Prop Construction: Jedi Holo Projector
This year I have been working on acquiring (I haven't the means to fabricate one) a reasonably screen accurate Anakin Skywalker costume, also referred to by the 501st Legion as the Pre-suit Vader costume. I've been able to get reasonably nice looking apparel, though I'd still like more accurate looking boots (that's for next year) and a higher quality (preferably custom made) glove. Unfortunately, the suit that I purchased doesn't have proper coloring to qualify me for membership in the 501st - I'm thinking I'll try a different costume over the next couple of years for that, leaning towards the Imperial Royal Guard - because it's got black in it, such as the outer tunic and tabbards, whereas Hayden's actual costume had no black on it. Mine follows the look of the Sideshow 12" Anakin figure. But I digress.
I reached a dilemma. I had purchased a couple of cheap black leather belt pouches, but when they arrived they were too large for my tastes and didn't really fit the look. So, the dilemma, use the ugly pouches, or pay a lot of money (relatively speaking) for custom crafted accurate looking pouches. As I contemplated I tried to come up with reasons to buy the nicer pouches (I had seen a nice set on ebay). I'll need to hold my phone and wallet and keys when I wear the costume to work on Halloween, but that didn't quite seem enough.
I had been reading the Anakin Skywalker Costume thread on the Jedi Council Forums - which is now at 160 pages! - and had started browing The Jedi Assembly forums and stumbled upon threads regarding Jedi props and even before reading them the first thing that came to mind was http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Image:Comlink_1.jpg]Qui-gon's comlink, since I already new it was built from a Gillette Lady's Sensor razor.
After reading various threads I decided I could build a comlink, a holoprojector, again based on one Qui-gon is seen with in The Phantom Menace - Wookieepedia, and a holocron. This gave me the motivation to have a nice set of pouches, which I expect to arrive by the end of this week.
I decided the holoprojector would be the easiest and quickest so in hopes of having something done by Halloween I started with it
but after seeing what others have done (see Credits section) it will patterned a little more more like this one.
Parts List
1 Bubble Tape container - $0.89 @ Walmart
1 Bubble Tape container - $1.39 @ gas station
1 can Black Spray paint for plastic - $6 @ NAPA Auto Parts ($4 at Walmart, oops)
1 clear/white bicycle reflector - $0.50 @ local bike shop
2 AAA Battery Holders - $0.99each @ Radio Shack
1 Latching Switch - $2.97 @ Radio Shack
4x 440 machine screws & nuts - free stuff from Dad
1 1.75"x2.25" breadboard - more free stuff from Dad
copper LED heatsink - from previously purchased Luxeon lightsaber
1 Blue 1W LED - $10 @ CorbinsComponents.com
Assembly & Fabrication
Day 1 - Oct 7, 2006
The first thing I did was wash the powdered sugar out of the bubble tape container (which I purchased yesterday), then wipe it down with rubbing alcohol. I put 2 or 3 coats of black spray paint on it.
After examining the paint job I noticed a tiny spot where there was no paint. I picked at it lightly with my fingernail and paint flecked off! I late was at Walmart and bought a can of clear protective paint, hoping that would protect the paint from scratching. It didn't, and so I began the quest for a more appropriate paint.
Day 2 - Oct 9, 2006
Went to the bike shop, NAPA Auto Parts, Walmart and Radio Shack to pick up the reflector, batter holders and spray paint for plastic, also swung by my dad's house for some nuts and screws.
Upon returning home I attempted to remove the previous paintjob. It scratched off easily, but was messy and tedious, so I attempted to use Goof Off to remove, which began smearing the paint and attacking the plastic. I decided to trash that container and went to a nearby gas station to purchase a second container - this one was lime green.
Since I now had a reflector I traced out the section on top of the bubble gum container that would be removed for the reflector. I used a knife to cut the bulk of the plastic out, then used a Dremel to polish up the cut to the proper shape. I also used the Dremel to remove some excess material inside the container that prevented the two battery holders from fitting.
Then came the second attempt at painting. After letting the first coat dry there was a remarkable difference in the feel of the paint, like it was almost part of the plastic (which it was kinda supposed to be). Gave it another coat and went to work on the breadboard.
The breadboard had a couple holes drilled in it to secure the battery holders, and a rectangle to accomadate the heatsink. I ordered the LED before quitting for the night.
Day 3 - Oct 10, 20006
Day 4 - Oct 14, 2006
The LED arrived today so I was able to continue working on the projector; it's bigger than I expected. Due to poor planning and poor design the battery holders I purchased do not fit inside th container with the LED. Actually, again, due to poor design -- there really wasn't much design, I just threw this together off the top of my head, it would have benefited from some planning -- I attached the batteries in the worst possible way, I soldered wires to them, so they're very impractical to change. I didn't even have the foresight to use new batteries, so they're not even at full charge. So if I have time before Halloween I'll cut the battery holders apart so I can use those contacts for soldering, and the batteries will be replaceable. Additionally, I'm thinking I'll do a version 2 of this in the next couple of months using a circular Altoids(R) container.
But, it's been wired together, batteries to the switch to the resistor to the LED to the batteries. The LED is bright enough that it shines through the reflecter enough to tell there's a single point of light, plus it can be rather blinding if the light reflects into your eyes just right. I found that a small piece of white cloth between the LED and the reflecter diffuses the light sufficiently.
Finished! Pics!
Here you can see the uglyness that is the innards of this poorly designed holoprojector.
Here is the completed projector, lit up, with the kitchen light on. (The tape is to hold the reflector down while the adhesive sets.
The completed projector, lit up, in the dark.
The holoprojector receives a transmission from Darth Maul.
Things I learned
Plan the thing all the way through before begining construction. The switch I bought is much too large -- the one I wanted was a momentary switch which didn't fit my requirements, but the one I did purchase takes up too much space inside. The hole I cut out of the plastic container for the reflecter ended up being too big. I had first thought to attach the reflector to the breadboard so I cut the hole big enough to put the reflector through. After realizing how tall the LED was I realized it would have been better to attach the reflector to the surface of the container, but there was no longer enough plastic to attach it to.
Well, there you have it. My first homemade Star Wars collectible/prop/whatever. I'll probably grab another Bubble Tape(R) and begin working on version 2 pretty soon -- next week if I can, but I have to go to Washington Wed-Sat for my brother marriage, so I won't have much time, so I doubt V2 will be done by Halloween.
I just hope it fits in one of the pouches I bought.
Credits
I took inpiration for the following elements:
Switch, Silver stripes
Reflector
EDIT: Forgot the following (big) source of inspiration - Padawan's Guide
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