My first build :)

[Gilraen Took]

I'm glad I decided to go simple with it since I've made a few n00b mistakes(like having all of my parts in separate tabs and forgetting/missing the tab with the blade. Oops!), but I still love it! It's just a simple MHS build with the only real customisation being from the o-rings on the hilt(I know some people don't like them, but I don't mind the look) and using a recharge port instead of the battery holder that comes with the diy LED kit. As for my learning process(I soldered it outside work while I was off the clock) this was my first time soldering anything, and I only had wire cutters, not strippers to work with, so actually getting the insulation off of the wires was a bit tricky. I ended up getting distracted at one point and accidentally using one wire instead of two off of the positive side of my recharge port(an easy fix) I also forgot to put the nut onto the wires before I soldered my switch in(oops. . . .) and was lucky that I was pretty heavy handed with my heat shrink, otherwise It likely wouldn't stay in place. I also needed to use a bit of my black wire(aesthetics only though, I suppose.) to hook the LED up to the resistor because I kept ending up with a wire or two missing after I tried to snip off the insulation on the wires(I KNOW we've got a pair of wire strippers at work, the boss just doesn't know where. And I was too cheap to go out and get some before work when I put it together.) and I didn't ended up with barely enough wire(and stretched that bit as far as it could go!) Also, as a result of using the cutters, I ended up stripping a touch too much insulation from the wires when I was putting the LED on, which meant that when I was putting the lens on that it was crimping the wire(I thought I was on the +/- that wouldn't be effected by the holder, that one was my fault. Ah well, learning process and all ) That one took about an hour at Radio Shack(I got my charger there) with me talking to the guys there trying to figure out if it was my charger or my wiring that was wrong(I wasn't sure I'd gotten the correct end for the charger) and I only figured it out because I was making sure I had the LED hooked up while the guy there was using a mutimeter to see if the battery was charging at all and it happened to flip the LED on while I had the holder off, but it wouldn't turn on once I put the lens back. I ended up pulling the wire up some so it wouldn't crimp and am just going to have to be careful to not take it apart(though I shouldn't need to.) I also used the wrong kill plug since I thought the covertec ones could be used to hold the saber on, so I'll need to get a D-ring to hold it on since I can't really drill/tap holes myself(no tools to) I'm glad I didn't go with a soundboard ^^'

Other than that? It works. Quite well! I'm completely satisfied with it!(not to mention the amazing customer service from the store!)


Lights on, LED off.


Lights off, LED on, flash on.


Lights off, LED on, flash off.

Now to just start saving up(and reading a lot more!) so I can learn from my n00b mistakes and have sound in my next one.

[TuxedoCartman]

Congratulations! What sort of blade are you going to go with?

[Gilraen Took]

One of the corbin show blades. I ordered it after I got the first order in and noticed what I was missing, heh.

[brett]

Great first build, nice clean design, and sounds like all went relatively smoothly. There is nothing like turning on your saber and hearing that metallic purr though, so good luck with a build with sound. One suggestion also, is that you could still use the same hilt, or some parts from it. I really like the idea of a saber going through many changes and up grades, rather than just building a new saber every time. All personal preference though!

[Nichos Seastrider]

Nice and simple. I like it.