Extension/retraction effect

[BeamRider]

I was thinking about how the FX achieves the extension and retraction effect by lighting up segments.
Anyway has anyone tried putting discs of diffuser along the blade? I thought that segmenting it into chambers might improve the effect.
Obviously overall brightness could suffer, but perhaps a slightly more reflective tip would help? And of course punching holes in the centre of the discs.

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

I don't think that would work. The light travels up the tube at, well... the speed of light. All the discs would do is get in the way of an evenly lit blade.

If you get the Corbin style blades, and some kind of a driver to ramp up the LED, you can get a decent extension/retraction effect. That's about the only way it can be done easily and cheaply.

I'll look and see if there is a video I can post to show you what it looks like.

[BeamRider]

Ah I was already assuming a ramping effect would be used. Obviously just swithcing a light on and off wouldn't make much difference.
But what about with the ramping?

[Ghostbat]

I think he means with the LED string style blade rather than the single Lux style?

I think you would not get much brighter and would have to contend with dark rings. The way those blades achieve the illusion of a solid bar of light is through even diffusion (in the MR's by sleeving the LEDs in foam) and adding reflectors would actually hinder that effect.

But then you have nothing to lose by trying except time