PDA

View Full Version : On-going Saber Design Check



Kastor
10-04-2009, 03:14 PM
Hi everyone! When I joined this forum I begin by asking about this design, http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=8626

Since then a Lot of reading and consideration I have come up with a design more my own. Over time I will be logging here the parts and process for this design (as it is a complex design that still needs to evolve) and I would be very appreciative if anyone would check my work to make sure there is nothing I've overlooked. Thanks to anyone whom grants advice! :)

I'll start with design. Here is the first render. It's only a front view but more will follow.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1784&stc=1&d=1254692823

Current Parts List:

Hilt:
LED blade holder style 16
Hilt style 2 with guarded style switch hole
Double ended male threaded connector
2" Double female threaded connector
MPS Pommel style 8
Custom Forged Sleeve
Blade Retention screw (need to check some things before I can figure out if it may need to be special or not)
Body holding screws (to hold sleeve to hilt)
MPS Insert style 6 (for recharge port)

Electronics:
Lens 5 deg viewing angle
Luxeon III/V Lens Holder
Luxeon V Star (Cyan)
UltraSound 2.5
DPDT Latching Orange illuminated (What is the reason for a Momentary?)
Premium Speaker (not sure yet How I will mount as I'm not sure about how my power will come yet)
Rechargeable Battery Pack (Specs yet to be figured)
Recharge Port
Battery Indicator cyan and orange (I was thinking about moding an Evr)
Acrylic Crystal for Crystal chamber
LED for Crystal

Blade:
1" Thin walled Polycarbonate 36"
Corbin Film-single wrap
Bullet shaped tip for 1" thin walled
__________________________________

Congratulations for reading through that!

I know I may need some more electronics parts but I'm not sure exactly what I'm putting in yet, Thats one of the things I'm asking help for.

I want 1 LED for the crystal chamber if I can fit it, Battery indicator, Illuminated switch, the Luxeon V and my Driver board.

Thanks for any help! Really Thanks for dealing with all this. I know it's long.
:):):)

Shadar Al'Niende
10-04-2009, 06:20 PM
If you are looking to go with the US 2.5 for sound you will need a momentary switch, but I see you mentioned specifically a driver board. Makes me wonder if you mean a driver only, thus sans sound...

Anyway, so far looks ok and I dig your design.. i'm sure one of the "old timers" will drop by to add some good advice :rolleyes:

Kastor
10-04-2009, 06:26 PM
Other Foreseeable problems:

Making everything fit! The crystal chamber is more or less right across form the battery indicator and Switch I'm not sure that will work out but I would really like to find a way to make it work. I was thinking of using acrylic crystals but I think doing the real crystal thing would be cool that way I could get a thin one from my local science store.

The battery Indicator cuts across the Male-Male extension. I'm not sure how this would work Could I just cut trough it after making sure everything lines up?

Kastor
10-04-2009, 06:30 PM
If you are looking to go with the US 2.5 for sound you will need a momentary switch, but I see you mentioned specifically a driver board. Makes me wonder if you mean a driver only, thus sans sound...

Um yeah, sorry that was unclear. I ment US 2.5 only I don't think I need a driver for anything. But I am aware that the US 2.5 doesn't control a battery indicator right...? so I might need another board of some kind.

Kastor
10-04-2009, 06:37 PM
Oh and also I'm not really sure about the Illuminated Switch, Will that fit into the guarded switch hole on the side of the Hilt? Also if it's momentary does that mean you have to hold down the switch the entire time your using the saber!? Thats my understanding of momentary switches... please correct me and excuse my ignorance but I did wiki it and thats what it said lol.

Darth Abominor
10-04-2009, 06:39 PM
Oh and also I'm not really sure about the Illuminated Switch, Will that fit into the guarded switch hole on the side of the Hilt? Also if it's momentary does that mean you have to hold down the switch the entire time your using the saber!? Thats my understanding of momentary switches... please correct me and excuse my ignorance but I did wiki it and thats what it said lol.

The US2.5 board will use the Mom Switch for the power-up/down, you will not have to hold the button while the device is active.

Kastor
10-04-2009, 06:43 PM
AH, Then will the light stay lit :( that would make me sad if it didn't.

Jedi-Loreen
10-04-2009, 07:22 PM
The battery Indicator cuts across the Male-Male extension. I'm not sure how this would work Could I just cut trough it after making sure everything lines up? Do you mean male-male connector? I seriously doubt that would be a good idea. You will probably have to rethink some of your design for practical reasons. Especially once you get your parts in hand.


Um yeah, sorry that was unclear. I ment US 2.5 only I don't think I need a driver for anything. But I am aware that the US 2.5 doesn't control a battery indicator right...? so I might need another board of some kind.No, you just need to match the battery voltage closely to the LED you'll be using.

Kastor
10-04-2009, 07:30 PM
Thanks I was hoping that would be the case with the Indicator.

I think I will be ordering some parts before I start the build/talking to tim about custom cuts. So some of these answers should come just by looking at the parts.

Raith
10-05-2009, 07:06 AM
nice looking saber design, i like the shroud design.

here's my 2 cents: instead of the male-male adapter, and then the 2" female-female extension, you could try your design with a choke in that location. I'm not 100% sure if that would make the saber more practical or not, it's just a thought.

$tarkiller
10-05-2009, 08:21 AM
nice looking saber design, i like the shroud design.

here's my 2 cents: instead of the male-male adapter, and then the 2" female-female extension, you could try your design with a choke in that location. I'm not 100% sure if that would make the saber more practical or not, it's just a thought.

I wll agree with that. Also, How are you going to make this shroud? And from the looks of everything, your saber will be about 9-10 inches as far as space. You might wanna tweak your design a little. Because with a Crystal Chamber, and an illuminated switch, and a US 2.5, and the blade going that far down into the hilt, you WILL NOT have enough room. You must aso consider battery space.

Kastor
10-05-2009, 09:08 AM
This design is actually 12.4 inch long(just MHS parts) so i think length is not an issue. Also, personally I think a choke would look weird and remove more of my space.

The Shroud which is part of the sleeve will be Cast which I have experience in so no worries there. It will all be one solid piece. Currently I'm worrking on some CAD drawings to help with the layout and space issues so I can actually find out how much room I have. I'm not opposed to making it a bit longer if need be.

$tarkiller
10-05-2009, 10:12 AM
This design is actually 12.4 inch long(just MHS parts) so i think length is not an issue. Also, personally I think a choke would look weird and remove more of my space.

The Shroud which is part of the sleeve will be Cast which I have experience in so no worries there. It will all be one solid piece. Currently I'm worrking on some CAD drawings to help with the layout and space issues so I can actually find out how much room I have. I'm not opposed to making it a bit longer if need be.

Correction: You have about 9 1/4 inches of space in that saber. Not including Blade holder or pommel.
Hilt style 2 with guarded style switch hole--------7 inches
Double ended male threaded connector----------- like 1/4th of an inch.
2" Double female threaded connector--------------2 inches.

Thats 9 1/4th inches of space whic is what I initially said.

Kastor
10-05-2009, 11:07 AM
This is true... at least it doesn't include space for the blade. he...

$tarkiller
10-05-2009, 11:26 AM
Right. My point is, is that with 9 inches of space, is gonna be hard to accomplish that setup you want. The thing with alot of noobs is that they want all the bells and wistles on the same saber.

Kastor
10-05-2009, 09:23 PM
After further reading Battery Indicator is being Cut. Mostly for it's uselessness it seems that they are less help then just looking at the blade. I'll still try to put in some kind of LED accent lights or possibly a window into the Crystal Chamber.

Raith
10-05-2009, 11:26 PM
After further reading Battery Indicator is being Cut. Mostly for it's uselessness it seems that they are less help then just looking at the blade. I'll still try to put in some kind of LED accent lights or possibly a window into the Crystal Chamber.

sounds like a plan, keep us updated.

$tarkiller
10-06-2009, 07:02 AM
After further reading Battery Indicator is being Cut. Mostly for it's uselessness it seems that they are less help then just looking at the blade. I'll still try to put in some kind of LED accent lights or possibly a window into the Crystal Chamber.

Ok, if you think you can do it.

cannibal869
10-06-2009, 11:29 AM
In order to get everything in there, I think it's good that you're using the US 2.5 - probably need to get (or build your own) combo US board and 2 battery speaker/holder. That will save a ton of room in there and make things easier.

http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/ProductImages/DSC00236.JPG

I'm assuming you want the crystal chamber to be that blue line just distal to the activation switch?

Crystal Chambers
10-09-2009, 10:24 AM
Sandcasting aluminum with some dremel clean up might be a solution.

I did this at art school. You'd have to carve it out of wax, encase it in sand, pour molten aluminum in one tube and the wax melts out an exit tube. If anyone can do sand casting then it would save you alot of cash if you can carve it first. Of course the insides would need to be milled for interior accuracy but it may be a possible solution.

So to recap....find someone who sandcasts (jeweler maybe) find the correct wax and carve it to proper specs in co- ordination with the sandcasting and a machinist to do the milling. Maybe TCSS.(they're gonna hate me for encouraging you to step outside the box)

Challenging project! Not sure if this helps, Just a suggestion. Good luck

Oh yeah, sounds like you have more of a show project then dueling. I wouldn't put in a recharge port for this type of project but that's me.

Crystal Chambers
10-09-2009, 10:32 AM
oops...just saw that you have experience sand casting....if TCSS could mill it for you then you could be sure your parts fit...not sure if that's an option but worth a shot.

$tarkiller
10-09-2009, 12:11 PM
oops...just saw that you have experience sand casting....if TCSS could mill it for you then you could be sure your parts fit...not sure if that's an option but worth a shot.

That is probably more work than he's wanting to do or have done. if TCSS were to do that, it would be a crapload of money.

Darth_DevilGuy
10-09-2009, 08:53 PM
it'd be much simpler to get an aluminum tube overlay and cut it how you want it, if you want artistic it'd be technically possible to get a thicker tube and shape it by grinding it down to how you want it after you cut the initial shape, I can see how to do it but it'd probably take months of work...

$tarkiller
10-10-2009, 07:21 AM
it'd be much simpler to get an aluminum tube overlay and cut it how you want it, if you want artistic it'd be technically possible to get a thicker tube and shape it by grinding it down to how you want it after you cut the initial shape, I can see how to do it but it'd probably take months of work...

very good point, DDG. I like that idea.

Kastor
10-11-2009, 02:37 PM
The problem with grinding is loosing the finish. I've been told it will look very poor if I do that. Also I don't have very much experience with grinding and what I have done I've had a hard time with. Besides the likely hood of messing up once and running the entire sleeve is too high. If I cast I can reproduce very easily the hard part is making the master and the negative. after that it's fairly simple I feel it will be less time consuming than grinding. Also TCSS would need to make a profit and recover labor costs, doing it my self is much cheaper.