gsterley's second saber

[gsterley]

This is my second saber and my first MHS saber. Most of my parts came in so I wasted no time and got started. I apologize in advance for my camera.

I started planning this weeks ago. This is the rendering I prepared to work from. I plan on stacking the MR sound board on the battery pack, though space limitations may not allow it. The MR board is not here yet so I am still up in the air on whether it will work or not.
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/3475/saberdiagram.th.jpg (http://img252.imageshack.us/i/saberdiagram.jpg/)
PARTS! (most of them)
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/503/74358739.th.jpg (http://img19.imageshack.us/i/74358739.jpg/)
Assembled and unpainted (minus the overlay)
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1416/20414718.th.jpg (http://img258.imageshack.us/i/20414718.jpg/)
The sink tube overlay and the pattern I made to cut it.
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/4850/76408645.th.jpg (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/76408645.jpg/)
Prepped for paint
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7825/17697819.th.jpg (http://img689.imageshack.us/i/17697819.jpg/)
All painted and weathered up. I did some sanding on the high spots while the paint was still a tacky with some very fine grit sandpaper. It turned out really well, the camera doesn't really do it justice. I suspect with use it should wear a bit more and look even better.
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7984/28205437.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/i/28205437.jpg/)
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/3049/63576435.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/i/63576435.jpg/)

[mihunai]

Let me be the first to congratulate you on this fine saber, great job!
I really like the subtle weathering.
However, looking at your diagram, you seem to have enough space for an illuminated
anti-vandal switch. I seriously recommend it.
Anyway, keep it up.

mTm

[$tarkiller]

Good looking saber! I LOVE that blade holder and weathering. GREAT JOB!

[Vos Malek]

That's one good looking saber you've got there! I love the weathering!

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Awesome job on your second saber. Keep up the good work.

[sekrogue1985]

dig it. nice job.

[Lawrs1]

Yup I like it alot too great job

[Eomund]

Nicely done. Awesome dremel-fu on the overlay, and kudos on the weathering!

[gsterley]

Dremel-fu, haha. I love it, thank you all.

I managed not to have it skip out at all. That's a victory in my book. As it happens my sound board came this afternoon! Great timing. That means I have some work to do tonight. Im so excited to get this thing lit up. More pics after some soldering.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Very nice!

Good design, interesting overlay and well executed. http://www.sunriderbase.com/board/images/smilies/smiley_thumbup.gif

[Pullo]

Love the weathering work. Good job.

[DJMoonbass]

oh wow very nice work. i love the shroud. wish i could work a dremel like you guys. :mad:

but still awesome work:D

[Sairon]

Nice weathering job, very nice saber.

[cardcollector]

That's really good!!!

I love the overlay.:cool:

[gsterley]

Thanks so much everyone. I have not had a chance to take any nice photo's of it all lit up yet so I took this from my cell. I had a shot of it when I first had the parts delivered to my office, so it makes for a great before and after.

Before
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1653/work1v.th.jpg (http://img198.imageshack.us/i/work1v.jpg/)
After
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/9789/work2.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/i/work2.jpg/)

I have some plans for upgrades now that its all together. I am fairly sure I am going to go with 2 AA Li-ions for space, a recharge port in the pommel and make a nice chassis to hold everything all pretty-like. I would love for the inside to be more polished. Some of the chassis I've seen here are downright inspiring.

[gsterley]

I thought I'd revisit this saber. As of late I have been nerding out over the upcoming SWTOR, as I am sure many of you are. All the Star Wars on the brain made me fiend for some lightsaber fun. So... I completely disassembled, re-painted, and reworked the innards of this thing. It was a real rat's nest in there.

I also ordered some new GLAM PIECES (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Assets/ProductImages/box1d.jpg) from TCSS. I figured an activation box would make it look a little less... idk... "tube-like". It will fit great in the opening of my sink tube cut out, right below the activation button. Cant wait to put it on.

In the mean time. Pics.

My humble sled, if you can call it that. Believe it or not it slides right in and fits great. Oh, the board gets a zip-lock baggy shield over the top as well (no pics).
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6427/img20110312212545.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/i/img20110312212545.jpg/)
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1310/img20110312213456.th.jpg (http://img153.imageshack.us/i/img20110312213456.jpg/)
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/9284/img20110312213527.th.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/i/img20110312213527.jpg/)

The bare aluminum wasn't doing it for me anymore either. So I did some weathering. Thanks to a great write up I found on the forums.
http://img863.imageshack.us/img863/348/img20110313133020.th.jpg (http://img863.imageshack.us/i/img20110313133020.jpg/)
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/4968/img20110313133033.th.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/img20110313133033.jpg/)

I stripped and repainted all the black accents as well, then did some light weathering to those as well, and reassembled.
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/1194/img20110313164734.th.jpg (http://img10.imageshack.us/i/img20110313164734.jpg/)
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5184/img20110313164822.th.jpg (http://img232.imageshack.us/i/img20110313164822.jpg/)
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/4598/img20110313164909.th.jpg (http://img23.imageshack.us/i/img20110313164909.jpg/)
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5270/img20110313164923.th.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/img20110313164923.jpg/)

Forgive its dimness, I was using some crap batteries I had in the drawer to test it out. I'll let you know when the activation box comes in. I think it will add a lot to the overall look. Pumped.

[IG-88]

Wow. Good job. I really like the overlay and the weather you have done. Keep it up!

[gsterley]

Here's what I'm thinking for the activation box

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/3022/img20110314125707.th.jpg (http://img853.imageshack.us/i/img20110314125707.jpg/)
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4755/img20110314125718.th.jpg (http://img153.imageshack.us/i/img20110314125718.jpg/)

[gsterley]

Sooooooo, I decided to add some accent LED's as well. Hopefully I can fit them on the side of the new box. I got them wired up while I wait for my activation box to arrive.

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9238/accentled.th.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/i/accentled.jpg/)

[gsterley]

My parts came in!! I was really excited so wasted no time getting them assembled. I love the activation box. It really gives it more of a finsihed look. It looks way less flashlight tube-ish, and more lightsaber-like. Plus the accent LED's really make me very happy.

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/104/img20110317203549.th.jpg (http://img855.imageshack.us/i/img20110317203549.jpg/)
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/6002/img20110317203457.th.jpg (http://img651.imageshack.us/i/img20110317203457.jpg/)
http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/6929/img20110317203409.th.jpg (http://img851.imageshack.us/i/img20110317203409.jpg/)
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/769/img20110317203337.th.jpg (http://img220.imageshack.us/i/img20110317203337.jpg/)
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/3756/img20110317203227.th.jpg (http://img838.imageshack.us/i/img20110317203227.jpg/)

[dgdve]

Super sick upgrade!!.. officially a v2