LED/EL blade, could it be done?

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06-10-2006, 08:52 PM
james3

LED/EL blade, could it be done?

I was talking with a buddy of mine and showing off what I have been doing lately and when I was going over the pro's and cons of each type and why I like LED but use EL for the kids blah,blah... He just looks at me and says if one is brighter but the other is even all the way up why not do both?
So I got to wondering, has this been tried? I would think with a 9 volt EL setup and a 3W running off of a resistor and Battery pack room would be OK or am I just smoking crack?

I am going to run this over on the LED force.net board too

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06-10-2006, 09:01 PM
tetmatek

I think it would work if you did not want sound.

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06-10-2006, 09:06 PM
Do-Clo

James take at look at the sound set up I came up with for el sabers this would also work for a dual el/led setup. The problem would be that the el would be over powered by the led but the el might help fill in the color but it is a lot to fit inside of a blade and still make it work. But hey people thought I was nutz using 5mm leds to build sabers so who knows[:p]

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06-10-2006, 09:10 PM
james3

This has been a nag on me since he said it. The very first thing I invisioned was a white EL with pick your color LED and it may just turn out alright. I could see where there would be some work on the blade with getting current to the EL and then have a lens that would focus as much light as possible around the center section.
EDIT- Do-Clo I got ya. It would work well for like a lime/green combo and yeah that setup you have would do nicely. cool[:D]
I thought the color changing Anakin Hasbro was low powered LEDs but they still sell quickly, and your LED's look nicer.
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06-10-2006, 09:16 PM
xwingband

At the same time? I don't think it'd work well. You'd have to have a dual tube to have EL in the center. The LED wouldn't light up the outside too well. Corbin tried something like this with fiberoptics and it didn't work well.

It's been talked about at TFN also.[;)]

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06-10-2006, 09:30 PM
james3

I agree that with the optics that we are using right now it would not work to well, I have been thinking along some other optics and ways to maximize the LED to the outside section of the tube. I was looking through some of my old camera stuff and then I got to thinking, now I'm nothing but trouble[:D]

Fiberoptics are a pain to work with for anything other then communications.

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06-10-2006, 09:36 PM
Do-Clo

James it likes like Xwing has thrown down a challenge by saying he don't think it will work so it looks like game on. I will have to put some thought on the matter. This looks like something that may be fun.[:D]

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<center>Darth Technous Sith Lord</center>
<center>Give yourself to the Dark Side</center>
06-10-2006, 09:39 PM
xwingband

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Do-Clo

James it likes like Xwing has thrown down a challenge by saying he don't think it will work so it looks like game on. I will have to put some thought on the matter. This looks like something that may be fun.[:D]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Fine take it as a challenge then. It's just with EL in place of the 3M fiber Corbin used it's not all that different and he didn't have much luck.

I didn't say it couldn't be done... I just don't think it will look good.

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06-10-2006, 10:46 PM
LAN-ED-TUL

i betcha if anyone can pull it off tho, it'll be do-clo.

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Lan-Ed-Tul
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06-11-2006, 03:36 AM
Do-Clo

Don't count James out he is a tech also, but if both of us throw ideas around we might just pull it off

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<center>Give yourself to the Dark Side</center>
06-11-2006, 05:51 AM
xwingband

TFN repost:

Okay, I still don't think this would look too hot. They are two different ideas of lighting, one in the blade and one in the hilt...

BUT I have an idea that will save you a butt load of work. [:)] A luxeon is not the greatest for this application. It will add heatsinking and the optics. The EL would be in the way also.

Idea: make a mount that uses the mono jack in the middle and a ring of smaller LED's (say 5mm) around it. This eliminates the optics, heatsinking, and the EL "being in the way". It also would overcome the trouble of the voltage of a 9V being bad for a Lux.

So basically make a dual-tube setup of inner white EL and then an outer tube (maybe a film diffuser?) lighted by the ring of small colored LEDs. Test it and get pictures. [:D]

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06-11-2006, 08:46 AM
GeluKhanGharr

I have tried it. I used a board from a Hasbro Anakin color changer. I replaced the red leds with blue ones and wired them all up on the same circuit. So I ended up with 8 blue leds disposed in in circle, almost 1.5" in diameter. Then I installed a 3/4" aqua EL polycarb blade in the center. The leds were floding the circumference of the tube nicely, but only at the base. So I put the whole thing in another tube, 1.5 in diameter with a polypropylene difusser. It looked decent, but not worth the trouble. The leds were not strong like a Lux and not focussed enough to reach the tip of the blade well. Still, they overpowered the EL at the base and it (the EL) only showed at the tip. So the result looked very much like a Lux blade with a Corbin difusser, way oversized but with a bit of color variation - darker blue at the base and lighter at the tip. I never built a hilt for it because after I looked at all the parts I'd have to stuff inside I realized I'd end up with a staff the size of a Maul. Also, the blade was too thick and heavy. I have since taken the contraption appart and I am smacking my head for not taking pictures when I had it. I suppose it was the dissapointment at the time. Not trying to discourage anyone from trying it, just imparting my experience.

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06-11-2006, 11:52 AM
Do-Clo

Gelu thanks for the input, all ideas are welcome.

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<center>Darth Technous Sith Lord</center>
<center>Give yourself to the Dark Side</center>
06-11-2006, 08:20 PM
james3

Guys thank ya'll for the input. This is awsome that we can bang this around and see what we come up with. I have been house busy again today (no big suprise) but am hoping to get a little time tomorrow to play around with a few of these suggestions and an idea or two of my own. Man I am wishin I was already in the new to us house so I would have my workbench[:D]

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09-07-2006, 10:06 AM
Christos

Ok if u use a el wire that is shorter ,maybe 1 inch shorter than the tube, and then u put a plain led at the tip it might look better. Also u could have a full sive el wire and then put ring led at the top that might also work.[B)]
09-07-2006, 10:24 AM
james3

Hey! welcome and thanks for chiming in on this.[:D]

I have not had all the eime I have wanted yet to play with this much but so far this is what I have come up with.

A 3w or bigger is overkill. At the base it just drowns out anything, in the middle you get a nice mix but I have not used the white EL yet 'cause I don't have any right now. I am going to try some 1w LED's maybe in blue and red and see if there can be a balance.

The ring idea is REALLY good. I have been thinking of ravaging my sons color change Hasbro and try something with that ala Gelu and xwing.

I have to admit that it is one of those things that I want to do for me so it is not a priority. House work, kids, sabers for others first[;)]

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01-09-2007, 06:21 PM
Firebird21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aderted****der7

Stupid SPAM
regards, Aderted****der7

Great, now they're digging up old topics to contaminate... :roll:
01-09-2007, 09:16 PM
Ryma Mara

Ok I skipted a page and an 1/8th but I seen these a while back and thought I wander why we havent made use of them?

http://www.luxeon.com/products/family.cfm?familyId=4

You can fit on inside the other one, granted there only 1watt but theres many of them. and this would prolly solve the problem of the current setup about what to do with the mono jack.
01-09-2007, 09:26 PM
Eruialsul

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryma Mara

I wander why we havent made use of them?

Possibly because 81 mm is about 3 inches. Now I suppose if you don't mind having a hilt that wide it's no problem, but I think I'll pass on these for now.
01-09-2007, 09:28 PM
Ryma Mara

good lord!

Ok I dident see that one. jebus
01-09-2007, 09:34 PM
Eruialsul

I suppose it would be kinda cool if you wanted a very bright katana style hand guard, as that's just about the right size for something like that.

Come to think of it I'd kinda like to see someone do that sometime.
01-09-2007, 10:49 PM
ti-el_terall

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christos

Ok if u use a el wire that is shorter ,maybe 1 inch shorter than the tube, and then u put a plain led at the tip it might look better. Also u could have a full sive el wire and then put ring led at the top that might also work.[B)]

It might work but then how are you going to power it from the bottom of the hilt? You would have to have wire running up the blade.
01-09-2007, 11:03 PM
Ryma Mara

Wrap the led in the tip wires with el sheet. maybe.