heat sinking

[davidg1904]

Has anyone made a successful homemade LED holder? Could someone post a list of parts/instructions. A lot of people would be very interested to know how to do it - with proper heatsinking and such.

I get a 1" washer with a 1/4 hole in it (hole doesent matter) then lined up the LED on the washer and drew a dot where i needed to put the screw holes. then i Used a #6/32 drill/die to drill/thread the holes. I then put in two #6/32 nylon screws (you could find at fry's) and used a grinder to make space for the wires.
like so:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...3/LED%20mount/
ps sorry the steps are all mixed up just look at the tital number

[Jedi-Loreen]

Does it sit right up against a metal hilt? Then it will turn the hilt into a giant heat sink, like with the MHS hilts.

If it's insulated, or in a PVC hilt, then you really need a thicker heat sink. A single washer isn't really thick enough to pull much heat away from the LED by itself.

[davidg1904]

Does it sit right up against a metal hilt? Then it will turn the hilt into a giant heat sink, like with the MHS hilts.

If it's insulated, or in a PVC hilt, then you really need a thicker heat sink. A single washer isn't really thick enough to pull much heat away from the LED by itself.

Well I used that setup in a pvc blade holder AKA 1/2 non-matalic flex connector (not actually 1/2 inch). Or a couple of washers (4 or 5) with longer screws holding them together.

[Ranma 1-2]

Hi guys, first post so.. First I need to thank all the people here who have posted tutorials and helpful info for beginners like me. Thank you so much!

Ok.. I am trying to install light up blades into a Hasbro Darth Maul lightsaber hilt. Yes the plastic toy one!!
WHY? I hear some of you cry..Because I can't afford the MR FX one that's why.

Anywho I have gutted the hilt and made some tube holders which I can slide my clear tubes into. By luck or good judgement the tubes I bought are 1" od and so I am hoping to buy two of the Luxeon III kits from here.

Question - Is it possible for me to make some kind of mother of a heatsink and thereby be able to run the 2 Luxeons inside? Or will I have to make/replace at least part of the hilt out of metal tube?

[Skottsaber]

You should be able to heatsink the LED's properly by putting them on top of copper pipe endcaps. This is a commonly used and cheap way of heatsinking inside plastic based sabers.

[Ranma 1-2]

You should be able to heatsink the LED's properly by putting them on top of copper pipe endcaps. This is a commonly used and cheap way of heatsinking inside plastic based sabers.

Ok copper heatsinks, it's re-assuring to hear ..I can go order my Luxeons now.

[FenderBender]

Put the LED/optics INSIDE of the copper pipe cap. A 3/4" copper pipe cap with two holes drilled for wires will hold and sink the LED and the optics.

[Ranma 1-2]

Ok, Cheers, will do that.
When it's all installed and working I will post some pics of the finished lightsaber. You guys on this forum and the store are such a relief to hungry apprentices like me. I just know my yearning for a decent light up saber is very close to being satisfied now..

[sev95]

I know this is an older thread but, from what I gathered, (since I am going with a rebel star) I am going to need this http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/He...tars-P550.aspx This http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Co...sink-P234.aspx and this http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/St...-pad-P483.aspx ? I am going to build my saber out of PVC and I just wanted to know what I needed to get. BTW can I use a copper end cap that has a 1" OD? Thanks!!

lightjedi

[Novastar]

@sev95... yup, those will be right for your needs. The shim for the Rebel is simply because the height of things won't match properly when the optics are overlaid if you DON'T use the shim. You know... things would be loose + jiggling around, and that wouldn't be good now, would it?

As to the copper end cap... what do you mean? For what? The "pommel" of your PVC saber? Sure... why not. It all depends on how you wish to affix that cap--by retention screw, by threading or what have you.