Okay!!! Here we go!

[J-door8]

Guess I'll have to get better at it then... Better at soldering all around. Actually how do you sugges I just practice soldering? Buy wire cut it apart and then just practice soldering it back together?

[Johannes Huber]

Don't get discouraged. I had to rebuild the electronics on the second saber I built 4 times to make everything work (outside the saber was easy, inside the saber, with much less room, not so much) but in the end I was pleased with it. Good thing Nano-biscotti boards are incredibly tough. FJK is right: Practice and patience... The whole "...don't think your lightsaber is a project to be put together in a couple of hours..." Luke Skywalker qoute from one of the Star Wars books (I forget which...). First one I built took me 8 months of reading, experimenting and practicing soldering on cheap circuit bread boards, second one 5 months, 3rd one 3 months and I'm wanting to take as much time as it takes on #4. Keep at it, when it finally meets your expectations it will all be worth it.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Guess I'll have to get better at it then... Better at soldering all around. Actually how do you sugges I just practice soldering? Buy wire cut it apart and then just practice soldering it back together?

There are many things you could do, you would need to practice soldering wire to boards if you ever decide to do sound, if you can get your hands on some old circuit boards and wire that would be a good place to start. Also, finding soldering videos on youtube are helpful, I know that several were made from people in the lightsaber community. Search you must and you should find what you seek.

[WookieeGunner]

You can buy practice kits such as http://www.makershed.com/product_p/mkel2.htm

[J-door8]

I'll start watching more soldering videos then! I appreciate all the help and encouragement and stuff I really want to keep at it, it was just a sort of rude awakening haha I guess I had it coming to be honest.. Here's the pictures of what I got if they don't upload this way I'll have to figure something else out because this is all being done from my phone ATM.


http://s968.photobucket.com/user/j-d...5b794.jpg.html

[Silver Serpent]

Here's the one I used when I started out here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOdnGUMi7lQ It's done by erv of PlecterLabs, the same guy who designed all the sound boards here at TCSS.

[J-door8]

How good/bad of an idea is it to buy everything from TCSS pre-wired? Realistically speaking, how much soldering can I -not- do, next time I go to build a saber? If/When I give it another go I kinda just want to gut my first one and re-do the inside, this time with a chassis holding everything in place and with sound etc etc. How much soldering can I get away with not doing?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

How good/bad of an idea is it to buy everything from TCSS pre-wired? Realistically speaking, how much soldering can I -not- do, next time I go to build a saber? If/When I give it another go I kinda just want to gut my first one and re-do the inside, this time with a chassis holding everything in place and with sound etc etc. How much soldering can I get away with not doing?

That all depends on you. Tim is adding more pre-wried options, but you would still have to do some soldering. If you are going to continue in this hobby, and do more advanced builds, decent soldering skills are essential.

[J-door8]

That all depends on you. Tim is adding more pre-wried options, but you would still have to do some soldering. If you are going to continue in this hobby, and do more advanced builds, decent soldering skills are essential.

I have read in a few threads that those jst connectors fill up space in the hilt fairly quickly, would that be much of an issue for me if I'm just getting the NB soundboard?

Also, I understand that I will need those soldering skills I just don't want the fact that I can't solder well to hold me back... I would like to start out doing as little as possible and as I get more comfortable kinda ease into it..

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

The JSTs will take up room, especially the more you use. If you are using a NB, and leave yourself enough room and/or do a good job at planning and designing your hilt to make installations easy on yourself.