Getting Ready to Make my First Built Saber

[LizardJedi]

Its not my first saber, but its my first time making my own. So I want to be perfectly sure I get everything right the first time, so I dont buy way more stuff then what I need, or not buy the right stuff, or leave something out, and have to send in more orders.

I took a pic from the MHS builder, and did some... digital modifications to include tenetive paint schemes, but more importantly, the wireing.



So as you can see, I want the sound and the LED to be independent. Sound is cool, but sometimes, you just want the light (From being at Comic-Con, with MR selling stuff, and all of the kids playing with them, turning the sabers on/off/on/off/on/off, it gets annoying)
Ideally, I would want it to be that the sound board would be powered on, then when I turn the LED on, it would make the ignition sound. Since I can't figure that out, I'm pretty sure the way its set up there would mean when I hit the Sound power, it would make the ignition sound, and when I hit the LED power, it would light up.

Then there is the problem of fitting 2 battey packs. Ick.

So.. am I on the right track wireing wise? Should I accept defeat, and just wire the LED and Sound in parallel? If I do that, would it be feasible to put a quick connector between the sound board and the speaker, so I can disconnect the speaker if I don't want sound?


OK now a toatally differn't question:
Lenses. I presume these are necessery to aim the light up the blade, so more light goes in the blade. Theres two kinds, a 5deg and a 10deg. My guess in the differene between the two is the smaller one aims the light so it looks more linearly (like, cored?) and the wider one lets the light go more uniformly thoughout the blade? This whole part is kind of confusing for me [xx(]

Anyway, any help, even if its "Dude, you toatally got this wrong" is appreaceated.

[Do-Clo]

Your layout looks good and will work fine. On the lens for the led it is a mater of choice as there is little diffence betweeen the two, some prefer the 10 deg others like the 5 deg, either will work fine.


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[Firebird21]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by LizardJedi

...Ideally, I would want it to be that the sound board would be powered on, then when I turn the LED on, it would make the ignition sound. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">


If I understand you correctly, you just want to be able to use the saber with out sound when you don't want it... A Mute button.


If that's the case I would mount the "Sound Switch" between the "LED Switch" and the Sound Board.

With this setup you can leave the Sound switch in the On position when you want sound, and it will work WITH the ignition of the LED because the LED switch would also power the Sound Switch.

When you don't want sound, shut the Sound Switch off and it will act like a Mute button.


If you need a better explanation I could draw up a diagram, but I can't promise it will be any clearer.

Edit: Or you could just put the switch in line of one of the speaker leads too... It would probably be better.



And one other thing... I wouldn't put the Sound Switch in that location. (unless that's just for diagram purposes) You will hit it all the time when using it. I would suggest possibly a pommel switch, or another one up near the LED Switch.


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[xwingband]

I know this is tenative BUT...

You don't need two power supplies. You are shooting yourself in the foot. Seperate switches is fine to achieve what you want. Parallel them and instead of a DPDT or SPDT you can just have plain old on/off switches.[]

I'd have to think about it but I'm sure you could set it up so that the sound only comes up when you turn the LED on too, yet the LED can be turned on alone. Would you be interested in that?

On lenses... it doesn't matter really. Ultra said he use 10 degrees because it makes a better flashlight, lol.[]

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[darthdan]

I believe this would work, just put a simple on/off switch between the power supply and sound board.(http://corbinscomponents.com/w/W-FXSoundBasic.jpg)

[xwingband]

Yeah, it's even more simple though just split the DPDT he has shown to two seperate switches. Adding one on the battery leads to the MR board wouldn't be the idea I was thinking of though.

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[james3]

It may just be me and the others will say I am smokin' crack but I have found that I like different lenses for different colors.

Ultra's idea of using a 10 degree so you have a backup flashlight is very sound as I have used it to spot bats, thumbscrews and other neat things at night. I like to use the 10 degree on the blues and greens and I use the 5 degree on reds and whites. The difference is minimal at best but it seems that you get a tad more light up the blade with the 5 degree lenses. like I said, it may just be me because the 10 looks better with the Royal Blue and Green hands down. I used to be the first one to say it doesn't matter and really it doesn't.

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[Firebird21]

With this setup it will shut off all power to the Sound Board when you don't want sound, which will save battery power because the S.B. will not be powered when you're using it with out sound, thus conserving energy.

If you put it in line with the Speaker, as mentioned before, the S.B. will still consume power when not in use, sucking up battery power. Maybe not a lot, but it will.


Edit & FYI: The MR FX Sound Board will power the LED. So unless you're looking to get the Shimmering effects, Clash flash, and such of Corbin's board, you don't need it.

If you do use just the S.B., put the Mute Switch in-line with the speaker and ignore the diagram.


Not that I'm trying to talk you out of getting it, (I think you should) but I adds a level of difficulty to your build and I'd hate to see you get pi'ved once you've ordered it, possibly get aggravated with the installation (depending on your ability) only to find out you didn't need it to begin with... And then never coming back.


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[Jedi-Loreen]

<font size="3"><font color="purple">I was thinking about doing the same kind of set up. I already have the parts, though I have a Mace sound board and have to figure out how to make that work, since it runs on 6 batteries. Ultra says it can be done with 4.</font id="purple"></font id="size3">


In order to see the Light, you must sometimes risk the Dark.

[LizardJedi]

Sweet. Thanks for the responses.

Firebird, that edited diagram looks like what I'll do. I'm glad I don't need to cram 2 battery packs.

Again, thanks for the help, I'll keep this in mind.

Also hope this answered the questions of other people that wanted to do this (Lori [] )