first parts list...

[desert jedi]

Ok, getting ready to buy the parts for my first saber, want to know if I'm missing anything. I have spent the last 2 weeks going through the forums looking up info, so hopefully I have figured out what I need...

HILT...
pommel #3 v.2
pomel insert #6
main body #2 guarded switch
ribbed extension
blade holder #16 (pre-drilled & tapped for retention screw)

ELECTRONICS...
SPST guarded switch (not illuminated)
LED Rebel or P4 green
LuxIII lens holder
5 degree lens
4AAA battery pack
QD wire for LED
heatshrink tubing
buckpuck (4 wire) either 700Ma or 1000Ma depending on LED choice)
*note: I will be adding a MR soundboard sometime in the future, but I can rewire later

BLADE...
Ultrasabers UltraEdge (will sand to fit if necessary)

Once I get the saber built and working, I'll worry about adding extras like a D-ring. Do I have all the parts I need here? Also, any advantage between Rebel and P4 LED's on power usage? Volts seem to be close, but the P4 is listed at 1000Ma verses the Rebel at 700Ma. All of the comparisons I have seen on brightness seem to place them about equal (at least with green).

[Jedi-Loreen]

Make sure you order a latching switch, you did not say which SPST switch you were ordering.

What method are you going to use to hold in your pommel insert, since I don't see the MPS clip on your list?

[Jay-gon Jinn]

You should have plenty of room in that saber for the 4-AA battery holder, if you'd like to increase your run time.

[desert jedi]

Make sure you order a latching switch, you did not say which SPST switch you were ordering.

What method are you going to use to hold in your pommel insert, since I don't see the MPS clip on your list?

Thanks for catching that about the clip for the insert. I actually had it listed on my parts list, but missed it when I was recopying to the post. The switch choice is still up in the air, but I was looking at the SPST Latching Guarded switch with blue button. I personally like the illuminated switches better, but since this is my first saber build, I wanted to keep it a bit simpler. Honestly, I don't know as much about the switch choices than I do the other components...a couple of weeks ago I stumbled across a thread that discussed the differences in switch types, but after the better part of a day searching, I cannot relocate the thread. Any idea where to find it?

[desert jedi]

You should have plenty of room in that saber for the 4-AA battery holder, if you'd like to increase your run time.

Thanks for the advice...I'll upgrade to a 4AA holder since I now know it will fit. I guess I was just hedging a bit for space with the 4AAA unit.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Thanks for the advice...I'll upgrade to a 4AA holder since I now know it will fit. I guess I was just hedging a bit for space with the 4AAA unit.

The parts you have listed there will build a saber about the same length as this one I built back in December, and it had plenty of room for the 4-AA battery holder and the wiring for it:

[je-rel drood]

Geez Jay, your sabers make me cry...

Or at least get all squeaky. That's one beautiful saber...

and to keep this on topic, I'm glad that I'm reading this. The more I look at "my first saber" threads the more I want to start one of my own.

[desert jedi]

Ok, ordered parts today...I'll post pics of the build in the MHS section...thanks for the advice everyone. I did make one other modification to my list...ordered a 700 mA buckpuck instead of the 1000 mA version. I did this because I wanted to be able to swap the LED/heatsink assembly for one with a different color (both wired with QD's), and I had to find led's that had similar target mA ratings. Originally I wanted a Seoul P4 green (1000 mA) and a Seoul P4 red (800 mA), so I ditched the P4 green and got a Rebel green instead (700 mA). Now both choices are similar and can both be driven by a 700 mA buckpuck without over/underdriving issues.

[FenderBender]

Bad choice. Should have done more reading. The P4 green/red/Rebel of any color all run optimally and at their brightest at 1A. Overdriving would be anything over 1A.

[desert jedi]

well most of the information I was able to find in the forums indicated that you were supposed to try to match the mA of the driver as closely as possible to the target mA of the LED. Info like that may be easy to locate if you know what you are looking for, or readily available if you actually know your way around electronics. In any case, the 1000 mA buckpucks were out of stock, so if all this means is that I have to source one from somewhere else, all it costs me is time. This is my first attempt at making a saber, and doing my own electronics, so maybe a congrats for getting most everything else right would have been a bit better than using "bad choice" as your first comment...but that's just me.