Most even blade poll

[mihunai]

This poll is for future reference to get a view of the blade type people use most
or prefer for an EVEN blade, so no core effect and minimal base flare.
These do not take into account brightness of the blade or the quantity of the used materials,
just the diffusion method itself.

mTm

[Crystal Chambers]

When you say "even" you mean base to tip right? As apposed to core to edge.

[Novastar]

This is a good idea... but I think it's a bit problematic.

"Even" doesn't imply getting the most vibrance/brightness out of the saber. You can get quite an "even" amount of light overall from a saber/blade setup... while sort of "killing" the overall vibrance.

So far in my experience in trying:

* poly-propylene (gift wrap)
* poly-pro + heavy usage (meaning effectively: sanding!!)
* poly-pro + Corbin (I think I did 1 or 2 wraps for the testing)
* poly-pro... LOTS--like using TONS of wraps (thick overall wrapping)
* poly-pro... little--like using a scarce amount of wraps
* Standard TCSS single-material diffuser (milky white one, obviously)
* an "Ultraedge" blade (I only had one to try)
* MR standard diffusers... and the 616 variants
* MR diffusers with an augmented(?) mirror tip
* some other idiotics experiments that failed miserably...

I will PERSONALLY say that poly-propylene alone is my preference... for BOTH brightness + evenness.

Again... this is my personal opinion. I can assure you that it is neither "wrong" nor "correct"... it is what it is.

Besides... there are many factors into "filling the tube with light", which all get back to the multiple factors playing in:

~ LED type, fwd voltage, desired current of LED... "overdriving" too!
~ Blade length, mirrored tip, blade OD, blade ID
~ Optical solution (reflector, collimator, and is it the "best" for the job)
~ Battery solution, driver... are we providing what we need for the LED
~ Ambient light... wavelengths similar to LED?? Enhancing it?? Not??

But... despite all of these factors... yeah, I'd say poly-pro + ______ will yield fairly positive results. IN MY OPINION.

[Crystal Chambers]

I've experimented with ...

- poly...4 and 8 feet
- corbin film 2 and 4 wraps
- TCSS diffuser tube
...and nearly every combo.

I do like core and solid blades but go either way depending on what I think will suit the saber.

Maybe it's the tightness of my wrap but I found polyprop alone looked different on different angles and this bothered me, personally. So I got offended and kicked the snot out of my saber..lol

Also maybe it's just me but it seems various LEDs types and colours react differently to various blade diffusion methods.

[psab keel]

I personally prefer Nylon blades with a solid wrap of clear diffusion film to have the light come all the way to the edge and allow for the whole tube to be evenly lit. With a well driven LED the effect can be quite impressive.

[Crystal Chambers]

Wow that's confusing. Either you know something I don't or you're using the wrong terms.

the TCSS diffuser tube is nylon...but I've never heard of a nylon blade.

I've seen diffusion tubes, corbin film(not clear), and poly-propylene (giftwrap) that is clear but what does a "solid wrap" mean?

Diffusion tubes/film will fill a tube with light, possibly hilt to tip if done right, but only sanding will really bring it to the edge.

[cardcollector]

Whether you use thickwalled blades or not can make a huge difference too.

I like thin-walls because they are brighter and more even IMO.

[psab keel]

I use 1/16th Wall 1 inch O.D. Nylon tubing with my own special diffusion film. It does the same thing that cellophane does when you roll about 3-4 feet inside a tube. It evens the glow down the length of the tube.

Essentially it's an X-WingBand Style blade but without the Corbin film and substitutes the cellophane (polypropelyne) with my own diffusion film (for the same effect.)

Hopefully that makes more sense. haha

Psab

[acerocket]

Here is a picture of a nylon blade. 7/8" od x 1/16" wall with 3' wrap of cellophane gift wrap and a double wrap of Corbin blade film inside that.






I don't know if I would bother with the Corbin wrap next time I do a nylon blade. It really didn't add that much to the blade in my opinion. But at the time I made these, there was no place you could get 7/8" clear polycarbonate so i tried the nylon. It gives a very good diffusion of light along the entire blade.

[Lord Maul]

When I stop being lazy (and get a LARGE chunk of free time) I will be completing my LED Blade Comparison Pictures. I have all of the blades and the saber ready to go, just need to set aside some time.

In my experience, white blades are most even, but I like Erv style for reds.