First Saber Build - Or the continuous do-over

[minorhero]

Hello folks,

I started posting in the welcome to the forum thread but when I explored the forum a bit more I discovered there is a whole forum section devoted to build threads so I am re-posting here plus adding an update.

My idea for my first saber was to use a sink tube type shroud and also to use wood to add accents to the build.

I began the build by using a 1.25" sink tube as my base. I then drilled out a 7" piece of cherry wood so that I could insert my sinktube into it. Once epoxied in place I turned this down on my lathe so that the cherry-sinktube had the same outer diameter as your typical MHS part, thus allowing me to insert it into a 1.5 sinktube.

I also decided I was going to use walnut accents for the outside of the 1.5" sink tube. These went through several variations but this is what it looked like originally:

7K7g8Ym.jpg

I got from the store MHS conversions for the 1.25" sinktube and used a pommel and emitter in either end of the sinktube. I then cut the 1.5" sinktube in such a way that my cherry tube would show through the cuts. The first time I did this I made 2 different windows and both were pretty small:

vI8ELM5.jpg

I did not like the look of these at all. For one thing they were difficult to keep perfectly symentrical and the more I played with trying to get them there the less definition was maintained. For another I felt they didn't lend a the proper feel to the lightsaber. I then tried dramatically expanding the cuts and also tried using larger pieces of walnut:

fn3MsO5.jpg

This was a disaster and eventually I decided to just start over on the 1.5" sinktube.

I purchased another sinktube and cut it open. Unlike the first time, this time I limited myself to a single "window". This allowed me to not have to worry about symmetry as much. I also changed up the emitter section cut just a little bit adding a change in angle of the sinktube.

Z0T4LFK.jpg

I also cut some more walnut and turned it down dramatically thinner on my lathe.

This is the effect:

db9gNH1.jpg

Still I did not like the overall look. It was definitely better then what it was, but it wasn't .... lightsabery enough. I had been trying to preserve the handle like nature of the lightsaber as much as possible so that frankly it would be comfortable to hold. It was around this time that I finally realized that I really am going to need to add some more layers to make it look like a proper lightsaber. I took some of the cutouts from the previous tube and cleaned up the edges and laid them out on the walnut and got already a much better effect:

IpHFj9N.jpg

8M08pQr.jpg

This brings me up to current.

I will definitely be adding some metal ontop of my wood to give it a proper lightsaber like effect. Though I will likely use different pieces then what I have shown there. I am having a lot of fun figuring out how to make this thing happen so it will likely go through several iterations.

As far as the electronics go, I will be using a tri-rebel b/b/w led at least 1 (though maybe 2) 18650 batteries, a sound card, a recharge port, and a photon green blade. I toyed very seriously with the idea of putting in a crystal chamber (and even bought some calcite crystals) but ultimately I do not have enough room to make it happen. If anyone has any suggestions or thoughts I am definitely open to them. Thanks for looking.