MHS Padawan Sabers

MHS Consular & Guardian Padawan Sabers

These are intended for munchkin use, so the primary goals here are durability and brightness.

STATUS: COMPLETED

http://orig10.deviantart.net/a83b/f/...ot-dabtg2g.jpg


THE DRAWING BOARD
http://orig04.deviantart.net/5b35/f/...ot-da9d4lp.jpg

• Both sabers will get the same hilt style as they are mean to be "training sabers", and 30" TransWhtie Battle Blades.
• Both sabers will get Nano Biscotte v3, Tri Cree Stars, bass speakers, lighted 12mm AV switches, and 18650 3.7v rechargeable batteries (w/ recharge port). I'll hide them between the speaker and the pommel and stick with the default recessed switch holes that come with the main bodies.
• Both chassis will be comprised of the LED Module v3 and Speaker Mount v6 (sled).
• Both sabers will be loaded with SHOTO and YOUNGLING sound fonts. (both fonts by Madcow)

Consular Specifics
Tri Cree Setup: Green/Green for the blade (0.47ohm/0.5w resistors), and White as a dedicated FoC (0.5ohm/3w resistor)
Green Ring 12mm AV Switch - DynaOhm resistor

Guardian Specifics
Tri Cree Setup: Blue/Blue for the blade (0.47ohm/0.5w resistors), and White as a dedicated FoC (0.5ohm/3w resistor)
Blue Ring 12mm AV Switch - DynaOhm resistor

HILT DESIGN NOTES
If more blade holders come into stock while I'm waiting for my budget window I will give each of their own style. Not quite sure what I'm doing for blade retention screws just yet. I'm leaning towards low profile set screws (like I used on Torch), but doing two or three of them to maximize their hold strength. If you have any thoughts on this please share them.

I'd personally recommend using a tri-cree from the store instead of going the quad-rebel route. Cree's are more efficient, brighter, can be driven harder, and by dropping from 3 to 2 main LEDs you'd gain some battery runtime.

By Munchkin you mean what age?

12.5" might be long for say 10 yrs or younger. But with 30" blades I am assuming they will be hi-teen age group.

NB V4...did you see an announcement that I missed?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sgcdialler

I'd personally recommend using a tri-cree from the store instead of going the quad-rebel route. Cree's are more efficient, brighter, can be driven harder, and by dropping from 3 to 2 main LEDs you'd gain some battery runtime.

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These are all fair points! Mostly I want to do a couple Quad builds just for the experience, but I am curious to see a mathematical comparison. I'll dig up how to calculate lumens and report back.

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Originally Posted by girot

These are all fair points! Mostly I want to do a couple Quad builds just for the experience, but I am curious to see a mathematical comparison. I'll dig up how to calculate lumens and report back.

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Well, when you see the result, don't say we didn't try to warn you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FenixFire

By Munchkin you mean what age?

12.5" might be long for say 10 yrs or younger. But with 30" blades I am assuming they will be hi-teen age group.

NB V4...did you see an announcement that I missed?

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NB v3, sorry. My brain keeps auto correcting that to match the PC and PRIZM versions, lol.

One is 12 and the other is 8, but the littler one is going home at the end of the summer. The length of the hilt is okay at 12.5". I don't really count the pommel and with extensions out of stock the choke is really my only option to keep the saber from getting boring. Ultimately though, I can ditch the chokes later if I need to. That's the magic of MHS!

So what's the rule on overall length for kid sabers? I'll happily shorten the blades to whatever is appropriate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Forgetful Jedi Knight

Well, when you see the result, don't say we didn't try to warn you.

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No worries! That's the beauty of MHS. I can always just swap out for Tri-Cree modules at the end of the day.

Updated Hilt Concept

http://orig07.deviantart.net/e570/f/...ot-da9egmb.jpg

I was able to shave off about 3" off the overall length of the hilt and can still fit everything inside. The black section represents the Speaker Mount V6 sled (about 5" long). I put in the recharge port to see if it'll still fit, and it looks like it might. I will also need to find out if I can request that the switch hole option for the main body can be modified to move the hole up a bit.

EDIT: I used the low profile pommels to represent Trim Rings. Also, it seems the recommended overall length for a "short saber" is about 26". The shortest blade in the store (which is PLENTY short) is 24". Overall length is going to be 33".

UPDATE: I looked around the other boards at comparison threads and the Tri Cree setup remains the brightest option. It'll also cut the cost practically in half. I've updated the OP appropriately.

That looks much better. Also per Star Wars lore...Jedi Initiates Padawan Sabers never had chokes on them...it just makes them to long. And glad you shortened it....because the 8 an 12 year old's would be banging the tip of the blade on the ground...and i'm sure you would cringe ever time one went plowing with it...lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by girot

Updated Hilt Concept

http://orig07.deviantart.net/e570/f/...ot-da9egmb.jpg.

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I really like that use of that blade holder actually, especially with those representational trim rings!

I'm going with 12mm switches instead of 16mm to help trim down cost. That and to accommodate little fingers, lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Forgetful Jedi Knight

Well, when you see the result, don't say we didn't try to warn you.

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But the joy is the same place that sells the quad rebel will make custom quads with Crees on the star! Just have to call the very eager sales rep.

You would be surprised what just calling and asking will get you. I got a full 4'x8' sheet of 1/4" kydex shipped to me for free once because I told the sales person on the phone I was a product designer working on an adjustable ckeek piece for a precision rifle. Was hoping for a 12"x12" sample. Ended up making almost $800 worth of profit off the custom knife sheaths, cheek rests and concealed carry holsters I made from it.

Been doing some more reading and I have a better plan for the LEDs...

Green/Green/Amber (obsessed with lime atm) and RBlue/RBlue/Blue (unless I can get cyan). Run the odd man out at reduced power during normal operation and then FoC will drive it to full. That'll give the kids the visual component they love without washing out the color and making the most of a tri-led setup.

I got luck and found a few MHS parts for sale via facebook. I'll be able to get a little variety in the hilts now.

Got everything else I needed on order last night. I'm hoping that it arrives with enough time left for assembly before the littlest padawans has to go home.

I opted to use hilt styles 2 and 3, instead of using the same thing. The pommels and trim rings still match. The Guardian will end up getting BH25, and the Consular BH19. If I'd had more time I'd have gotten some powder coating done, but naked aluminum will do just fine for now.

Decided to stick to current standard for the LEDs: GGW and BBW with matching switches. I'll be trying something new for the quick disconnects, if there is room. I was hoping to avoid cramfu this time, but with these short sabers it seems to be unavoidable. The backup plan is to go forward with the chokes if I end up needing the room. Some have suggested I ditch the sleds, but these are for kids and the sled will help protect the electronics far better than the usual chassis.

I'll take WIP picks as I go and share a wiring diagram once I've settled on a configuration. Speaking of which I noted a shortage of decent NBV3 wiring diagrams out there.

Naked...at least a thin layer of clear. Don't want the little ones hands turning black from the Aluminum Oxide build up...mom might not let you continue the training!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by girot

Speaking of which I noted a shortage of decent NBV3 wiring diagrams out there.

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It's basically the same as the v2.

Pretty much. Just ignore the PEX and use a single wire instead of that mess. Still, it'll give me an excuse to play around on photoshop for an afternoon. :D

Updated Concepts

CONSULAR PADAWAN
http://orig15.deviantart.net/7e7c/f/...ot-da9yvjx.jpg


GUARDIAN PADAWAN
http://orig00.deviantart.net/32a6/f/...ot-da9yvjr.jpg

NOTES:
So my brain auto corrected "Will fit in a 5" or longer..." to "This thing is 5" long...". I measured the one I have this morning and it came in at 3.7" total length. This is REALLY good news as the cramfu situation has just all but gone away.

I think that building my own battery packs has to be the most unnerving thing ever. It's like doing surgery on a live hand grenade.

Oh, I've gotten in enough parts to start on one of the electronics packages. I'm a little more out of practice that I remember though and have already (potentially) trashed the bass speaker and did serious damage to the V6 sled. All salvageable, I hope. The speaker is kind of a mystery though as I cannot see how it's wired beyond where the little tabs stick out of the plastic frame. When I was trying to remove old wires from them they sort of... extended a bit. They didn't come out all the way, but they did move. I haven't seen them do that before and heating them up again I was able to push them back in. Well, if I don't get sound I'll know why. Going to order a round of fresh speakers just in case. If all goes well I should have the entire sled wired and wrapped by the end of the night. All I'll need to do next is the AV switch and the emitter and the first saber is ready to go.

THE GOOD NEWS: My 'used' speaker works just fine and the broken V6 sled works just fine, especially since I have to shoe-horn that speaker into it. Once my remaining orders come in (hopefully by wednesday/thursday) I'll be able to knock out both sabers in record time.

THE BAD NEWS: The repaired NB I have on-hand seems to be TOAST. I think it's the positive pad this time, so I can jumper it myself, but won't bother for now. I've got two brand new NB on order from TCSS, along with everything else I need to finish both sabers in an afternoon.

THE BADDER NEWS: I have no idea how to troubleshoot a battery and/or PCB, and I'm pretty sure I shorted mine when I was trying to attach it. I have no idea what the difference between the batteries I'm using now, and the last set I ordered (from the same guy), but I could NOT get solder to stick to these frackers to save my life. I'm putting the one I didn't potentially ruin in a safe place to play with later. The one I did wire up is going in the hazmat bin. I've since sourced some replacements that have soldering tabs pre spot-welded that should be much safer to use. Why don't I just use the TCSS versions? They go loooong periods of out-of-stockness.

Finished both sabers last Friday and they came out great!

LESSON LEARNED
Pay better attention to wiring diagrams. The problem I was having with the previous board was that I had the switch wired up backwards. I got the whole 'pos/neg' thing stuck in my head and was dead set on the fact that the Activation Pad was actually negative and the pos had to go to the board. The correct answer was to wire one side of the switch (doesn't matter which) to the Activation Pad and the other side to the board negative.

Knowing now what I did wrong I feel like a dumb@ss, but hey it's been like six months since my last build. I have thoroughly 'knocked the rust off' and am looking forward to completing my MPP2 and ASP sabers this fall.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by girot

I have no idea what the difference between the batteries I'm using now, and the last set I ordered (from the same guy), but I could NOT get solder to stick to these frackers to save my life. I'm putting the one I didn't potentially ruin in a safe place to play with later. The one I did wire up is going in the hazmat bin. I've since sourced some replacements that have soldering tabs pre spot-welded that should be much safer to use.

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I PMed you the sources I use for pre-tabed.

What was the ballpark cost on each of these?

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Originally Posted by hogiewan

What was the ballpark cost on each of these?

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i would also like to know this!