MR Vader

**LanceM** · 03-21-2006, 12:50 AM

Alright.. Ive done a sink pipe EL saber which Im very disappointed in. EL is just not meant for sabers IMHO. The blade is noisy and rattles, the balance of the blade is way off, but this is due to my 36" blade, which was too long. But the fact is the thing just isnt bright. Outside, you cant even tell it is on. Blah to EL, it maybe right for some, but not me.

Next on the list was the Modular LED. I like this design, very simple. Sort of elegant in an old world sort of way

But this hilt and blade also lack balance.. The blade is still to heavy and I find myself looking for rocks to add to the hilt to give it some weight. But I do love the brightness.. AMAZINGLY bright, but the weight is terrible.

Now for the MR. I thought it would take about an hour do it the conversion. Well, I was wrong, 3 hours later I had finally finshed the conversion. And I had problems. The web page tutorial just didnt quite show enough for me to be able to feel 100% confident while I was doing it and the fact that when I first put it together, the LED didnt light up and then I had to get the metal blade holder OUT of the saber and reconnect the quick connect, sure presented some unique and unforseen problems. But that was the bad... The good.. This saber is PERFECT. The weight of it is UNBELIEVEABLE. I can move much quicker with this saber than any of my others. All the weight is in the hilt now and the blade is hollow. And it is BRIGHT.. I chose Red-Orange and wouldnt have chosen any other color of Vaders saber. This is my new saber.

Thanks for all your help (all of you who post such great topics and tutorials) cause without you guys, I would still be swinging a flashlight

LanceM

"You'll find Im full of surprises"

**LAN-ED-TUL** · 03-21-2006, 01:19 AM

my first one i did last weekend took me 6 to 7 hours. i know, but i took my time. didnt want to screw it up. i followed the tutorial. didnt have any probs using it. there are a few places still, that tinm needs to give more info, but he said he would do this when he could, so be patient. i used the red in mine.

You dont know the POWER, of the dark side...

**james3** · 03-21-2006, 08:48 AM

Takin' your time is the way to do it, I got my Vader apart in 10 min. tops, electronics knocked out in as long as it took for my crusty old solder iron to heat up, sliding everything back in to the hilt and locked down...let's just say I got my parts Friday evening and it has been an off and on process ever since.

Has anyone used those cold heat solder irons yet? I keep thinking about getting one but I wasn't sure how good they work.

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must." - Obi-Wan Kenobi

**xwingband** · 03-21-2006, 09:01 AM

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by james3
Has anyone used those cold heat solder irons yet? I keep thinking about getting one but I wasn't sure how good they work.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

There was a topic on the them in the Misc forum. Bottomline is DON'T get them. They are okay for electronics on boards, but other stuff you'd use a solder iron for or the exterme sizes (big and small connections) don't work at all. Just get a good iron. Mine heats up in about a minute.

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**james3** · 03-21-2006, 10:22 AM

I'm sorry I missed it, That sounds pretty much like what I was guessing on how they would work. I really just need to replace the tip I have been using the same one for about 10 years now.

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must." - Obi-Wan Kenobi

**SaberGirl** · 03-21-2006, 10:34 AM

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Has anyone used those cold heat solder irons yet? I keep thinking about getting one but I wasn't sure how good they work<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Eh, they arent so great. Some people say they work well on certain things, but don't on others. Ours was almost useless, it was retired a week after we got it.

**james3** · 03-21-2006, 01:39 PM

That confirms it....time to spend the big bucks and get a new tip for my ole 45 watter[

] Thanks xwing and Sabergirl.

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must." - Obi-Wan Kenobi

**LAN-ED-TUL** · 03-22-2006, 09:54 AM

someone posted a link to a online site that had a soldering station. it had variable heat, from 30 to 50 watts. and it was only 15 bucks. i keep threatening to get one myself.

You dont know the POWER, of the dark side...