EL hilt tutorial

Hilt Construction

The Lowes Special

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...l/hiltcom1.jpg

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...l/hiltcom2.jpg

Items From Lowes

If you cant find the items ask someone to check via the part#

63308 flat washer $0.09
215724 3/4"x1"x2" Bronze sleeve (get steel if they have it) $4.56
136469 3/4"x1"x2" Steel sleeve (used in place of the bronze sleeve) $3.02
213981 8-32x3/8 button head screws 6 for $1.43- Can buy from us for $0.20 each
139432 1-3/8" hole plug chrome $1.39 - Can buy from us for $0.95
115971 1"x3/4" pvc reducer $0.98
75419 push lamp switch $3.98 - Can buy different switch from us for $2.35
24732 1-1/2" chrome sink pipe $3.94 - Can buy from us for $3.87

Items From The Custom Saber Shop

1/4" Mono Jack $1.85
4Khz inverter $10.50
40" EL Blade $60.00

Tools Needed

Drill
Tap
Allen wrench
Soldering iron
Drill Bits

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...iltsupplys.jpg
1. Gather supplies
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...pvcreducer.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...l/reducer2.jpg
2. Take the Pvc reducer and grind down the flange with a dremel/drill/bench grinder etc.. until it fits inside the sink pipe
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...apereducer.jpg
3. Wrap Duct tape around the smaller portion of the reducer until it fits snug inside the sink pipe
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ial/paper1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ial/paper2.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ial/paper3.jpg
4. Cut a piece of paper or cardboard that wraps around the outside of the sink pipe. Fold it in half and draw your design and cut it out. When you unfold it, it should look like the picture on the far right.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...rial/pipe1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...rial/pipe2.jpg
5. Wrap your pattern around tube and mark with a permanent marker.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...orial/cut1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...orial/cut2.jpg
6. Time to grab your Dremel or other cutting tool and cut out your pattern.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...rial/sand1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...rial/sand2.jpg
7. Using your sanding disc or file etc.. smooth out the edges and then remove left over marker lines (brake clean works good for this)
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ial/drill1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ial/drill2.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ial/drill3.jpg
8. Drill 2 holes for the button head screws that will hold the reducer in place. Then insert reducer into pipe and mark through the holes
with a marker so that the marks are in about the same area as in the far right picture.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...al/sleeve1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...al/sleeve2.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...al/sleeve3.jpg
9. Wrap Duct tape around sleeve until it fits snug inside reducer. Using sanding disc or snadpaper etc. sand down the inside of the sleeve until your blade
moves in out out freely. Install washer and then sleeve into reducer, the washer will be sandwiched between the reducer and sleeve. Ignore the fact that I
allready installed the mono jack or you will hit it with the drill bit like I did =)
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...illreducer.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...llreducer2.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...llreducer3.jpg
10. Drill the holes into the reducer going all the way through the reducer and the sleeve. Using a tap thread the holes. Also at this point you can
drill and tap the hole for your set screw or thumb screw that will hold your blade in place.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...l/monojack.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...invertwire.jpg
11. Mount your mono jack onto the washer.Using your soldering iron, install the quick disconnect that came with your inverter to the mono jack, It does not matter which wire goes to which connector assuming you only have
2 connectors on your mono jack. If there are more than 2 you will have to figure out which 2 touch the mono plug. While you got your soldering iron out wire your switch to the inverter, be sure
to cover the wires with heat shrink (comes with inverter). You do not need to use the quick disconnect if you dont want to, you could just wire the mono jack directly to the inverter. At this point
install the blade into your mono jack and then hook up a battery and test your wiring. BE SURE NOT TO APPLY POWER WITH THE BLADE OUT
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...switchhole.jpg
12. This is a good time to drill the hole for your switch. The main thing here is that your switch will not hit the mono jack. So lay the reducer beside the
pipe as it would be sitting inside and use this as a guide for marking where to drill your switch hole.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...tallscrew1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...tallscrew2.jpg
13. Install your jack/washer combo into reducer and reinstall sleeve. Hook all the electronics together and slide into hilt. Using the 2 button head screws, secure the reducer and sleeve in place.
You will want to look down inside sleeve and check if the screws are protruding into where the blade goes. If so just grind/sand them down flush with inside of sleeve.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...tallscrew3.jpg
14. Pull switch through hole and install nut. Your hilt should now look like this.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...rial/foam1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...rial/foam2.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...rial/foam3.jpg
15. In order to keep the battery from bouncing around inside the hilt I like to cut out a piece of foam to hold it in place.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...orial/cap1.jpg http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...orial/cap2.jpg
16. Install blade and then hook up and install battery into hilt. Bend tabs out on cap and install.

17. Your done!! If you want to wear it around just remove battery and then remove blade. Install a Covertec button to the hilt and wear it on your belt using the clip or install one of our D-rings. If you dont want to remove the battery every time you want to wear it you can install inverter protection so that you do not need to worry about blowing it by applying power without blade installed. The following diagrams show 1 way of doing this.

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Hilt wiring w/inverter protection and LED

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...iltwiring2.jpg
Another diagram this one from Jedi-Monkey00