View Full Version : On the cheap?
Kastor
10-14-2009, 09:11 PM
Hey so I have a bunch of friends that now want there own light-sabers but don't want to pay the hefty price tag for all the high end stuff. Does anyone have any hints on how to make cheap battle worthy sabers, heres the tricky part, with sound. I thought about using toy light-saber electronics. They don't care so much about quality basically they want a hard core toy that looks more impressive than it is.
Of course the budget for the hole thing would have to be considerably lower than the standard high end hasbro stuff. So were looking at around $50-$80 range.
Shadar Al'Niende
10-14-2009, 09:23 PM
you would definitely want to gut a Hasbro for sound if you are going economy... I would link you to a good thread i read the other day...but i can't remember where it is :p
Lord Dottore Matto
10-14-2009, 09:30 PM
A basic saber will take:
hasbro cheapy sound: $21
1.25" sinktube BH: $20
sinktube: $7
speaker: $6
Blade: $32
LED and optics: $14
Switch: $2.50
Wire: $2
Heatshrink: $1
Blade set screw: ~$1
pommel insert of some kind ~$4
Shipping: $8
Total: $108 for a basic saber with no individuality or adornment.
My advice would be for your friends to grow a pair, earn a few bucks and buy a descent saber or the parts to build one.
Shadar Al'Niende
10-14-2009, 10:48 PM
Knew someone more knowledgeable would come along eventually :D
cardcollector
10-15-2009, 05:36 AM
Uh guys? Hello?
PVC!!!:D:D:D
See a thread here: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=3266&page=23 post #228. though it is well worth reading the entire thread!
one I made: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=8863
they cost $53 for me to make, then add $25 for sound
FenderBender
10-15-2009, 06:31 AM
Uh guys? Hello?
PVC!!!:D:D:D
See a thread here: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=3266&page=23 post #228. though it is well worth reading the entire thread!
one I made: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=8863
they cost $53 for me to make, then add $25 for sound
So......you're still at $78 for a PVC.
How about buy some broken MR/hasbro FXs and convert them for the same money. That would give you a MUCH better saber for around the same cost.
Or hell, follow the Doc's orders.;)
cardcollector
10-15-2009, 07:30 AM
LOL! That really is a great idea!:p
The only dowside is you don't get to make something... just convert it.:rolleyes:
FenderBender
10-15-2009, 08:00 AM
LOL! That really is a great idea!:p
The only dowside is you don't get to make something... just convert it.:rolleyes:
The greatest of journies begins with a single step;)
Invisas1979
10-15-2009, 12:27 PM
Ok so I feel like chiming in here.
My fist "saber" was a joe jedi. Plastic and well...... I cut up a old maglite, a bit of s/steel which I mounted a switch from the joe jedi on and a few set screws later I had this.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad354/invisas/Randoms/picture.jpg
After £50 on a joe jedi and a bit of work I realised I'd rather have saved another £100 and had a far better saber.
I'm with LDM save the money, it'll be far more worth it.
Raith
10-15-2009, 12:31 PM
LDM is right... save up the money and buy a good one... there is no such thing as a cheap saber with sound, unless you find them on ebay... and even they aren't always cheap...
Kastor
10-15-2009, 03:10 PM
Ok, lol... well thanks, I mean the thing is these people aren't ever going to save up for that kind of purchase. I too was thinking PVC was the way to go. Also most of them have toy sabers they are willing to cannibalize (probably should have mentioned that before...) So really we're talking about giving upgraded lighting, power source and blade to cheap toy sabers. My biggest question would be what kinds of problems will I run into, overheating in plastic chassis? fitting buttons and other devices? overloading the current board and speaker? keeping the blade secure? etc..?
thejedilestat
10-15-2009, 04:15 PM
well depending on the toy saber you can run it off 6v and use a k2 led... the speaker could be a problem but thats only cuz some hasbro speakers are big and some are small
but it is much better to save the cash it will open more options to you in the long
saveing takes time but once you have your converted mr saber(or any saber realy) in hand it will be worth it
cardcollector
10-15-2009, 04:22 PM
See a thread here: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=3266&page=23 post #228. though it is well worth reading the entire thread!
If you go the PVC route every question you could possibly think of is in this thread!
Though if you do save money for a sinktube or even MR conversion you will be much better pleased with the result.
psab keel
10-15-2009, 04:53 PM
Well in my opinion, they are better off investing some money to get a decent product than shell out all kinds of money on cheap sabers that won't live up to what they want. In the long run, you may be able to put together some crappy cheap sabers, but for the same price as 2 or 3 of those they could invest in one high quality saber. The thing I found from doing it all these years is that someone who is truly interested in building sabers (or any other hobby for that matter) tends to be serious when they actually do something about it. My advice to your friends would be to direct them to sites like this and others. If they have a genuine interest they will do some reading and research like the rest of us. Best of luck to you and your friends, and happy building! : )
Super Bill
10-16-2009, 04:55 PM
Hey guys! I just ordered the parts for my first saber, and I need some advise. I only ordered the "Build Your Own Luxeon III Electronics Kit" with the 2.2ohm 5W resistor and the 4 AA bat.
Will I be able to steal parts from a hasbro force action saber (or other) with out buying a lot of extra stuff?
Later I want to go all out and get all the "bells and whistles" but for this one I want to go the rescission route.
Jedi-Loreen
10-16-2009, 05:07 PM
Welcome. You have lots of reading ahead of you.
I'm assuming that you also bought some hilt parts?
For a tutorial on putting together a basic MHS saber, read this:
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6430
and check out the other links in LDMs signature.
For information Hasbro boards, start with this:
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=6430
and then look for more threads in the Saber Sound section.
Super Bill
10-16-2009, 05:33 PM
Hey thanks!!! I cant wait to get my stuff, that includes hilt parts lol. I'm having some of it powder coated how long does it usually take to ship out? I don't want to bug the staff, just curious to see if I might have it for Halloween.
Jedi-Loreen
10-16-2009, 06:04 PM
"The Staff" is Tim, and his wife, who does the shipping.
Could take a couple weeks, since you're ordering Powder Coat.
Plenty time to make a dent in the reading you need to do to start getting yourself educated. ;-)
Darth Midian
10-16-2009, 07:30 PM
Kastor, you can it keep it cheap by building pex blades. I built 4-30" blades for my kids sabers for about $16.00. Check out these links.http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=http:///forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=31027274 (http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=7274)
Darth Midian
10-16-2009, 07:37 PM
Ok, I messed that up. Jay gons link is correct. Here is the other one I tried to put up about pex blades. Forgive me, I'm not only new to building sabers. I'm also new to using a forum. Thank you for your patients. http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?t=3102
Kastor
10-16-2009, 09:55 PM
Thanks for that Midian, I also found Jay gon's PVC saber walkthrough and that was helpful. I guess I'm just going to try it out and see what happens. Might be a lightly while, life has been catching up with me... but I'll let everyone know how it turns out. I hope I can create some really interesting designs for with these materials.
Lord Dottore Matto
10-17-2009, 03:48 AM
I thought these guys wanted to gorilla duel? Pex blades and PVC sabers will not handle that.;)
Darth Midian
10-17-2009, 06:35 AM
I was just throwing an option out there. He could just follow Jay Gons tutorial and build Poly blades. Building them yourself is still cheaper. I didn't really take into account that they would be more brutal on their sabers than my children.
$tarkiller
10-17-2009, 07:09 AM
Or hell, follow the Doc's orders.;)
Well put, fender. Well put.
Kastor
10-22-2009, 08:55 PM
Well turns out we've been able to cannibalize a Force action Darth saber. I've constructed a nice hilt out of PVC and haven't yet decided on an LED prob a Lux 3. Then just a Blade with Film and a tip, Set Screw and Optics, total has come to around $30 + shiping (damn PVC is cheap) All other parts are found spare bits. So for a total of around $35 it's well under our budget. Now it's just a mater of putting it together. Also I have so much PVC I could make several more. I think this is a great solution for people who have old toys to upgrade split the cost of bulk materials and share tools. Will post Pics when finished.
Darth Midian
10-26-2009, 03:02 PM
Looking forward to see what you come up with. Have fun and may the force be with you.
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