Help me decide on powdercoat color

[Darth Mintcakes]

I just got a (used) MR sound board (Vader), so I'm eager to build a Sith saber:

http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad230/Mike_Vande_Bunt/SaberBuilder_render_3c.png

As I was designing this in the MHS Saber Builder, I envisioned the color to be Tim's "Super Wet Black" (the center part of the choke is bare metal, the red lines are actually red o-rings). I still think that's the best choice, but the render makes it look more like Tim's "Solar Flat Black", which could look pretty good too.

I will probably use a red-orange Lux III, and I haven't decided if I want to let the MR board run the led.

So my question is: Wet black, or flat black? What to you think?

(Also, if anybody has an opinion on powering the led with a buck puck vs. runing it off the MR board, feel free to chine in...)

Darth Mintcakes

[Jedi-Loreen]

The wet black will show every little scratch, just so you're aware of that.

[Sairon]

I'd go flat black because of it's scratch resistance and it looks awesome.

[Darth Mintcakes]

OK, that's two votes against shiny right away. I hadn't thought about the issue of scratching. The obvious reason to use powdercoat rather than a more ordinary paint is that it is tougher than regular paints, but I guess it's not "scratch proof".

This saber will probably be worn on the belt at various conventions, so scratching could well be an issue.

Thanks for the advice.

[cardcollector]

Just to give another flat black vote... It looks way more "lightsaberish:rolleyes:" if you go with flat black

[Lord Preston]

I vote for flat black.

[Kal El Rah]

Flat/Satin Black all the way.;)

[Darth Mintcakes]

OK.

It will definitely be flat black. Everyone has been voting for it, but the clincher was Jedi-Loreen and Sairon's comments on scratches on the glossy powdercoat.

Thanks, everyone.

:)

[B5813]

Don't worry about scratches. Trust me when I say that the gloss black is gorgeous. You have to see it to really appreciate it.

[Scars Unseen]

Don't worry about scratches. Trust me when I say that the gloss black is gorgeous. You have to see it to really appreciate it.

I go the other way myself. I have a couple of super wet MHS parts that I'm planning on removing the coat from because I thought it looked like plastic. I'd say flat all the way.

[Kant Lavar]

Just as a note - the red O-rings probably aren't the best choice for what you're looking to do. You may want to email Tim about getting those powdercoated. You could use O-rings if you really wanted to, but you'd have to glue them into place.

[$tarkiller]

I say flat black bcause it seems to me that it would mre resemble a sith saber, instead of being shiny and flashy, I would say discreet weapon of one of the most dangerous species in the galaxy.

[Alcfalath]

Just as a note - the red O-rings probably aren't the best choice for what you're looking to do. You may want to email Tim about getting those powdercoated. You could use O-rings if you really wanted to, but you'd have to glue them into place.

Tim wont do dual powdercoating on one piece. Its far too difficult and the end result isnt guarranteed to be successful. However instead you can ask for the grooves to be machines a little deeper, as to hold the O-Rings a little better. It will cost you a bit more but it would most likely be worth glueing anything to the hilt. :D

[Darth Mintcakes]

Tim wont do dual powdercoating on one piece. Its far too difficult and the end result isnt guarranteed to be successful. However instead you can ask for the grooves to be machines a little deeper, as to hold the O-Rings a little better. It will cost you a bit more but it would most likely be worth glueing anything to the hilt. :D

I can at least get a quote on the custom machining, but I'm not too worried about the o-rings staying put. I have a saber with a type 4 main body that I put o-rings on. With the alternating wide and narrow groves, it is 3-1-3-1-3-1-3-1-3 for the o-rings. The sets of 3 won't move at all and while the singles seem as if they could get loose, they haven't yet. Mostly this is because the o-rings have to be stretched a little to fit in the grooves.

If they do start to come loose, I think that 2 drops of CA per o-ring should hold them in place. Remember that the glue won't be going on the metal, it will be going on the powdercoat. If CA won't stick to the rubber o-rings, I will use "Shoe-Goo" which will. (I used "Shoe-Goo" to put the wiper blades on my genuine Heiland Vader prop saber about 5 years ago, and they haven't shifted at all.)

For the record, o-rings make for a very secure and comfortable grip.

[ArkaiHalon]

Since you've decided on the color already, I won't vote for wet black (even though I like it better)

I will answer the other question though, and tell you to go ahead and use the MR board to power your LED. It's alot easier to utilize the board for what it's designed to do then try and worry about internal space, what type switch, and all that jazz.


Can't wait to see it.

[Sairon]

As for your red orings, mabye a red heat shrink is a better choice as it will hug the saber better, you could even get one with adheisive on the inside.

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

I would say flat black as well.

As far as the LED goes, I agree with Arkai. Drive it right off the board. I've only used three FX boards, but when I tested them, they all put out more than 1A. They'll drive a red or red/orange Lux III just fine. The Anakin conversion I just finished a couple weeks ago runs a R/O right off the board, and it's plenty bright.

[ArkaiHalon]

This is a red o lux III run of a vader board
and a nice example of gloss black (and later gloss red)
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6328&highlight=vyper

[Dendore]

I say flat black bcause it seems to me that it would mre resemble a sith saber, instead of being shiny and flashy, I would say discreet weapon of one of the most dangerous species in the galaxy.

I just happen to be trying to make this same call. I am going to get Main Body style 4 and have the ridges and top piece powercoated black. Bouncing back and forth between the blacks. I am going for a Jedi look. Do you really think these make a difference in Sith/Jedi looks?

Also was anyone ever disappointed upon receiving a flat or wet due to it not being what they expected (besides the one guy talking about removing the wet finish). I can only look at so many pictures as I imagine the wet black looking vastly different in different lighting conditions.

[Zook]

I like flat black a lot and it does indeed show scratches less but the wet black is beautiful.

Here is a Leia saber I powder coated with super durable wet black.

http://www.mandysbabies.com/saber/leiapc1.jpg

It does indeed show scratches easy though. After PC I was cleaning the grooves up with a small file. The file slipped a couple of times and lightly ran across the PC. It left little scratches and made me re-do the PC. This time however I used tape around each groove as I was filing it so I wouldn't scratch the finish.

Either one will look good and its more of what you want to do with it. If its going to be more of a show than play piece wet black is beautiful but for a rugged use all the time saber flat black is great.

Flat black is very menacing looking so it may fit your sith style better.

[Darth Mintcakes]

This is a red o lux III run of a vader board
and a nice example of gloss black (and later gloss red)
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6328&highlight=vyper

Wow! That's impressive. And I will go ahead and use the MR board to power the luxeon.

Are those red o-rings? If so, did you do anything special to the grooves to help them stay put (that is, are they Tim's "standard" hilt grooves)?

[And now, pretty much all the main bodies are out of stock, so I'll have to wait for those before ordering... ]