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Wow is all I have to say. I found This site looking for some ideas for some display lightsabers for the nursery for my son. and found a new world out there. I have to say I,m hooked. Now all I need is to jump in and start building. which way would a noob like me go? I,m going for a utilitarin battle blade and I want it to be bright and as relistic as possible. blade not the hilt. Just point me in the right direction and I,ll do the rest. thanx dvader5655.
Dude, this is all you need to know to start with.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ead.php?t=6430
Just look around the forum and you will find instructions and in many cases (thanks to LDM and a few other experienced personnel) very detailed pictures on just about anything you could possibly want to do.
Thanx I,m lookin around now. But which route should I go? I mean I want to go with a blue color. but don't know which one will be the most realistic. thats all. I am going led for sure. but there are sooo many blade choices and I' not sure of the led and electronics. which would be best for a noob. Thanx for responding.
What do you mean by realistic? All you really want is a saber that has light and sound, is made of metal and looks how you want it to look.
Think about you as a person, read and look at the sabers posted on the forum for inspiration and then order some parts.
From the bottom up you need:
Pommel, Insert, and a clip to hold the insert in place.
Main Body, extension and or Choke and Blade holder (which comes with a heatsink and plastic screws).
A blade and retention screw (thumb screws are better as they're more convenient when wantint to remove the blade)
For the light you need:
Led, you can choose various types. I would go for a Lux 3 to begin with.
and on/off switch, a switch bezel and battery holder (Even though you may not put sound in to begin with I would get the speaker housing anyway as this will stop the battery from moving in the saber).
If you're going for sound I would have a TCSS speaker/battery combo and the easiest way (though not the cheapest) is to find a broken MR saber on ebay (not a yoda, they're more difficult to pull apart) and salvage the board.
I hope this is a good enough start. I'm not one to say read, read, read but believe me I've read every day for three months and I still keep finding new inspiration.
Welcome.
This is a forum for DIY lightsabers, you're going to need to do some reading to figure out what is "best" for you.
Thanx guys YOUR right I'm going to really think hard and read read read.I was just trying to figure out how i could make the blade look as realistic as possible . i've been looking through the forum. and saw that there are wraps and diffusers. I guess thats what I was trying to figure out. its really a big world in the saber construction socioty. and I found this site on 8/13/ so I,m brand new. but you guys have been helpful. Dvader
I wouldnt recommend going with any sort of sound for your first saber, I would go direct driven. Meaning that you just have batteries, a switch, resistor/buckpuck, LED for your electronics. Sound can be a hassle. But like the other 2 said before me, read read read.
Welcome. Start with the links in my SIG. One has already been posted for you. The best way to learn is to "read and jump in". Everything you need to build a basic realistic saber is listed in the link. If you want blue go for the blue P4 basic electronics kit. The great thing about MHS sabers is that nothing is ever wasted...you can reuse the parts from a basic build later in a more advanced one if you need/want to which is why I say jump in, follow the tutorial and in a week you will have a basic saber built with your own hands!
I don't see why not, I and many others did sound on the first go. A saber without sound is like a big mac without gurkins. :mrgreen:Quote:
Originally Posted by $tarkiller
Well guys the info and advice has been awesome! If I cant figure out where to go from here then I should be thrown in empiral trash compactor. And to think I was gonna just mock some fake lightsabers for my baby boys room now I can make some that me and the little one can play with. of course he has to be born and grow up enough to hold one he he. thanx again. p.s. I may ask for advice here and there. but this noob will try not to be a pain the side. dvader5655.
i'd suggest using pvc piping so that if your son manages to pull the saber down and it falls on his head he wont get seriously injured as the pvc piping version is a lot lighter and cheaper, but it can still make an effective looking piece so i wouldnt worry about loss of quality or anything like that. just a bit of quick advice that i think could really help;).
-drew
First off "welcome", second thing is a lightsaber is an extension of your will, into the force... from real to unreal to real again(understand). your lightsaber is your own and your project is your own, that said a GREAT place to start is KISS(you get the idea) first thing you should do is click on gallery or look at the threads where people show there projects and see what you like and dont like.. ive said it before but there are only a few rules to building a saber... here are the rules i go by *measure thrice(not twice) cut once, **NEVER EVER RUSH, *** yes you can use a hammer to drive screws, but a screw driver is much better... if you dont have the right tool beg/borrow/steal it..but dont skimp on tools!! the basic things you should get together and this is for ANY saber... soldering iron, some cheap wire, and heat shrink, never ever ever use electric tape.. the saber is metal and things will ground out.. expensive things.. for drilling holes use a center punch then drill. and dont forget to check out the "cheap easy builds" try a pvc saber until you get your parts together for your actual hilt..you learn alot from sink tubes and pvc(and its cheap incase you screw up). what i like to do is draw out things to help you visualize it, make a mock up with an empty papertowel roll. cut where you like your switch if you dont like it move it.. then maybe once youve got things settled and ONLY then start drilling on your parts from your order.. use the mhs builder then sit down and make mock pieces like i described(everyone knows sometimes things are great on paper but not in real life).. but check the gallery and use the mhs builder and heres your parts list and there are TONS of wire diag's for you to study :)
*interior(LED saber, no sound) dont go EL its kindof old tech these days
- battery pack
- switch(latching, push on, push off type)
- driver, or puck(whichever, it powers the led)
- blade holder(these come with the REQUIRED heatsink for mounting the LED)
- LED (look around the site whichever you pick is fine)
- optics for led (collimater, focus the led)
- holder for led (holds optics above the led)
- some extra wire, screws, set screws, thumb screws(w/e)
- last but not least a Blade...lol
put that all in your pvc/sink tube/mhs hilt and its one awesome flashlight :P
~dave
btw chime in if i missed anything guys(and gals)... damn this is a long post
Excellent post and good info Dave;)
first i would suggest pick out a good broken broomstick no longer in use then wrap some some sticky grippy tape 'round the end. find Jimmy, your previously best friend who has been home from school all week because of headlice quarantine and you were not to play with jimmy. call jimmy headlicer and goad into fight. be amazed when jimmy slices your impervious lightsaber into slices like a stick of salami with a length of pvc because he's angry for being called a headlicer over and over. be friends with jimmy again...before he beats you to a pulp.
I really hate to ask but what does this have to do with the subject of this thread:confused::confused::confused::confused::con fused:Quote:
Originally Posted by tinfoilhelmet
Try and stay on subject
Welcome to the site! There's a lot of great information here that will help you build your first saber. The members here are very helpful. Just read through the posts in LDM's signature to get started. I just finished building my first MHS saber and I found answers to all of my questions from using the search function on this site.
Have fun and take your time building it. It's a very rewarding venture. Good luck and I can't wait to see your first build!:)
thanx again. I'm on the quest now.
hey we ALL know how family is, it great to have you here and stop by to check on the new developments.. that said i think a star wars theme is awesome for a baby
~dave
We don't ALL know what it's like to have our own families though. Some of us here never had children.
Like me.
hey guys I have another question. Ihave this old hasboro obi wan light saber with the sound card and the shock drive with speaker all intact. this may be dumb but Ithink it will work with a lux 3 right? I mean all I,ll need is the lux 3 and a heat sink and blade right? I,ve been lookin on the boards but maybe I just haven't found the right thread yet.
Red 5 standing byQuote:
Originally Posted by dvader5655
HAHA yeah j-loreen is correct not all of us have kids(or want kids.. damn they go from potty trained to potty mouth these days.. is it just me or are kids bad these days??).. lol
now if i have your question correct then you have a hasbro obi FX lightsaber(NOT the cheap plastic toy saber from walmart) that originally has a fixxed blade and ALL metal hilt about 45" total length, 1" blade, movie sounds, takes 3aa or aaa batteries im not sure on that model but takes 3 of them<-----
If thats the correct one then Yes you can convert it to LED, still using the stock on/off switch AND use the sound board to drive(run) the LED.. it will remain identical to its original replica appearance with the addition of a blade screw. heres a link to what i THINK your trying to do
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ead.php?t=5729
*hint always check the pictures to confirm you have the saber the conversion tut is about*
ok i was thinking and since im not sure ill post this link for you incase it is the toy hasbro saber your talking about, this is a conversion where you use the toy soundboard to drive an LED its very good tut about using the cheaper version soundcards. i hope one of the two posts helped you, keep us posted
~dave
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...hlight=economy
Now, we can't have that can we? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Invisas1979
Ok. thanx. I have the plastic toy hasboro Obi wan. But I think its the one with force feed back. It has a motor that actuates when hit. and makes the blade shimmer of and on. can I still use the it? or should I scrap the idea. I also have the Yoda plastic hasboro one that talks. how about that one? and then I have the vader MR FX replica but the leds are still intact so I was plannig to use it for display in my boys room.
Sorry, not sure what you mean by "Using the it".
the sound card. I was hoping Icould use the guts from the toy saber to make a led saber but from the previous posts I may not be able to use the guts because it has a force feel actuating moter and a shimmer off and on effect.or can i just use the card itself. If not i'll scrap the idea and get a sound card and be done with it.
I can tell your mind is working(hehe), lets see if i can help ya out!!
Well i think what would be best for you is to leave the MR FX vader in the boys room especially if theres nothing wrong with it. ditch the rest of them. re-read that "hasbro economy sound" thread those are dirt cheap and supposedly nearly as good as he FX boards(maybe need to get one of tims tcss speakers). so id look for one of those and set out to build something of my own personal design, unfortunatly i have never used any of the ones you are talking about so i dont feel safe saying what can and cannot be done with them. Rhyen is the BEST guy to ask, go on and post in his thread and include pictures so he gets a look at what your looking at doing then make something sweet off the mhs builder. you wont be disappointed, i assure you
~dave
p.s. The guys who think that mhs builds are common id like to say that mathmatically in the joe jedi (master replica FX construction kit) it states that there are over 1000 possibilities.. and theres only 3 of each piece.. tim has WAYYYY more then 3 of each to choose from meaning there are a few thousand(maybe 3500 or MORE) seperate saber solutions.. you can definatly do something all your own
Dude. you rock. I'll do that. I'm thinkin about ditchin the whole idea and goin straight for a fx board. its gonna take more time but I think it'll be worth the wait. but I can allways use the hasboro guts to build a baby(padawan) saber for my boy. I think thats my route. thanx. i'll post pics after I get my parts that I order.
we all look forward to your progress on your project and hehe ty for your praise :)
you should be able to find a broken saber on ebay for relatively inexpensive they come up every so often and 97% of the broken ones have led's that are bad or a crease in the blade so you can almost always salvage the board or do a conversion on them which is really much easier then you might think... hardest one ive done was a rotj rest are very very easy(although ive never done yoda yet but the tut looks simple) and tim/stryder(owner tcss) sells conversion kits for most(if not all) of the mr/hasbro sabers they include the heatsink so you just buy the actual LED, led holder, and lens(collimiter) then you wire it to the FX board easy huh. Still uses the same switch, battery pack/speaker its very sweet.. and DEFINATLY displayable.
~dave
I got another question. I just bought a piece of aluminum tubeing. what are the thread dimensions for blade holders and pommels. I need to know so I can machine the tubing. also the tubing is 1.25 inner diamater.schedule 40x20 with plenty of meat for threading. thats why I need to know. I can't find the dimensions any where. hopefully this tubing will work or I'll have to make an adapter or flange.
Not all kids are bad!lol I mean building sabers keeps me out of ANY trouble. Anyways...To tell you the truth it wounld be easer to just use two adapters... IMO that is...get those then. drill 2 holes at the bottom one on each side (for the pommel) and at the top(blade holder) do the same thing. then screw on your peaces!:eek: btw you could still use that obi board.... http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...read.php?t=372 There is an obi board in there somewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by dgdve
1.25" tubing is too small of an OD to thread for MHS parts. That size tubing would fit inside MHS parts.
What kind of clip are you referring to? I was planning on hot glueing mine in. You don't mean like the covertec clip do you? I thought that was for like a belt clip on system.Quote:
Originally Posted by Invisas1979
the c-clips or o-rings will hold the pommel inserts in place. (although you could use hot glue...not much though.) here ya go;)- http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/MPS-Clip--P72.aspx