New with some questions

[jovan]

Hey so I'm quite new to this stuff, I really appreciate this tutorial, but I have a few questions.

1: It seems to me like kinda a waste to use the simple hilt, even for a first saber. I watched the tutorial on YouTube and it seems pretty straightforward, so I'd rather jump right to a custom one made in the MHS builder if it's not much more complicated. It seems to me like the internal components will fit in the custom hilt just the same, provided it's long enough, I'm just curious how I actually add an activator switch to a custom hilt built in MHS builder because those parts I would order won't have a hole for the switch to fit into... Is there a place I specify that?

2: Two of the three sabers I'm hoping to eventually make use non-standard colors (as far as the LED selection goes). Those colors are yellow and purple. For the yellow blade, I'd prefer something leaning ever so slightly to the orange side, essentially the way a yellow lightsaber looks in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic:

As for the purple lightsaber, I'm aiming for something on the bluer side of purple, kinda like this:

The question is, how do I get this? I think I read something about combining LEDs by getting some kind of multi-color LED or two LEDs or something like that... I guess for that purple I'll want red + ROYAL blue, but as for the yellow I'm not really sure... I poked around very briefly on the LED sub-forum and didn't find any yellows to my taste (most were pretty orange) but I might've missed something.

3: This question's pretty simple. Double-bladed lightsaber. Is it possible? Based on the MHS builder (yep I love that thing) it seems like it'd be technically possible, but I don't know if would work correctly with the electronics. Would I have one single activator and double the battery power? I figure if I have the standard batteries powering two blades, it will make for fairly dim blades. On the other hand, I'm not sure if using two battery packs would be the ideal solution. Assuming a double-saber is even possible, the best solution would probably be to have two separate activators with two separate battery packs, which would still be accessible to the user when batteries need to be replaced (by unscrewing the center).

4: This last question should be pretty straightfoward to anyone who knows anything about this stuff (in other words, everyone reading this except me). Is the blade suggested in Step 6 strong enough for serious full-contact, or just for a careful choreograph? I assume the stronger the blade is, the less bright it will be.


I'd appreciate any help you can offer I apologize for the noob questions, but I am a noob, so they're gonna happen



PS: Oh, also, I should include that I do not have any intentions to add any sound systems or any light flashes on contact. Hopefully that will make this both easier and cheaper


PPS: Technically question 5, though I highly doubt there's any chance.... Curved hilt?

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Welcome to the Forums.

Post moved - FJK

[Cire Yeldarb]

1: There is a page with Switch Hole drilling Services in the store: http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Sw...oles-C106.aspx

2: For purple, you are correct to mix Red + Royal Blue. For yellow, I believe you mix Red/Orange/Amber + Green (you will get different shades with each one). No matter which one you use, you will have to most likely try out different resistors (or a potentiometer) on the various LEDs to mix the specific color you like the best. I'm not an expert on color mixing yet however, just have read many posts about it, so someone else can chime in here...

3: Yes it is possible to run a double bladed saber without sound off of either 1 battery/switch setup for both LEDs, or having a dedicated battery/switch for each end (assuming all LEDs are properly resisted either way). The main issue with the one-battery setup would not be dimness however, it would be run-time. Two LEDs running in parallel off the same battery will drain its capacity a lot faster than 1 battery per LED, but would keep their proper brightness the entire time the battery still has juice (assuming li-ion setup, not AA or AAA batteries).

4: Which blade are you talking about? Sorry, I do not know what you are referencing by "step 6". If it is one of the 1" thick walled blades in the store, I can personally vouch for their durability (my friend and I hold nothing back when going at each other). As for brightness with a durable blade, I believe the more important factors than thickness would be a bright LED and having the light properly diffused inside the blade.

5: There are no curved MHS pieces at this time, but people have been known to make curved hilts with PVC, or other materials they can find that are either easily bent or are already bent (there are some pre-bent sink-tubes in some hardware stores for example)

[setelf3of5]

Welcome and good luck on both of your builds.

[jovan]

Thanks for the reply. As for 4, yeah, it didn't help that A: my post was moved from its original thread, B: was not referenced back to that thread in case I'd made some mentions directly relating to its original post (which I did), and C: was not given a subscription to this new thread, so I didn't even know anyone had replied until I manually looked today wondering why nothing had happened yet


Anyways I appreciate the help.

Step 6:

Buy a 36" blade, this is the best one for a beginner--->http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LE...-OD--P227.aspx

It is bright and YES, you can battle with it!

That was the suggested blade.



Also, do you know if anyone sells custom-designed curved pieces (even though there is no MHS piece)? Or would I have to do it manually? For example I saw some cool 'rotating crystal' piece a guy was independently selling which would work with MHS pieces.



PS: Thanks for the welcomes and stuff too

[Cire Yeldarb]

Ahh, okay. So I would go with the http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/LE...-OD--P198.aspx personally, as it is the thick-walled Polycarbonate version of the same blade setup as the one you linked to (which was thin-walled Polycarbonate, and I have never used before), but that's just me.

As for buying custom curved pieces, I would ask over on fx-sabers. I do not know of anyone offhand, but have never really been interested in curved hilts myself, so I haven't looked at all.

[jovan]

Alright cool, thanks for the help.

[Cire Yeldarb]

Alright cool, thanks for the help.

Anytime!

[jovan]

Well, it might be a while before I get this done since apparently (at least for the time being) partial powder coating is no longer offered.

[dannv]

FWIW< I've only used powder coating once. Everything else I maxed off the flat surfaces and spray painted. That covers the groves just fine and since it's not on a surface that will rub against anything it doesn't wear off.