Ahoy from Seattle !


1. My students are struggling with wiring.
Problem: many of their wiring looms won’t fit inside a hilt without damaging a connection or component.


2. Our objective is to develop a flowchart or decision tree to help them through this process.


3. I’m not experienced enough to have seen all the issues and solutions that arise from this, so we need to ask for your help with wiring strategy and craftsmanship.


4. I want to cast a wide net - at first - to encompass all the ideas that involve strategy, design and building, and then let the students work out a decision tree for themselves.

5. Observations from the students:
a. Not much room in a 7” hilt;
b. As small as they are, JST connectors can take up a lot of space;
c. Careful soldering and testing seem pointless if you have to force your hard work into the hilt like you’re making sausage (“It’s like an impacted wisdom tooth!”);
d. The rat’s nest resulting from the wire-press can damage connectors or stress joints;
e. Building a chassis with disks or a speaker mount doesn’t seem to save much room;
f. Extensions and switch boxes are the way to go;
g. Corollary to f: there doesn’t seem to be a way to use just a blade holder, main body, and pommel without extensions or switch boxes.
h. General input or constraints: hilt length & ID, appropriate AWG, chassis type, switch(es) and location, battery type and orientation, sound board model and orientation, and how much slack wire is needed for maintenance.
i. Once these parts are chosen, then focus on order of assembly.
j. One student tried arranging the wiring loom in an S shape and used monofilament line to retain the shape as she closed the pommel and blade holder on the hilt body. Just before the threaded parts connected, she pulled the line out. Results were mixed. Still plan to acquire a transparent hilt body to observe wiring results.

6. We’ve watched Mr. Petkau’s (and others) various videos and taken notes on wiring, and they’re very helpful.

For example, in “Building a Basic Saber with Sound Part 1,” (at about 23:40) Mr. Petkau builds the LED module and momentary switch with about ten inches of wire to allow for removing the chassis to replace the battery. He also feeds the wire toward the front of the chassis to allow for flex (and for ease in mounting the switch nut and washer).

6. So, their questions for the Wise Ones of the Forum:
a. Is there a wiring strategy you follow to minimize internal clutter?
b. What best practices or tips would you recommend for efficient wiring?
c. Is there a way to stagger placement of the JST connections (and other internals) to minimize the rat’s nest?
d. Is there a way to minimize wire length yet still use JST connectors?
e. Are there other connectors that we should try?
f. Any videos we should review for demonstrations of wiring strategy or best practices?
g. One student asked about the possibility of a rigidly mounted plug on the inside of the hilt body. The chassis would connect to the plug, then sealed by the pommel, and the forward switch(es) and LED assembly would feed from the rigid relay.
Anyone think this would work?

7. They send their thanks and appreciation in advance for all your help and advice!


Best regards,
-Mike