Chrome Sink Tubes

[ZachDarden]

I am starting the build on my first light saber. I have all of the electronic parts but not the blade quite yet. That brings me to one question, when building a chrome sink tube hilt/blade holder, does a 1in thin walled saber fit snugly into the 1in chrome sink tube? or will I need to sand one of them down? I have some 1 in PVC and it can be wedged in there with some force. Almost to the point where a retention screw is unnecessary. Is the blade the same size as the PVC?

[HowieHobbit]

I am starting the build on my first light saber. I have all of the electronic parts but not the blade quite yet. That brings me to one question, when building a chrome sink tube hilt/blade holder, does a 1in thin walled saber fit snugly into the 1in chrome sink tube? or will I need to sand one of them down? I have some 1 in PVC and it can be wedged in there with some force. Almost to the point where a retention screw is unnecessary. Is the blade the same size as the PVC?

Heya,

I'm in the UK but I experimented with US plumbing parts so I have an idea of what you need. When you are talking about pipe measurements, it's always the outer diameter (OD) and not inner diameter (ID). So if you have a 1" tube, then your blade would not fit inside, even snugly. It simply won't go in.

You can try sanding down the chrome sink tube, but that would be a nightmare due to the fact you'd be basically sanding down metal.

I would suggest going for a thicker tube, and then shoving a reducing bush inside. I've just finished building a sink tube saber, so if you want, I can run you through further things.

[DarthFender]

The 1" thin or thick walled blades are designed to fit in all of the blade holders sold at the shop. 1" pvc pipe will probably have to be sanded. Altough you wont be able to light that stuff up. If you're just making a reference blade for a prop, then PVC is OK, but I find it to be a little too flexible. It really flexes on impact. I always use the 1" thin walled PolyC blades from the shop.

Please post pics of your finished product, we'd really love to see it!

[HowieHobbit]

Hi Zach,

Just thought I'd show you my version of the chrome sink pipe saber.

I used 1-1/4" OD piping and used a 32mm to 25mm reducer (you'd probably get something better in USA with inch measurements), sanded down both OD and ID so the reducer could fit inside the sink pipe, and also accommodate the 1" blade polycarbonate tube.

I used epoxy on the reducer to glue it in place inside the tube as a blade holder and added a retention screw to it.

Let me know if you need any more info on the sink pipe build.

[ZachDarden]

Wow that turned out really well. Did you use the drain pipe as the blade holder?