleum metallic blue over light gray primer, about 3-4 thin coats, then 5-6 coats of clearcoat. Has proven to be quite durable, just takes patience to apply.

[Arm on Fire]

not yet, I designed it back when ultrasound V1 was out and by the time I built it they where gone so I just resistored it and figured some day I would add sound. Now with USv2.0/2.1 so prevalent I'm considering a rework :)

[Darth Siggious]

Swear000 - While looking for those Carling rocker switches, I actually found a somewhat local hobby store that not only has these particular rockers, but also a variety of nice looking heavy duty DPDT pushbutton switches...thanks bro for getting me to look for the Carlings...I've found pretty much the exact switch I was looking for...

Jason - that's basically spray paint and clear coat huh? Looks awesome...now with no powder coating option available I think I'll be trying this on future sabers.

Arm - will the inclusion of sound disrupt that switch position at all? Or you already got that figured out (which I'm assuming you do). How deep is the housing of that particular switch, do you know off hand or have a model number?

[Rhyen Skytracker]

My saber has a rocker:
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll40/JasonEuc/Lightsaber/Saber-Piper-MHS/Piper-MHS-Finished-03.jpg

Got it from AutoZone, but it has proven to be a bit glitchy, and is scheduled for replacement by another type.

I have used the same type, except I got mine from Radio shack and so far it is pretty reliable. I sold it befor I got any pics of it.

[Arm on Fire]

Swear000 - While looking for those Carling rocker switches, I actually found a somewhat local hobby store that not only has these particular rockers, but also a variety of nice looking heavy duty DPDT pushbutton switches...thanks bro for getting me to look for the Carlings...I've found pretty much the exact switch I was looking for...

Jason - that's basically spray paint and clear coat huh? Looks awesome...now with no powder coating option available I think I'll be trying this on future sabers.

Arm - will the inclusion of sound disrupt that switch position at all? Or you already got that figured out (which I'm assuming you do). How deep is the housing of that particular switch, do you know off hand or have a model number?

nope the switch wont effect the sound any, I will have to make a custom speaker holder to make it work though.

the housing is about 3/8 deep.

not sure the model # but it comes from radioshack, blue housing.

[Tenric Starkindler]

Just commenting on the thread title...
Hoagies and Grinders...don't hear those terms much in the tri-state area. Makes me hungry.

[Novastar]

Just curious, but has anyone ever built or seen a custom saber using toggle or rocker switches?I have one saber that uses a rocker switch. It happened to become so "by force", lol...

It USED to have an anti-vandal momentary--which became unusable when I converted the electronics to a latching setup, and I did not want to have to make a new part / re-drill holes, etc. So... I tried to find a latching switch that fit the general specs of the original Anti-V one... but naturally as a latching.

Well... I found one alright... and it fit perfectly--but... those bloody rocker switches stick out like a sore thumb. :( It's the only saber in my bag that turns on by accident, and... it's just too big (inside the saber and out) to recess the switch.

So... overall, I'd recommend against rocker and toggle switches, but... if you've no choice... they can be good.

[VeggieJedi]

hey, no dissing the rockers... my saber uses this one
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2363
i found it to be better than the slide switch i originally had as it looked nicer and is harder to accidentally turn off when duelling.

[Darth Siggious]

Hey VeggieJedi...those are neat little rockers...and some of them are illuminated in...red, green, or blue...what do ya know, the most standard lightsaber colors...

Definitely gonna pick one up in red...and then prolly blue, then green...:p

Thanks man!!

[Anavrin]

I have no pics but Magnius of the New York Jedi has an ALW that he had made with a rocker inset within a cut out on his hilt. I'm explaining this poorly, perhaps, but he had Bob cut a small oval in the hilt's side and within the body is the rocker switch–it doesn't set/reset by accident, and it looks good. Takes a second for a lot of people to figure out as they just aren't expecting it! Makes for a smooth outline and a 'safe' grip for stage play.

That said... Mmmmm... Steel XD (Yeah, I love ALW for making things out of steel. I'm weird in my love of a heavy saber, perhaps ;) Well, not /so/ weird)

Edit: Not to knock Tim's Aluminium! I don't want to imply that as I totally get not wanting to deal with the weight as well–lord knows when the fiance puts her double together, even I eye that thing's weight askance.