Posting complete build diagrams and components lists.

[Paedryn]

Hello everyone.

I am new to the group as having an actual account while having spent months only reading others postings.

I am wondering about the constant requests to look over someones wiring diagram or design ideas. Every response I have read has been polite and encouraging. My thought was why not have a spot that shows wiring diagrams for the different options, starting with the basic stunt saber up through the various sound boards, LEDs, etc. With a good diagram and a solid description of what the build is for, a list of needed components and how this design functions, would help alleviate some questions.

Please understand I appreciate the need and desire to learn through study and practice. In my mind, it is that process that teaches most effectively. But the forum at times gets a bit confusing. Especially when a post is from 5 + years old and new parts and information supplanted the out of date response.

And if I missed the area that does this already, I apologise. Several of the videos were outright amazing in explanation and options. Those tutorials really helped me tremendously.

A solid diagram and build intent that can be studied to help understand the what and the how of it would be indispensable to newer builders. Is there a rule, either spoken or unwritten, that frowns on sharing that much information?

I tend to ramble when I post in a forum, so I will stop here and save your sanity! Thank you for your time and any response you give. I have really enjoyed lurking on the forum and learned so much that I am ready to start my own build. First parts ordered!

[Sevinzol]

Hi welcome to the forums
To answer your question did you find the section: Forums > Tutorials > cutaway views and wiring schematics? its a good place to start but like you said some of it can be years old.

Here are some thing to consider regarding your suggestion to "have a spot that shows wiring diagrams for the different options". There is a place but its voluntary, people add what they did and if its legible, concise and acurate then its added to the stickied threads here:

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com...ing-schematics

You can break sabers into 2 basic kinds stunt and sound. stunt sabers are relatively easy to wire and it is covered in the forums. When you add sound you complicate things greatly. These forums are part of a store that sells sabers parts, among them are sound cards. There are 6 (if I counted right) different cards in the store at the moment. Each of those cards already has a PDF file, from the manufacturer, that goes into great deatail about wiring. That is why you won't find stickied threads on them. Anyone can down load these PDFs (open the store > sound > select the card in question > click link in the description) and read them - many do not bother. Since Switching to cree LED all the current ratings are 1000 mA, prior to that each color luxeon LED had its own numbers. that means your request would involve someone sitting down and working out every battery, main LED color and accent color combination - that's a lot of math.

There is also the low end sound cards that people take out of the toy sabers sold in stores. The PCBs in these toys change often and many times the wires are not labeled. People post what they run into when they try a new toy but its on a voluntary basis, there is not an emplyee who goes out and buys one of every toy, dismantels it and posts everything here.

As you have noted, things change in this hobby. So with that in mind most people here consider this hobby part of life long learning: gathering skills and honing them with practice. There is also a strong desire here NOT to spoon feed people information. Rather than answer specifics we would prefere a person learns the math and rules of electronics so that when they make a second saber they don't have to come back asking us to look at their new diagram. Like the old addage: give a man a fish... (I prefer "build a man a fire and he's warm but set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life)

Many of the "look at my wiring" post are in 1 of 2 categories: Either they are trying to deviate from the sound card manual (or like I said before - they didn't read it) or they have the saber wired and its not behaving as expected and they need a second set of eyes to see if they missed something. I understand these posts. For many it is their first time soldering and working with electronics. Its a deep rabbit hole to jump down and getting an 'OK' is a nice confidence builder before you run the risk of slagging a sound card, a switch, an LED or all of the above.

Enjoy the process of discovery and once again welcome

[Paedryn]

Thank you for your response. I had initially hesitated to post this for several if the reasons you stated. I agree just giving out knowledge will sidestep the understanding necessary to grow and hopefully innovate new ideas.

I admit I didn't think through the honest help requests, only the many wiring diagrams. Shortsighted and my fault.

I have learned much by looking at the different designs and the responses. At times I needed to really dig to find why something did or didn't work. Again, thats on me.

Once again, I appreciate the time and response. I hope no one thought I was being a jerk. I like the open and encouraging nature of this forum and was only attempting to address a small frustration on my part.

[Paedryn]

Oh! And no I hadn't seen the section you have provided. Apparently when I searched I used the wrong words and parameters. 😔