what do I need to buy??

[jediracer]

I recently purchased a used Master Replicas Darth Vader Episode V Force FX lightsaber hilt off ebay.

It has no blade; this is what the auction said about what I bought:

"The soundboard has been removed but all of the internal electronics, sound module, and blade holder remain intact and are included. Switch, Batterypack, and speaker are in perfect working condition!"

So is is possible to purchase a 'soundboard' or do I have to start from scratch on the sound?

For the blade, from what I understand I need the Vader conversion kit:
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MR-or-Hasbro-FX-Vader-conversion-kit-P343.aspx
correct?

Then I would like the "TCSS style" Battle blade:
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LED-TCSS-style-Battle-blade-1-OD--P155.aspx

Then I have to yank the current stock electronics and replace with a Luxeon Star?
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Luxeon-K2-Star-P2.aspx
Description says "Must be used with K2 optics holder" -- I can't find that item. Can I purchase that form this site?

Do I need a new blade holder as well? Or will the stock blade holder work with this system?? (I would like for the blade to be removable?)

It also has a crack on the emitter -- can I buy a replacement emitter? Would any style of emitter fit or do I need to specifically find a Darth Vader style emitter?

This is harder than I thought! I wish I could just find a simple list of what I need to buy and get to work on it! :-?

Thank you in advance for all your help.

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/4590/hilta.jpg

[Lonewind]

Hello and welcome. Unfortunately the soundboard in the master replica saber controls the sound effects as well as the LED (it can control the LED sting in the orginal blade or be re-wired to run a Luxeon or K2 LED). Without a soundcard one it wont light up.


Please review here: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=2026

Take careful note of the "conversion tutorials" links so you can see what level of effort is involved.

Conversion kit: the kit you linked will have a blade holder (the silver cylinder).

What you are undertaking is not the easiest task for a beginner - please read all the "start here" threads to learn a bit more. When you feel more confident, explore the user threads and use the search feature - lots of good info here.

Cheers,
Lonewind

[DarthHideous]

The Optics supplies are:
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Luxeon-K2-Lens-Holder-P8.aspx
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Luxeon-Collimator-Lens-5-deg-viewing-angle-P4.aspx

This kit is the new blade holder.
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MR-or-Hasbro-FX-Vader-conversion-kit-P343.aspx

Check put the tutorials section on the main forum page to learn how to convert it.

[grayven]

Welcome to the site. All your answers can be answered here. The key to all you need to know is .......

"Read through the forums.":rolleyes:

Everything is well categorized and easy to find. Spend some of your time doing this before you ask use to spend ours.:mrgreen:

Gravy.

[DarthHideous]

This site sells Vader parts. I've never used their Vader emitter to replace the stock one but you can contact them and ask if it will work.
http://www.blast-tech.com/home.asp

[Jedi-Loreen]

"The soundboard has been removed but all of the internal electronics, sound module, and blade holder remain intact and are included. Switch, Batterypack, and speaker are in perfect working condition!"

I don't know what they mean by "sound module" unless they are talking about the cradle that they removed the sound board from. Saying that "all the internal electronics are intact" is a downright lie, since the main part of that, the sound/driver board has been removed.

Yeah you're going to need to score a new sound board if you want sound.

Tim used to carry resin versions of the emitters, but he doesn't anymore.

Personally, I wouldn't get a K2 for this, get a Lux III or a P4.


I hope you didn't get hosed on this saber, there's a lot of work you'll need to do to get it working again.

[jediracer]

You guys are awesome!!! thank you so much for getting me started and pointing me in the right direction!

(no worries, I got it cheap, Jedi-L)

[Jedi-Loreen]

That's good.

And call me J-Lo, that's my nickname on most message boards. ;)


Too bad I'm the only female who posts here with any regularity. :(

[jediracer]

Plenty of fiber? *boom*tish* Thanks I'll be here all night folks.

Seriously though.....

I think I have a good start to the list of parts/supplies needed. As far as electronics, it looks like if I get the UltraSound 2.0 I can hook that up to the existing batterypack/speaker system. (and that will work with the LuxIII) Does that sound right?

UltraSound 2.0 (soundboard) ($119)
MR or Hasbro FX Vader conversion kit (and blade holder) ($24.30)
LED "TCSS style" Battle blade ($30.44)
Luxeon III Star ($8 )
Optics supplies:
Luxeon III/IV Lens Holder ($2)
Luxeon Collimator Lens 5 deg viewing angle ($4)

[JamoUp]

getting an UltraSound board is going to be hard. And you will need a power supply. i.e. batteries.

[jediracer]

Welcome to the site. All your answers can be answered here. The key to all you need to know is .......

"Read through the forums.":rolleyes:

Everything is well categorized and easy to find. Spend some of your time doing this before you ask use to spend ours.:mrgreen:

Gravy.

Wow, you can answer all my answers? Is that like a Jedi mind trick or something??

Obviously I did some research and am now reaching out for some additional guidance. If you don't want to offer that, then don't, no skin off my teeth.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

Soundcards are the 'bottleneck' in saber building/converting...yes an Ultrasound would work if you can get one...but AFAIK there is no ETA on the next batch of Ultrasounds only statements from Ultra on FX-Sabers forums that there would be another run in the future...in the meantime finding another MR/Hasbro FX board or 'cannibalizing' a Hasbro 'toy' for it's sound board is your most likely bet for sound in the near term.

Other than that your list is good.

And yes once converted the blade will be removeable.

[Jedi-Loreen]

He said he was going to use the original battery pack, Jamo.

You can run a US board off of 4.5V, with a LuxIII, K2, or P4, but the trick is getting a US, they are out of stock and Tim won't be getting any more till another batch is produced by the manufacturer.

When that will happen is anybody's guess. Maybe not till next year.

So you will need an alternate solution till then, unless you can find one somewhere. A cheapy Hasbro board, or another FX saber board.


EDIT:
Dang it, Onli-won beat me to it!

[TimeRender]

Has your saber been shipped yet? Based on the description, it sounds to me that the soundboard IS included in the auction, but that it has merely been taken out of the hilt. If that is the case, then most of the electronics could in fact be intact. Wait and see, then let us know exactly what you get when it arrives.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

EDIT:
Dang it, Onli-won beat me to it!
[/COLOR]


Sorry J-Lo...great minds think alike eh? ;-)

[Jedi-Loreen]

You didn't beat me by much, we posted in the same minute. ;)


I'm really wondering why someone would remove the sound board, but still include it in the auction/sale. Something doesn't sound right about that, to me. I hope they didn't just yank it out and mess up the wiring. :-|

[DarthHideous]

That's good.

And call me J-Lo, that's my nickname on most message boards. ;)


Too bad I'm the only female who posts here with any regularity. :(

I guess J-Lo, you're the Queen around here. All hail Queen J-Lo. Queen of the TCSS Forum. Queen of the Jedi:D

[Jedi-Loreen]

I'm a Jedi.

I do not covet power in that way. ;)

I humbly draw the Power I need from the Force. :cool:

[Lord Dottore Matto]

Wow, you can answer all my answers? Is that like a Jedi mind trick or something??

Obviously I did some research and am now reaching out for some additional guidance. If you don't want to offer that, then don't, no skin off my teeth.

Jediracer, welcome to the forum. You are receiving a lot of good advice from a number of senior members here. Please do not ruin it by sniping at another senior member. Gravy is well known for misspelling words, but his advice is sound nonetheless. Good luck with this conversion, and my recommendation to you on sound for this particular build would be to use an economy hasbro board. See the Mustafar V3 thread for some nice pictures of this type of setup.

[jediracer]

Thanks again for all the replies.

Think I might try to scrounge up a board form another saber.

TimeRender, I'll let you know as soon as I get it, but the seller description did go on to say: "just throw in your favorite soundboard and this saber comes back to life" which leads me to believe that the soundboard will not be included in the package.

[jediracer]

Does anyone know how interchangeable internal parts are? I found a sound card from a 2005 Anakin ROTS....wondering if it would be compatible with my 2005 Vader ESB.

[Sairon]

You could just use that board and the parts needed from here at the store, and put it in the shell of the vader hilt. Basicly you would be doing a conversion but with a different sound board.

[jediracer]

I think I need to revise my shopping list. I disassembled the Vader hilt last night and didn't find much inside.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1734/1004469g.jpg

Now I suppose I'll need a resistor or BuckPuck 6-wire as well?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I think I need to revise my shopping list. I disassembled the Vader hilt last night and didn't find much inside.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1734/1004469g.jpg

Now I suppose I'll need a resistor or BuckPuck 6-wire as well?

If you have an anakin ROTS soundboard, you do not need a resistor or buck puck....follow the wring in the conversion tutorial and wire your blade led to the soundboard's outputs.

[jediracer]

I didn't end up getting the Anakin soundbaord.

Here's my shopping list so far. Though I'm not 100% this is everything i need...still doing a bit of research.

MR or Hasbro FX Vader conversion kit (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MR-or-Hasbro-FX-Vader-conversion-kit-P343.aspx)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/ProductImages/188_8830.jpg

"TCSS style" Battle blade (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LED-TCSS-style-Battle-blade-1-OD--P155.aspx)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/ProductImages/765.jpg

Luxeon III Star (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Luxeon-III-Star-P1.aspx)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/lux3.jpg

Lux-III Lens Holder (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Luxeon-IIIV-Lens-Holder--P7.aspx)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/ProductImages/154.jpg

Luxeon Lens 5 deg (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Luxeon-Collimator-Lens-5-deg-viewing-angle-P4.aspx)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/lens.jpg

BuckPuck 700mA 6-wire (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/BuckPuck-700mA-6-wire-P9.aspx)
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/ProductImages/939.jpg

...and some wire obviously.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

What color Luxeon III are you planning to use? That buckpuck is geared more to the Luxeon V led. Lux III's require a 1000ma buckpuck, but if you're running a red one, you may be bettter of using a resistor instead. The red's require about 1500ma to fully light up, and the buck pucks won't quite do it, unless you wire two 700ma to each in a parallel set-up.

also, to Darth Maul, this topic ought to be moved to the new section, "Parts Lists."

[jediracer]

I'll be running a red LuxIII......so I will amend my shopping list to include the resistor instead of the buckpuck

thank you for the information...thank god I am not ordering the parts until the end of this week!

Thank you again!!

[Lord Dottore Matto]

If you are using the Anakin board, you don't need a resistor either. The conversion kit, LED, optics and wire (plus blade and a set screw) will do it.

[jediracer]

I didn't end up getting the Anakin board.....looking at getting a 1.5 ohm, 5W resistor ...is that correct?

[Jedi-Loreen]

Uh, no. Not the correct resistor for a Lux III red.

Did you look at the Resistor Chart? Which battery pack are you using? How many volts?
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/resistor.aspx

[Lord Dottore Matto]

I didn't end up getting the Anakin board.....looking at getting a 1.5 ohm, 5W resistor ...is that correct?

2.2 Ohm 5 watt if you are using 6V, or a 1.2 Ohm 3W if you are using 4.5V

[jediracer]

I'm using the stock battery pack which I am pretty sure is 4.5v

[Thaxos]

I'm using the stock battery pack which I am pretty sure is 4.5v

Do you have a multimeter you can check it with?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

He doesn't need one, Thaxos, the stock Mr battery packs put out only 4.5 volts with standard 1.5v Alkaline batteries.

[Jedi-Loreen]

All he needs to do is look at the number of batteries, anyway. ;) :p

[jediracer]

Do you have a multimeter you can check it with?

As a matter of fact I do...but yes the stock battery pack uses 3 AA batteries, which is 4.5v. Thanks again for all the help everyone.

[Thaxos]

As a matter of fact I do...but yes the stock battery pack uses 3 AA batteries, which is 4.5v. Thanks again for all the help everyone.

Ahh, don't own an MR, so I wasn't sure.
Yeah, if you ever need to check, just use the multimeter. Can't go wrong.