Graflex build with Neopixel blade - need help...

Hey all,

I’m building a Graflex ANH saber with proffieboard v2, Goth’s inner chassis and the 7/8” Graflex Bladeholder Deluxe V2. For the saber I bought the 7/8" Thin walled Trans White PolyC 40" long with foam and tip:
https://www.thecustomsabershop.com/7...long-P700.aspx

Also bought LED strips from TCSS. I built the hilt and saber and when it came time to put the blade into the holder, I found that it doesn’t fit. The blade is apparently slightly bigger than 7/8”. I should have, of course, tried the fit before building anything but I’ve used the graflex bladeholder before with other 7/8” blades (from Vader’s vault) and have never had a problem. I have a 7/8” blade plug that fits perfectly. Has anyone else had this experience?

I can get the blade into the bladeholder about 1/4” and then it just won’t budge. Not sure if I should ask TCSS for a refund. I emailed TCSS and Josh said he wasn’t familiar with this bladeholder and that maybe I should sand the inside of it to make it larger. My inclination is to sand the bottom of the blade instead and make it smaller so it will fit. But I’m not sure that will work.

If anyone has any thoughts/ideas/experience, I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks!
Jake

Jake,

Sometimes, I have found that the butt connector (that holds the pin target neopixel blade connector), will sometimes widen the base of the blade a tad. If the butt cap, the blade end is a tight fit, it will expand a thin wall blade out just a bit wider at the base of the blade. If you have calipers you can measure that.

There are 2 solutions:

1. Sand the OD of the butt cap where it fits into the blade so that it does not expand the blade.
2. Sand the outside of the butt cap and blade at the base where it fits into the socket to remove this small expansion.

Solution 1 is cleaner. Now, did you have any scrap that you cut off to make your blade you can test fit into your blade holder?

Good luck.

Tom