Community Toss-in : Tonfa Sabers

[Kabraxxis]

I've been looking at picture after picture after picture in these forum and have found ... too much inspiration! Too many ideas are going through my head! Here's my goal:

I'm looking to create some very unique sabers using the MHS pieces. I know that they will be tonfa blades and I have a few good notes jotted down from what I read earlier about button placement and using a knurled bike foot peg for a possible handle on the tonfa. Still - my experience with building sabers is VERY limited at this time though I feel confident I can wire everything up.

What I'm requesting is for anyone to PM me pictures or ideas from old or future projects that might help. This is a *very* broad request, I know, but I really can't even decide what I want them to look like yet =P

So far, what I *am* looking to create ( final design aside) is a pair of twin sabers with the following:
-- 2 x 3w Red Lux ( battery set-up not chosen yet, but looking to overjuice these for max brightness )
-- Detachable tonfa-handles to allow to standard saber hilt use
-- Pommels at the butt end of tonfa that are able to be removed so that the two hilts can be connected for an exotic double sided saber.
-- 2 x TCSS battery indicators
-- 2 x 20-24'' Corbin quad-wrap thick PolyC blades

I'll do my absolute best to draw something up in Paint Shop within the next couple of days to show for all this, but I'm really making a plea for anything you might have to offer. Price isn't an issue yet as these will probably be ordered after Christmas for a production in January.

Hope you can bear with me through this time of indecision and contribute to some sic-nasty lightsabers I'll be proud to show you when done.

[Hasid Lafre]

If you can find the connecters its possable.

It would make it easy to connect the tonfa handel its a t-section, they guy is from out of the states but Iam sure they can be found somewhere in a hardware store.

http://rebellegion.org/forum/viewtop...bbaa0ce64e7251

[Kabraxxis]

That's a great idea! For sound, I think I can hook myself up to some Force FX boards but what batteries should I use to power two 3w Red Lux?

[Kabraxxis]

Just threw together a rough draft of what I've decided upon - all MHS parts!
I still need a tee from somewhere and I had this idea that if I inserted it between the two knurled extensions' male threads I could use a gender changer/connector on the main hilt side and get away with using a generic
threaded tee. Problem is finding one...



Still - if I used threads it could be field converted into any number of things including a double saber, two standard sabers, or even a crazy claw contraption like that guy had in the link Hasid gave.

Total price for two hilts will be around 220 with shipping minus the LEDs and wiring. Whatcha guys think?

[Alai Sadu]

Here you are...

Still i think the joint is a critical spot, a tonfa like this cannot be used in a duel, even in a light choreography, without risks...

[Barmic Rin]

There's a maglite grip that would solve the weakness of that joint.

Will try to find a pic.

Here's the link:
http://www.surplusandadventure.com/i...hopscr939.html

[Jedi-Loreen]

That's probably illegal for civilians to buy in California.

[Barmic Rin]

Possibly.

I'm slightly worried but the sudden interest in Tonfa.
I can see it happening where a heck of a lotta people are gonna want one over the next few months, like what happened what doubles & curveys.
It will become a 'fadsaber'. I've even seen the cheaply made toys of them already on sale!!!

I was looking at doing one sometime ago, but that was back when Ambo showed off his. Without sounding too bitchy, I think i'll leave my design in the 'maybe' pile.
I'm sure some of the Veterans of saber building (J-lo, MC) have seen all this before back in the EL days....

[Kabraxxis]

On a game/online community called Second Life I've designed and sold lightsabers that fully 3d characters can use in virtual combat. Animations, texturing, scripting, the whole nine yards. I had some REALLY off the wall designs in the nearly two years I've been there including several tonfa sabers and even a light-hammer that emitted a fat short blade at the face. Now that Force Unleashed made the tonfa sabers popular, they're alittle less unique ( other competitors have made similar designs recently ) but I also think as more people attempt this design it will become more and more solid in build and allow for some great uses in future video projects and conventions.
I'd not discredit the idea as a fad but rather the next step in saber evolution. I do hope to use these for full contact sparring and a chorographed scene next spring! If there are weak spots or tension points I'll be sure to post what I find and continue to ask for your expertise but here's to making the best of what's yet to come.

By the way Alai, thank you for that rendering! =D

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

If you're still trying to find those t-joints, try a marine supply store. They have hardware like that for making the rails on boats. Not sure if they make them big enough for what you need, but it's a place to start.

I'm on my lunch break now, and don't have much time, but when I get home, I'll look around and see what I can find.