MHS LED kit tutorial (resistor variant)
Cutaway view
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sa...asicledmhs.jpg
- Dark blue = LED mount/heatsink
- Dark green = LED
- Light blue = Lens holder
- Yellow = Lens
- Purple = Push on/off switch
- Orange = 2.2ohm 5W Resistor
- Lime = 4AAA battery holder
- Pink = Screw on end cap
- Red = Screw on blade holder
- Black = Hilt tube
You can use the MHS builder to design your saber. Here's an instructional video on how to use it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm_-BQb_-eY
This tutorial shows how to build a saber using the MHS kit. The wiring shown is if you where to set it up for quick changing the LED so if you are not doing it this way just replace the quick connector with solid wires.
There is also a video for this. It is shown using different parts, but the idea is still the same.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s322OZ6GEtE
First thing to do is lay out all of the parts you will use.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3014.jpg
Find the LED, heatsink, nylon screws, and the quick change kit (if you are using it). Mount the LED onto the heatsink. Be sure the lens holder fits onto the LED properly before you screw it down. Cut the quick change in half. Strip the wires off of the male connect and then tin the leads. See here for more on tinning.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3015.jpg
Now take your soldering iron and solder the leads onto the LED. Notice that on the quick connect, one wire has a gray stripe down it. Use this for the negative (-) pad. You shouldn't need any additional solder if you pre tinned your wires. Here is what you should get.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3016.jpg
Set the LED unit aside. Find the switch and the battery pack. Cut down one switch lead and strip/tin the wire. Take the positive (red) lead of the battery pack. Strip and tin it as well. Now cut about a half inch of heatshrink tubing. Slide it onto the red battery pack wire. Do not solder before putting this piece on! Here is what you should have right before soldering.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3018.jpg
Go ahead and solder the wires now. You should not need any more solder as long as you tinned your leads. Tug-test the wires before heatshrinking. This ensures that you have made a good connection. Once that is done, shrink down the heatshrink with a lighter or a heat gun. This is what you should have.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3019.jpg
Now find the female quick connect. This can get a bit tricky. Some of the quick connects have the wires reversed. What I mean, is that the gray striped wire will lead to the solid wire. Here is how you find out. Connect the quick connect, and if the gray leads do match up, you are going to do this step with the solid black female lead. If your gray leads do NOT match up, solder with the gray lead for this step.
Take the quick connect and strip/tin the positive lead. Take the other switch wire, strip and tin it as well. Slide your heatshrink tubing (about 1/2") onto the switch wire. Solder the wires, and then heatshrink the connection. Here is a picture right before soldering.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3020.jpg
Find the resistor that came with your electronics kit. Cut down both of the leads of it so that they are about half an inch. Tin them both. You will get something like this.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3021.jpg
Take the lead from your female quick disconnect. Strip and tin it. Cut enough heatshrink to cover the whole joint, it will take a lot more than a normal solder connection. Solder the leads together. You will get this. Don't forget to shrink the heatshrink!
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3022.jpg
Now find the negative battery pack lead (it will be black). Strip and tin it. Slide heatshrink it onto the wire and then solder it to the other side of the resistor. You will get something like this.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3023.jpg
This is a picture of the completed wiring.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3024.jpg
Now is a good time to test your wiring. Put in batteries and fire it up.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3025.jpg
Time for final assembly! This will vary depending on the saber layout. This is how it worked for my saber.
First, I put in the switch. The battery pack and resistor will go in a ribbed grip section.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3027.jpg
This picture didn't turn out too well. It is looking down the ribbed grip once everything but the LED is in the hilt.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3028.jpg
Connect the LED to the quick disconnect and slide it down into the hilt.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3029.jpg
Put the lens into the lens holder and pop the entire unit onto the LED. Make sure to line up the little pegs with the holes in the LED star.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3030.jpg
Tap a blade screw hole for your blade holder. Use this tutorial, or the service in the store. Screw on the emitter. This is a shot looking down the blade holder.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3031.jpg
Put in a blade. Congragulations, you have made your first lightsaber!
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3032.jpg
NOTE: The 7" hilt section and the ribbed grip had custom machining done on them.
Tim
The Custom Saber Shop
