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Thread: Not Another Graflex Build

  1. #1

    Cool Jedi Ronin "Sakabato" Saber

    Jedi Ronin "Sakabato"

    FINAL ELECTRONICS BENCH TEST


    Greetings!

    So back in 2007/2008 a buddy and I got into the saber hobby while on deployment. He ended up with a vintage graflex and a few conversion parts but ended up selling me the whole bag. With the new movie coming out, and because randomness, I bought/collected a bunch of random parts to dry fit until I puked coat hangers. I've done the prerequisite n00b question threads. Finally, I spent a couple of weeks reading my arse off. I am now ready to begin.

    First and foremost: THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AN EPISODE 4 OR FU REPLICA. Lots of other people out there have already made those sabers and done a far better job than I ever could. Instead I am going for my own personal signature saber.

    Parts list updated 3-30-16!

    Hilt Base:
    - Vintage (authentic) 3-Cell Graflex Flash Tube
    - Leftovers: Glass Eye, Clamp (sold), 2-Cell Tube (converted into screw cutting jig), leftovers from original interals

    Conversion Parts:
    - Graflex Blade Socket Adapter (circa 2008 ) ...bored out to accept a 1" blade/plug
    - Short Electrical Pins
    - Glass Eye Retention Screw
    - Replica Clamp (much better fit and easier to work with than the original)
    - Bubble Card (circa 2008 )

    Other Parts:
    - Grip Sheath, Aluminum (scrap from older saber) ...powder coated black
    - Kobalt D-Ring ...powder coated black
    - Assorted Screws/Hardware
    - Activation Box 15
    - Custom Leather Grip
    - Brass MPS Insert style 1
    - Assorted "found parts" for little accents and greebles.

    Lower Chassis Parts:
    - V5 Speaker Mount
    - TCSS Graflex Chassis Disks, PC/18650 x2 and Speaker Adapaters x2
    - Assorted Screws/Hardware

    Hilt Electronics:
    - Prizm Sound Module V3.5
    o Pitch Black Sound Font
    o Rogue Sound Font
    o Calibrate Sound Font
    o TFA Dark Side Sound Font
    o The Schwartz Sound Font
    - RBrB E-X2 Tri-Cree Star with custom copper/aluminum combo heat sink
    - Li-Ion 18650 3.7V 3400mAh PCB Protected Rechargeable Battery Module
    - Custom Clamp Switches (found here)
    - Bass Speaker
    - Assorted Wires
    - SparkFun 1" Protoboards x2
    - 5mm RGB LED for faux crystal chamber (common anode type)
    - Recharge Port & RICE Port

    HILT WORK
    1) In adding the clamp switch assembly there is now a measure of slack between the battery tube and the clamp. Because of this I have decided that the lower hilt and the clamp are now going to be a single piece. Today I will be drilling and tapping set screw holes into the clamp ring and battery tube.
    2) The D-Ring will get attached to the aluminum grip sleeve using two anodized 8-32 socket head screws. I've already drilled and tapped the mounting holes for the D-Ring, but need to widen (or tap) the holes to fit the screws through.
    3) I can, on the other hand, get the access hole for the recharge port drilled today. The 2.1mm connector will be installed into the chassis using the TCSS acrylic disk set. It will have a window in the "reactor housing", a window in the lower hilt, and finally framed by the housing ring that also doubles as part of the grip. This will allow me to create a very low profile kill key.
    4) Before I can drill the holes for the grip screws I need to dry fit the sleeves on the battery tube. Currently the sleeve is too tight a fit to get onto the battery tube without destroying the nickel plating. I don't have a means of sanding these parts on hand so I will come back to this later.
    5) Since the D-ring is side mounted I don't need the original bottom plate of the battery tube. I plan to have that milled out and replaced with a brass TCSS speaker screen. More than likely I'll just end up soldering it directly to the battery tube.

    CHASSIS
    Reactor Housing (OD 1.39", ID 1.26")
    This is basically just an insert that makes the contents of the lower hilt look "legit". It'll be roughly 4", has a resonance chamber milled right into the bottom of it, and is keyed on the top to lock onto the lower base of the crystal chamber. The outer skin will have little grooves to add some texture. Depending on how it looks once it's been machined I might go ahead and "blue" it as a final added touch.

    Since virtually all of my electronics are in the lower chassis I've got room to play with the upper chassis. I will probably use some of the space I have left for the RICE port and use the rest to fabricate the "blade energy channel" and the "cycling field energizers".

    CRYSTAL CHAMBER
    This section is pretty standard. Most of the chamber is being built from scavenged HDD parts. I am planning on using various etched brass parts (model train and wargaming scales) combined with HDD spindle clamp disks to create a unique variant of a radiator. I'd like to do both the power crystal AND a focusing crystal... but we'll see how that pans out once I start building.

    If all goes well I should be able to use the CFEs as cylinders for spring loaded struts. This will let the chassis "pop" once the upper hilt is released from the clamp. The transition between the upper chassis and the emitter will include a rotary bearing. This gives the twist action to the upper hilt to release it from the clamp without damaging it or the electronics.

    ~Girot
    Last edited by girot; 03-30-2016 at 08:14 PM. Reason: Overall Update

  2. #2

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    I got the lower grip done. D-ring is attached and looks fantastic! I also went in a retapped all of the 10-32 holes for the rest of the screws, just need to figure out how to shorten them safely, lol.

    I also got the 8-32 set screw holes drilled and tapped for the lower hilt and clamp ring. Lost the bubble card though. That's okay. I was considering replacing it with something original anyway.

    I opted to wait to drill the recharge port window for now. It occurred to me I should probably wait until I get the chassis started.

  3. #3

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    you should put up some pics

  4. #4

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    Oh, you mean these?











    The plan is to get both grip pieces powder coated when the time comes. The grips, their screws, and the mounting bracket for the D-ring are ultimately going to end up a nice satin black. With a hit of weathering.

    Still figuring out the how/why/when for the weathering for the rest of the hilt.
    Last edited by girot; 11-25-2015 at 08:43 PM.

  5. #5

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    I shorten my screws with a set of small bolt cutters. Just be sure to clean up the threads afterwards.
    We all have to start somewhere. The journey is all the more impressive by our humble beginnings.

    http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz for the lazy man's resistor calculator!
    http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...e-to-Ohm-s-Law for getting resistor values the right way!

  6. #6

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    That's the plan! Right now they are marking where I need to drill next.

    I managed to salvage the original bunny ears. I couldn't find a screw long enough in 4-40 so I'm going to either fabricate one or drill them for a long 8-32 screw.

  7. #7

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    I didn't notice any glass eye screws in TCSS. Where did you find them?

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by CET View Post
    I didn't notice any glass eye screws in TCSS. Where did you find them?
    TCSS has one in the "Graflex" category: http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Gr...crew-P131.aspx

    I was hesitant at first but once I got it in hand, and then installed, I found it looks MUCH nicer than the original glass eye.

  9. #9

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    Figures I overlooked it.

    BTW, really I like the pommel.

  10. #10

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    Thank you, good sir!

    HILT WORK CONTINUES
    I'll get a chance to get rest of the lower hilt drilled/tapped today. All of those screws that are sticking out will sit flat afterwards. Once I get access to some bolt cutters I will shorten them all down to a safe and unobtrusive length.

    As far as the clamp switches are concerned it looks like I am going to have to remove a sizable portion of the lower hilt tube to make a passthrough for the switch wires. I don't quite have the equipment I need to do this with any measure of accuracy so I will likely wait until I hit up a legit machine shop and have that and the removal of the bottom panel done at the same time. Oh, and the recharge port "window". I know the actual port is relatively small but the hole in the upper grip is like 16mm. I'm thinking I could put in two little bitty accent LEDs next to the recharge port to fill in some of the negative space and and a little flavor.

    Last night there was an unexpected "twist"! Once I put in the clamp set screws for the lower hilt I discovered I didn't leave quite enough room up top for the upper hilt to go back on correctly. The way the little tabs are keyed I am short by about 0.5mm. On the other hand , if I wanted a left-handed saber I could simply flip it around and it'll lock in place just fine!

    Come to think of it... a reverse bladed lightsaber... That settles it. The official name for this build is now the "Sakabato".

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