Whelp~ time to start as any!

[Juno]

Hello everyone!

Just joined the site and looking forward to building my first light-up sound stick. However, I probably will not be making a a conventional saber (round tube holder, single high end led with screw in rod and 3.7 power supply) but I do look forward in making one of a different nature using internal components offered from this site. I couldn't find a generic saber building forum and after researching a few, other shop based places, this felt like a good place to start.

So far the idea is to build something resembling a "Tron Legacy" Baton (TM) and advance from there.

I'm uncertain as to how much detail I can prattle on about as I am (a) not advertising and (b) if I pull it off I want to make this thing be incredibly hard to mass produce.

Here's hoping things end up shiny!
Juno

[Silver Serpent]

Welcome to the forums. You should be able to find parts and pieces here that will help you on your path.

[Juno]

Thanks for the welcome Silver Serpent!

I hate to ask a (more than likely) frequent question but where is the Chat Box? I keep seeing it mentioned when logged out but I can't seem to find it on any page.

[Cire Yeldarb]

I believe there is a account age / post count timer before you will be able to see the chat box

[Silver Serpent]

Yes. Stick around, read, make a few posts, and one day the "Search Box That Is Not A Search Box" will appear.

[Juno]

Ah thanks! I look forward to discussing my plans for my build soon! This should be fun for multiple reasons. Guess, I'd better start taking a stab in the area that's related to what I want to build.

Edit: Where should I start asking if I want to talk about theoretical goals (IE: Dimensions, specifications)? I know what I want internally (Rough circuitry) but I don't have the means for parts right now.

[Cire Yeldarb]

Your build idea sounds fascinating! I can't wait to hear more about it, I love unconventional uses of the technology!

[Juno]

Well I might as well babble about it here and then re-apply it elsewhere where appropriate:

I'm planning on 3d Printing my Saber hilt. Soon (eta 3 months-ish?) I'll be receiveing a multi headed 3d Printer that can print up to 6 materials on one project at the same time. ( or 4 of the same item of one material at once) with a rather large build area. As a test I figured I need to build something that can use all of these materials at once.

After looking around and researching I decided building a better motorcycle/American Football helmet would be fun. Then I realized how much material it would be to make one.
A few google attempts and seeing the latest Star Wars (TM) movie, I decided on a light saber as an all around test. Then found out how the market consisted of a few creative... people trying to make designs on the cheap due to lack of copyright in design.

So before I go into to much detail (I'm getting a patent first just to protect the internals of my idea) I need to approach the building of my sword so that I can make it incredibly expensive should someone look at what I'm building, go "I could have that made cheaper and sell it for profit" and make the production costs make the price unjustifiable due to all the custom work/extra steps that would need to go into it.

But, essentially I want to make a grip that is not a traditional round shape (thereby making mass milling a nightmare), ergonomic for comfortable use and have a physical blade that collapses into the hilt, reacts to stimuli (Flicker and clash), custom sounds (Sorry, no Sith or Jedi for this one), power gauge, shake charger (like those emergency flashlights, this part is a hit or miss) and can be extended or retracted with a push of a button.

Currently the idea is to have it meet the same physical specifications, balance and durability as a Kendo Shinai when it's complete.

[Cire Yeldarb]

Wow.

That's a tall order you've made for yourself, especially with the extending and retracting blade with the push of a button! And making an extendable blade with the balance and durability as a Kendo Shina is in itself no small feat!

Not to mention you want it all to be non-round and chargable via shaking (I really hope this part works out for you cause that would be awesome haha)

I do hope you create a build thread on this because I think watching your process/progress would be super cool!

[Juno]

When and if I do a build thread I'll probably make sure to hide all the pat-pend parts. The idea is to weight the individual extensions to move the center of balance as the blade is extended. The non-round parts and the charge should be easy since they will more than likely be 3d printed. I'll do a mock up soon-ish while I wait for the printer to arrive to try and physically conceptualize all the moving bits.

I'm sort of looking forward to the idea of a Cosplaying Jedi/Sith's eyes bugging out when they see a dual worthy blade come out of a hilt instead of having to be attached or inserted.