Fluorescent saber

[iamdrake]

It would probably start flaking off the cellophane as soon as you roll it up.

Couldn't you just roll it when it was still tacky in the drying stage?

[Jedi-Loreen]

Have you made your own blades or put clear gift wrap inside any? You have to roll it around a dowel, so it's smaller than the ID of the blade, slide it in and unroll it to fit up against the inside wall of the blade tube and slide out the dowel and sometimes tap it on the floor to get it to seat evenly. How is that not going to disturb your carefully applied layer of phosphorus?

I'm not trying to poo-pooh the idea, I'd like to see someone try it. I'm just being a realist and bringing up problems that are likely to occur.

[KuroChou]

it really is an excellent point. If I were to apply the powder directly to the blade, I would hope to not need the diffusion, since the ENTIRE blade IS the light source (and I would imagine it would end up looking something like the trans-white blades).
Otherwise, I think static cling would hold it just fine, if applied to the cello instead of the blade.

An alternative I originally thought of when I was looking for materials to possibly make this happen, was to just use fluorescent cello to begin with.

[jgunn]

Perhaps you can suspend the powder in a liquid substance (like a shellac or polyurethane) and run it down the inside of the tube to coat. You can coat the entire inside surface evenly, and after it dries, since it's embedded in a hard coating, it should not flake.

-Jeff

[iamdrake]

Have you made your own blades or put clear gift wrap inside any? You have to roll it around a dowel, so it's smaller than the ID of the blade, slide it in and unroll it to fit up against the inside wall of the blade tube and slide out the dowel and sometimes tap it on the floor to get it to seat evenly. How is that not going to disturb your carefully applied layer of phosphorus?

I'm not trying to poo-pooh the idea, I'd like to see someone try it. I'm just being a realist and bringing up problems that are likely to occur.

oh... I am just going to sit over there and remain quiet now... how does that saying go... better to be quiet and thought a fool than to type and prove that you are one.

[KuroChou]

The only problem with using a hard drying vehicle for the powder, is that the blades flex, and eventually it would chip off just as easily as it would on the cello. It would work fine if you could find a paint or glue that dries soft or tacky. I actually think gem-tac would work fine. It's a little like elmers glue, but it never sets up completely. It's meant for applying rhinestones to fabric.

[vargose]

Wouldn't any white tube react to UV. Like PEX, the TCSS diffuser, or the white ploy carbonate. Like a white t-shirt under a black light.

[KuroChou]

Potentially, though it wouldn't be as bright as specifically made fluorescing compounds, assuming it did in the first place.
Not all white things glow.

[equinox13]

every time i look at this thread i'm reminded of a story about some kids that found some fluorescent bulbs in a dumpster and started smashing them together and on each other...

[Treach]

Have you prototyped yet? You'll need to take a few things into consideration:
1: Lumens of lightsourse
2: Length of blade -vs- *of focus for refraction
3: Grams of powder and amount of loss when applied to liquid adhesive/suspension.

IMO you might have a hard time getting the result your are trying to achieve without a secondary rigid tube inside your blade. A smaller diameter non diffused poly with the UV powder on the outside and then your main blade over it could potentially give you the result you want and eliminate any health hazard if/when the main blade cracks/breaks.