What kinds of problems have you guys had with your sabers?

[Keledi]

I'm looking into getting a saber or two soon, and I was just wondering what problems you guys have had. I mean, theres the wiring and stuff, but a specific issue I've thought about was does the blade ever come/fly out during dueling? With only the one set screw holding it in, I feel like that may happen and be dangerous. Also, does the set screw ever strip out of the hole? I feel like if you hit the blade right it could strip and come out. Thanks!

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Welcome to the forums!

The blades fit snugly into the blade holders to begin with, so the only way a blade flies out of the blade holder is if you do not tighten the set screw. If you are fairly careful, the set screw shouldn't strip out the hole.

[Silver Serpent]

Using a single blade retention screw is actually more secure than using multiple screws. The screw presses the blade against the other side of the blade holder, and slightly deforms the blade. I can pull VERY hard and not be able to remove my blade while the retention screw is in place.

The screw is unlikely to get stripped unless you're excessively tightening it. You just need to be sure the screw is snug against the blade. Usually the hole gets stripped out rather than the screw itself, since the screw is made of stronger material. You can normally just redrill and retap the hole for a slightly larger screw, and then continue your saber dueling.

A blade flying during combat is very rare unless you're not using a retention screw. Blade TIPS on the other hand, have a tendency to come off during aggressive duels. The frequency of flying tips is related to how hard you're swinging, and how you attached the tips to the blade. If you use Weld-On or some other plastic solvent to attach the tips, then they're less likely to come loose than if you just used Gorilla Glue.

The only other issues are if electronics get banged around inside the saber. Using a chassis system to hold your internal parts in place will minimize damage to sensitive internal components.

[Keledi]

Okay, thanks!

[Keledi]

How often have you had to redrill and retap holes in sabers because of stripping issues?

[Silver Serpent]

Me? Never. I just tighten the screw until it's snug. It doesn't take a lot of force to hold the blade in place. If you make a habit of cranking the screws down very tight, you'll eventually strip out the hole.

[Keledi]

Okay. Thanks so much

[Weaver]

This actually happened to me on my first saber, because of two key errors I made in securing my blade:

1) Overtightening. It seems self-evident, but, being a total newcomer to the hobby, I did not know these screw holes could be stripped by overtightening. I felt like giving it all it could take would make it more secure. It won't. Turn the screw until it comes into contact with the blade, then turn it 1/4 turn more. That's it. No flying blade, no stripped holes.

2) Placement. Where you put your retention screw is very important. I chose the center of the choke on a Blade Holder 16, which does not have enough "meat" to reliably hold a load-bearing piece of hardware. You want to find a place on the blade holder that is thicker. Since moving the retention screw hole to the thickest part of BH16, just below the "lip" on the end of the piece, I have not had any trouble at all with it.

It is also the case that your retention screw does not necessarily need to be very large. I used a 1/4" screw because...well...I simply did not know any better. In retrospect, I could have gone with 3/16", or even 1/8" and been fine. Because of how the screw applies force to the blade, its size is arguably irrelevant.

If you want more security, try this instead of overtightening the screw: Mark where the screw hole sits on the blade, when the blade is in the holder. You can either press into the blade material, use a drill and remove some of the material (a very small amount), or use some other method for making a small divot where that screw sits. When you insert the blade, if the divot is aligned with the screw, it will help prevent slippage. My original blade has a very small divot, but I can still tell that it's holding the blade in place even when the screw is not exactly tight. Naturally, this should not be the primary method for retaining a blade; you should always give your screw a 1/4 turn and make sure it's firmly affixed to the blade holder.

As far as what problems I've had with sabers...well, most of them have been in the design phase. If there are any problems with your design, you will know about them when you begin building the saber. I had to rearrange my internals because the battery pack won't fit under the switches, for example. In both of the sabers I've built, I have planned and designed as well as I could, thought on everything for weeks, and still come up with a few roadblocks. The important thing is to be flexible and be able/willing to correct design flaws as they come up. You should never choose a "quick fix" to a major design flaw; it will cause you problems in the end.