May the Force be with me. My first saber build

[gerrylum]

Looks awesome! Thanks for this thread - I'm just about to start my first build as well and this will help a lot!

[froggyone]

Thanks for the feedback. I would recommend for your first build is to watch the videos that Madcow has done. They were the on in my shop everyday.

[froggyone]

So I am having an issue with the saber. The aux button stops working and needs to be replaced. I am using black momentary switch (switch20), I am on my third one and have bought them from the shop and a local electronic store and have the same results. I have it hooked to the PC 3.5 at the aux and ground pad (see diagram on 1st page of this post). My guess I goofed something up. Any thoughts?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Does it work once all the electronics are outside the saber?

[froggyone]

No, it all seems fine for awhile then slowly starts to fail. I have thought that it might need to be charged, but after a full charge still happens and than finally stop all together.

[froggyone]

Any good ideas?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Any good ideas?

I can't think of a reason why so many of those switches should fail, unless you are applying too much heat when you are soldering to the switch, or you are not heatshrinking the lugs afterwards and you have a short somewhere. Pics (good high quality close up ones)?

[froggyone]

I am sorry that it has been awhile that I have posted to this thread. Update on the aux button failing. I changed it out a few months ago and not had a problem. I do not know what fixed it but I have goofed around with it, I have even let my 3 year old beat on it and all is well. The Saber shop just restocked the power extender for the PC 3.5 and I will be installing it hopefully in the next few weeks. When I started this build I did not anticipate life stepping in to slow everything down, but I have had a lot of fun building the saber and already have parts for two more builds. For x-mas I got a powder coating kit from Eastwood and plan on adding colors to the new builds. My hopes is that the new builds will be worthy to sell on FX Sabers.

[froggyone]

good morning, have come across a new problem. I just added a Color Xtender and now the red will change to pink on and off. I have red on the channel one on the PC and Blue/Green on the Color Xtender. Any thoughts?