Personal Hilt...finally! Custom hilt, removable chassis, Neopixel, Teensysaber build
This will be my WIP thread for my personal saber. I've been building sabers for over 10 years and I've never kept one for longer than a few months, for the last 2 years I've been in business taking commissions and buildings sabers for others non stop. I have found that lots of people ask me what I like in my own sabers....obviously I can't answer that because I don't have any of my own. So I decided to take some little bits of time here and there and finally design and build something for myself. I also decided to use this as an opportunity to try some new things for the first time. The saber is based on an original character story I'm writing about a Imperial fighter pilot and his untimely call to the force after the Jedi purge and during the rise of the Empire. The saber is meant to be constructed of parts from an old E-11 blaster and his wrecked TIE fighter after making his escape from the Empire.
I wasn't planning to do a WIP thread, but since this one is mine I figured I would share my process a bit. The pics on this first post are just candid snaps I send to my good buddy for review as I do with all my builds. He keeps me sane when I'm lost in self doubt or indecision and I couldn't do what I do without him. Thanks Jason!
I'll take some more detailed pics of the remainder of the process and the install as it happens. Thanks for looking and MTFBWY!
SPECS:
Custom machined 6061 aluminum hilt
Custom machined Delrin inner chassis for Teensy and recharge and another for switches and neopixel accents
Custom machined removable aluminum chassis
Custom made steel belt spring style clip
Teensy V3 with TeensySaber 3.2
WS2812B Neopixels strips X 2
TCSS Neopixel connectors and housings
TCSS 18650 10A battery
Switchcraft 2.1mm Recharge port
Speaker Essentials 24mm speaker
TCSS low profile tactile switches
TCSS 1" trans white thin walled blade stock w/ bullet tip bored out and diffused
TCSS diffuser foam
Lots and lots of diffuser film
https://i.imgur.com/Ybjpmujl.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/EA19ZADl.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/PSVwlL2l.jpg?1
The main components after machining. The hilt, shrouds, control boxes and chassis housing are all machined from 6061 aluminum.
https://i.imgur.com/5VAbMYFl.jpg
After some thought, I didn't like the lower shroud and decided to split it up a bit and give the saber a second choke point on the lower section. This decision would have a bonus side effect later...
https://i.imgur.com/LxJ59XUl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/yD6ttijl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/qiWPDMol.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1h0yXQCl.jpg
It then got it's paint job. I probably jumped the gun a bit, but I'm impatient and knew I wanted a weathered finish so figured I'd go ahead and then allow it weather over the build process as well.
https://i.imgur.com/9yn61jml.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BA5UvBal.jpg
Originally I knew I wanted a control box, so I took the easy road and shaved down a TCSS control box to make it narrower and mocked it up.
https://i.imgur.com/NA2E6Gal.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wXmshjJl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ywdlvz6l.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/0hRZ32Fl.jpg
I then changed my mind and decided to go with a smaller control box, so I made one from scratch using a piece of 1/4" aluminum flat bar. I then milled out a relief in the bottom and added perforated steal and gold mesh for a really cool grill effect. This will eventually be a window to an animated neopixel strip in the chassis. I later added a second smaller box purely for the aesthetic.
https://i.imgur.com/q1OzF6Gl.jpg?1
This is where everything stands right now. I have everything in had and I believe I'm about ready for the install....I will be utilizing a ton of resources made available by members of this community and TRA so thank you both retroactively and in advance to cover my butt both past and present lol.
I'll get some more detailed shots tomorrow when I'm back in the shop.
