LED Blasters -- need some help for BOP II!

[Novastar]

Ok, so BOP II is only a month or so away, and despite having about 8 months to work on a solution for some LED props (namely BLASTERS)... I've not been able to come up with successful information or much help. Thank heavens one of my cast members is helping to get this done now.

So, I'm hoping to enlist the help of readers here.

Here's what the idea is (so far):

* 8 Luxeon LEDs -- yes, eight

3 Lux III RED/RED-O on one side of the barrel
3 Lux III RED/RED-O on other side of the barrel
2 Lux K2 White in front w/optics
No optics on the "side" LEDs

* LEDs in parallel (I think)
* A single 3.6v Li-Ion battery
* Resistor or resistors
* Recharge port
* Some kind of trigger switch, hopefully one that can't be "held down", but I don't know if we have much of a choice

No sound is needed nor wanted to be dealt with (at this point--maybe a year from now). No special driving other than an instant bright flash from all LEDs all at once.

The thinking is that one short "burst" of LED draw... won't eat even a small battery all that much. You'd have to pull the trigger repeatedly for like a half an hour in order to fully kill the battery... that is my guess at least.

None have been made yet. We need FIVE. Here are some other thoughts:

1. We may want to use a BuckPuck or whatever.
2. We might not be able to light the LEDs just doing one 3.6v (4.2 effective).
3. The "draw" on the battery may be too high for it to handle getting the LEDs to a decent brightness.
4. It's not important that the blasters be *EXACTLY* 8x as bright as any "regular saber"... only that they are equally bright or greater. My guess is, they will AT LEAST be 2x to 3x as bright.

That's all I have for now. It's a tough project, and I'd really appreciate some help. I need you guys the most right now!!!

[Lord Maul]

for the switch/trigger, just go to radio shack. they have some tiny momentary buttons that would be perfect for the trigger. then it's just a matter of mounting them in a comfortable spot.

for the leds, you might want to consider one watters. if anyone is looking at the blaster when it "shoots", they will for SURE be temporarily blinded and given sun spots. just glancing at a 3 watter makes a big dot that covers most of your eyesight. i can't even imagine 6 3 watters AND 2 k2s

[Do-Clo]

I am converting a clone trooper blaster to a single luxeon one watt led and I am using a short section of polycarbonate tubing to go inside the barrel to be visible throught the vent holes. I have installed a double wrap of blade film so the the inner barrel will have a nice glow to the side and I plan on leaving the end of the barrel open or I may look into some focusing optics, that way I will be able to put a red spot on what ever I point it at. I am using 3 degree optics to get a really narrow focus on the led.

Having said all that if you used a single atlas white led in the barrel with a short section of blade with a wrap of red colored film such as that used for stage lighting then it may give you the results without a lot of extra parts.

[Jedi-Loreen]

I agree with Do-Clo, the simpler, the better. I would probably use a method like he's talking about, if I were doing that myself.

8 Lux IIIs? Isn't that a bit of overkill, even on stage? Are you trying to blind everyone within a 50' radius and a 200° arc? :P

Even the super bright regular LEDs are awfully bright when you are looking right at them.

I made an Endor Commando version of a "Thermal Detonator" using 2 of those, and even though I sanded the clear housings with some extra fine sand paper to diffuse them a bit, they are still so bright that you can't look directly at them.

[elrond.406]

Hey Novastar! You decided to add two more luxeons!?! I mean, six was more than enough to blind a person. Don't want a jedi blinded on stage, do you?

[Novastar]

I am talking more about the wiring/battery issues I might run into... but... thanks for the comments everyone... let's see:

* Switch

A momentary would be bad since that would cause the blaster to STAY on. Very bright... so we'll have to find something to briefly complete the circuit and release. That might be more like a security "buzz me in" door setup. As long as the button is depressed... on it goes. Otherwise... it's off.

* Do-Clo

Like a mini-LED saber, yes... I have indeed thought of something like that, but they aren't very bright (for BOP II purposes). We even thought about using Xenon lamps, but they recharge too slowly. We might use a combination though! Sweet.

* Brightness

I am going with the large amount of LEDs for brightness. Don't worry about people being "blinded". Everyone who speaks of this is talking about looking directly into a high-power LED for a duration larger than a brief moment with focal optics. Besides, I like to push the envelope, and audiences are pretty far away. THESE ARE *NOT* to be toys.

Besides, we can always "tone it down" if the light is too bright with a diffuser film that goes over the 6 total barrel side LEDs... and it will further protect them.

* Simplicity (??!!?!?!?)

LOL. Have you seen Balance of Power? Who the heck thinks it was an affair of "simplicity"??? Raise thine hand?

Hmm... Methinks not.

I don't call my business "The Cutting Edge" for nothing. I may have a low budget, but that doesn't stop my projects from being... unique.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Um, you do want a momentary switch for this application. It's only on as long as you keep the connection closed by pressing on it.

[Lord Maul]

JLo said it. all you do is tap the button for a bright flash

[Novastar]

That's true, however there are at least two types of momentary switches... normally open, normally closed... I thought earlier someone was talking about normally closed (which would be bad for this).

[supertrogdor]

or you could make your own switch. Put a spring on your trigger to keep it in the off position, and have a point where when you pull the trigger it taps a contact that completes the circuit midway through your pull and passes it, that could give you the quick burst you are hoping for, but unless you want the mp5 double shot action you would need to insulate the connection lest you get a second connection on the way back. Might be a cool effect though. Maybe you could work a couple contact points and get a 3 round burst effect
just tossing out ideas, as that is what i thought you were after, not randomly handing out ridiculous criticism for what may well proove to be a grand idea in the making, good luck and hopefully i have given you something else to think about