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Beany
03-10-2009, 04:36 PM
I am designing a lightsaber for a school project and it is required that the design is made.

I need to know how feasible this is:

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/Beany_/scan0001.jpg

I would appreciate any tips on building this and what parts to use. By he way I am a total noob at this!

Thanks, Aaron

Beany
03-10-2009, 04:40 PM
By the way; it is approximately 50cm long - 25 for the hilt and another 25 for the shroud.

Dark Navel
03-10-2009, 06:11 PM
I don't want to sound like a jerk but no one is going to spoon feed you the information. There's just too much to say on what you would need how to wire it etc etc etc. My advice is to really start to read the threads...read, read, read.

Jedi-Loreen
03-10-2009, 06:32 PM
That shroud isn't going to be easy. Do you have any idea what you're going to make it out of? It's got a strange shape.

You should probably have figured out how you're going to make the parts, before you designed your saber. What class is this for?

You're in the right area to see how to build a basic LED saber.

I suggest going to the MHS builder and see if there's any parts you can make work close to your design.

The shroud is going to be the hardest part, in my opinion.

Matt Thorn
03-11-2009, 08:19 AM
50 cm will make for a rather...odd hilt. The average length for a hilt is around 26-29 cm. I like your idea for the shroud, but I think it's too much for someone without much experience making sabers. The biggest problem is the bulge. If you use a standard 1.5" sinktube for the shroud, and forget the bulge, you could easily make something like what you have in your design. And while I like your idea for the grip, I can't think of anything offhand that you could use to easily make it. If you have access to a lathe and know how to use it, it's certainly possible, but if I were you, I would follow Jedi-Loreen's advice and try to make the basic hilt using TCSS MHS parts, and use a 1.5" sinktube to make the shroud.

Beany
03-11-2009, 10:56 AM
Thanks for the help so far,

I do have access, and experience, with a lathe but i think i will make the grip from lots of o-rings - Do o-rings fit onto a sink tube well?
Also the shroud is kinda unchangeable. I think i will have to search for a tube elsewhere, that is the required shape or manipulate one into that shape.

Rhyen Skytracker
03-11-2009, 11:01 AM
If you use a MHS size hilt. The size o-rings you need are 123 (thin ones) and 217 (thick ones). You can get them off of ebay from brown supply.

Beany
03-11-2009, 11:40 AM
Any thoughts on this:

-1-1/2" x 12" sink tube (cut to size) full of black o-rings
-an MHS to 1.5 sink tube adapter with a screw on EL blade holder type to attached ( + more o -rings)

Will this work? I will leave the shroud for now. Also i am guessing an EL holder means i will have to us EL; what is the difference between EL and LED?

Jedi-Loreen
03-11-2009, 12:02 PM
what is the difference between EL and LED?

http://www.rebellegion.com/forum/images/smiles/geez.gif

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/forumdisplay.php?f=35

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6524

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6430

Beany
03-11-2009, 12:38 PM
My bad, i will search next time! EL seems perfectly adequate, i will probably get an EL kit.

So will my set-up piece together? All these dimensions are frying my brain! :shock:

Matt Thorn
03-11-2009, 07:43 PM
My bad, i will search next time! EL seems perfectly adequate, i will probably get an EL kit.

So will my set-up piece together? All these dimensions are frying my brain! :shock:

I'm not sure why you would want to go with EL, since LED is easier, brighter, and (I think) cheaper. If you look through the blade-holder catalog carefully, you'll see that there are LED versions of all the EL blade holders.

Jedi-Loreen
03-11-2009, 11:38 PM
EL wire is not easy to work with, take it from someone who used to make blades for people before TCSS existed. I've probably made 50 of them.

It's not at all the same as stripping a regular wire, it's a lot trickier. I couldn't do it consistently with regular wire strippers.

LED is easier, and brighter and everything is inside the hilt, no electronics in the blade.

Matt Thorn
03-12-2009, 12:07 AM
...and nobody knows EL better than Jedi-Loreen, so her word carries a lot of weight.

You are going to have your hands full fashioning that shroud; you should keep the electronics as simple as possible. I strongly suggest you get one of Tim's kits (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Build-Your-Ownbr-Luxeon-III-Seoul-P4-Electronics-Kit-P6.aspx). I gather this is your first saber, so I think you should focus on that shroud and forgo sound this time around.

I suppose you have your reasons for wanting to stick to that bulging shroud design, but I can tell you that if you skip the bulge, you could make the shroud using a sinktube and Dremel in less than an hour, whereas creating that bulge will entail a lot of experimenting and a lot of failure before you find something that works. Just something to keep in mind if you have a deadline for your project.

Beany
03-12-2009, 12:19 AM
Again thanks for the help everyone

I will go LED, i just found the blade holder i liked but LED compatible. I quickly created by design with the builder and hope you could give it a look.

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/Beany_/Capture.jpg

Also what does the mom switch look like that is provided in the kit, i can't find any images.

Beany
03-12-2009, 12:25 AM
Admittedly i am not looking forward to creating the shroud. Ideally i would have it look as it does but if i fail to make it i will simply alter the design. Also i am not doing sound either, my mind can only cope with so much.

Matt Thorn
03-12-2009, 01:10 AM
A couple of things about your design.

1) You're using a 1.25" sinktube and an MHS adapter with a basic Style 1 blade holder. But you don't have anything to attach your (rather large) shroud to. Fixing it to the blade holder would be tricky, and you would have a hard time making sure the shroud is aligned with the switch and the hilt in general when it is screwed on.

2) You have a pommel in your pciture, but the MHS pommels cannot be attached to the 1.25 sinktubes the way you show them. That's one limitation of the 1.25" sinktube: extremely limited possibilities for pommels. If I were you, I'd stick with MHS parts. Here are a couple of very simple configurations that would give you plenty of surface to attach your shroud:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SbjAR40NxNI/AAAAAAAAAnE/9_msyEofm14/s400/SaberBuilder_render.png (http://picasaweb.google.com/littlenemo1905/SaberStuff?feat=embedwebsite#5312207174025200850)
This is:


Double-threaded Hilt Style 1
Screw-On LED Blade Holder Style 1
MPS Pommel Style 2

It's about 23.5 cm. If that's too short, you can go with this:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_THBqz9vPciU/SbjASGxg7BI/AAAAAAAAAnI/rU9P9u5PJwk/s400/SaberBuilder_render2.png (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DlFaTdo6g3rXR_O6hEEKgw?feat=embedwebsite)
This is:


Double-threaded Hilt Style 1
Screw-On LED Blade Holder Style 1
MPS Pommel Style 2
Double ended male threaded connector
2 inch double female threaded connector

This version is about 30 cm.

As for the switch, this (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Push-onpush-off-switch-with-black-button--P40.aspx) is the switch that comes with the kit. Since you are doing a direct drive of the LED without sound, you need a latching (as opposed to momentary) switch. Here (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Latching-C25.aspx) are the ones Tim offers. Stylish, compact latching switches are rare. The guarded ones Tim offers are cool. Just keep in mind that if you want to use one of those guarded switches, you need to specify that when you order the main body of the MHS hilt. You also need to know that they are trickier to install, because you have to put the nut on from inside the hilt. The nice thing about the black switch that comes with the kit is that it is easy to install, and it is unobtrusive, so while it is not whoa-that's-cool, neither is it whoa-that's-dorky.

P.S.: You do NOT want a momentary switch. You want a latching switch. The kit offers the choice because some people might want to add a Hasbro sound board.

Beany
03-12-2009, 03:09 AM
Thanks Matt, that's really helpful

One question though: Will o-rings fit over your suggested components?

Also does the LED kit come with a manual?

Beany
03-12-2009, 03:16 AM
Also can a chrome end cap replace a pommel?

Matt Thorn
03-12-2009, 03:35 AM
Thanks Matt, that's really helpful

One question though: Will o-rings fit over your suggested components?

Also does the LED kit come with a manual?

The O-rings Tim sells here at TCSS will fit the hilt perfectly. You'll need a lot of them if you want to cover pretty much the whole hilt with them. They are about 3.75 mm thick. Do the math yourself, and order a dozen extra just to be on the safe side. :D

As for a manual, before the Masters berate you for not exploring the forums adequately, I will point you here (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6430) and here (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=326). ;)


Also can a chrome end cap replace a pommel?

If you want to use the sinktube instead of the MHS hilt, yes, but it won't be a very secure pommel. I would stick with the MHS parts exclusively. It makes everything vastly simpler, and will give slicker results. And in case you did not already know, the 1.5" sinktubes Tim sells here fit perfectly over his MHS parts. That's why we use them to make shrouds. (In fact, Tim designed his MHS parts specifically to fit inside these sinktubes. Therein lies the beauty of his Modular Hilt System.)

Oh, and don't forget to order an MPS (Modular Pommel System) insert and clip (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Pommels-C34.aspx), as well as a belt clip (Covertec (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Covertec-C47.aspx) or D-Ring (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/D-Rings-C46.aspx))

Jay-gon Jinn
03-12-2009, 06:19 AM
He can use a 1 1/4" sinktube for his saber without any problems:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o141/Jay-gon_Jinn/1%20and%20a%20quarter%20inch%20saber%204/add6b32a.jpg
A couple of those were built using the 1 1/4" tube that Tim sells in the store, the others were done using one ffrom my local hardware store. Tim's have a chrome nut that actually doesn't look too horrible as a pommel. The speaker grilles are just sink strainer that were cut to fit. So there is still an option of using a 1 1/4" sinktube, if you want to go that route. Even without sound, that just adds a finished look to the saber, and is there if you decide to upgrade to sound later.

I'm not trying to steer you away from the MHS, as I think it's the best way to get a semi-custom saber available, but I just thought in case you haven't seen these in the A to Z build Topics forums, that I'd point them out if you're on a budget.

Matt Thorn
03-12-2009, 06:57 AM
Just keep in mind, Beany, that Master Jay-gon could make a stunning saber using only the tube from a roll of paper towels, a stick of chewing gum, and a broken string of Christmas lights. :p

Beany
03-12-2009, 08:25 AM
Lol, i have seen some of his brass sabers and they are pretty awesome

Matt Thorn
03-12-2009, 09:30 AM
"Awesome" doesn't cover it. I strongly suggest you track down and read his step-by-step builds (both here and on fx-sabers.com (http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/), where his handle is "Qui-Gon Jinn (http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1187)"). Probably half of what I know about saber-building came from reading those threads. Most of the masters just show us the final product and maybe a few photos taken during the build, but Jay-gon takes us through it step-by-step. Extremely educational.

Beany
03-12-2009, 11:05 AM
I think I may go the harder route and use a sink tube. I have slaved in the MHS builder for hours (slight exaggeration) attempting to recreate my design, using MHS parts, but to no avail :(
A sink tube provides the shape I need. And I would rather have the accuracy of the sink tube than the simplicity of the MHS parts.

Here is a concept I quickly created: http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/Beany_/ls.jpg

-The red section is a fake switch, for display purposes, which is accompanied by an actual switch.
-I have decided to adopt a simpler shroud like suggested

Sairon
03-12-2009, 01:28 PM
that clip you put there wont work you will need either a covertec clip or a d ring, the thing you have there is the place to hange the saber from.

Beany
03-12-2009, 01:53 PM
oops! Just imagine a button there instead

Sairon
03-12-2009, 02:38 PM
Okay so here is an idea that you could use with a list of things you would need to build it.

And seeing as you have no sound I put the switch in the pommel for more hand room.
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg351/Sairon-/someguyssaber.jpg
1.25 sinktube
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/1-14-x-12-Chrome-sink-tube--P83.aspx
covertect clip
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Machined-button-for-Covertec-clip-P161.aspx
covertect clip holder
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Stainless-Covertec-Clip-P349.aspx
screw for covertech clip
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-socket-head-P107.aspx
52ish orings
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/1-316-ID-Black-O-ring--P182.aspx
screws to connect the 1.25 sinktube to the 1.25 sinktube to mhs adapter (you'll need two)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-x-14-button-head-screw--P179.aspx
1.25 to mhs adapter
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MHS-to-125-sink-tube-adapter-P396.aspx
mhs style one emmiter
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Screw-on-LED-blade-holder-style-1--P183.aspx
1.5 sinktube (for emmiter shroud)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/1-12-x-12-Chrome-sink-tube-P84.aspx
blade retention screw
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-x-12-thumb-screw--P111.aspx
drill and tap set to drill and tap holes for the screws
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/8-32-Tap-drill-set-P52.aspx
electroinics kit(the only thing you want to change in the selctor boxes is change the led clour to p4 green)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Build-Your-Ownbr-Luxeon-III-Seoul-P4-Electronics-Kit-P6.aspx
wire (you'll need a couple feet or so)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/26-gauge-wire-P284.aspx
tcss battle blade(you can ask them to cut the blade to the length you want or not)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LED-TCSS-style-Battle-blade-1-OD--P155.aspx

And thats it! I hope you take into consideration the things I have stated

Beany
03-12-2009, 03:02 PM
Sairon you are the undisputed master of everything. I may modify your suggestion slightly but that is fantastic thanks. I bow to your excellence and to everyone else that has helped me so far.

Sairon
03-12-2009, 03:09 PM
Thanks abunch, I hope you have fun making your lightsaber, and don't forget to post pics when your finished.

Beany
03-12-2009, 03:29 PM
Would you mind just checking my order. I ordered 2 sink-tubes, in case of a mistake. Also no tapping kits are in stock but my school has them anyways.

Order: http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/Beany_/billing.jpg

I'll keep you posted on how it turns out; it's very daunting! You all have been endless help to a noob in need!

Sairon
03-12-2009, 03:31 PM
Everything looks great except you forgot the covertech clip holder.

Matt Thorn
03-12-2009, 07:58 PM
Beany, you've gotten more detailed help than I've ever seen a n00b receive here. :p 40" blade, huh? That's going to be quite a long saber. Everything looks good.

Just note that there's one thing missing: a speaker grille. You're going to have to find a sink drain thingy at your local home improvement center that will fit nicely into the end of the 1.25" sinktube, and then enlarge the center hole to accomodate the switch (assuming you put the switch there). Good luck!

Sairon
03-12-2009, 08:35 PM
I would recomend cutting the blade to 36 inches or less, but he can do that at his school or at home.

Matt Thorn
03-12-2009, 08:55 PM
I would recomend cutting the blade to 36 inches or less, but he can do that at his school or at home.

True, but cutting a blade that already contains film/diffuser could be messy. If he hasn't placed the order already, I'd recommend he order a shorter blade.

Beany
03-13-2009, 12:08 AM
I didn't expect to get the help I did but I am grateful for it. I am gonna place the order now.