Hardware Hilt tricks

[ArkaiHalon]

For those of us that enjoy hardware hilts, what are some good tips and tricks you've come up with?

Example:

To keep the batteries from wobbling around in a 1.25 sink tube, a 20 oz drink cap fits perfectly inside. Same can be said for the grey lid from a film canister and a 1.5 inch tube. cut a couple of slits, and a zip tie later and you have a removable chassis for your batteries. "goober engineered" as it is, it's pretty darn sturdy.

[Tenric Starkindler]

I used a square AA holder and shaved the edged to make a tight wedge fit.
Some have used a slice of PVC pipe to assemble the innards and slide it into place, securing it with a small screw or two designed into the saber.

[Novastar]

In the Flange v3 sabers I created, the Li-Ion 18650 cells (2 of them side by side) just BARELY fit inside the 1.5" sink tube pipe.

I had to do very little to make them "stay" in place, so it's almost a great "default" setup with little to no effort to keep them in place.

Granted, you need the CORRECT style of 1.5" sink tube pipe... the one with the screw-on cap.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

In case you're wondering, these are what Novastar is referring to:

They are an excellent way to add sound to a hardware saber. You can even fit the big 36mm speaker in there! Add a sink strainer for a speaker grille, and you're done!

Another trick I've done is add grip "rings" on the tube using a tubing cutter:

This can also be used to give the illusion of parts that are screwed together:

I have also found that a square 4-AA battery pack fits nice and snug inside a 1.5 inch tube. Almost a little too snug, actually, and I had to add a "pull" wire to the pack so I could easily get it out.

[chase]

i stuff bubble wrap in the bottom of the hilt so nothing slides around. it works magically. btw...if you are screwing on a blade holder and you hear a "crunch"...........stop screwing.....i killed a led doing that.

[Novastar]

In case you're wondering, these are what Novastar is referring to:

They are an excellent way to add sound to a hardware saber. You can even fit the big 36mm speaker in there! Add a sink strainer for a speaker grille, and you're done!

Another trick I've done is add grip "rings" on the tube using a tubing cutter:

This can also be used to give the illusion of parts that are screwed together:

I have also found that a square 4-AA battery pack fits nice and snug inside a 1.5 inch tube. Almost a little too snug, actually, and I had to add a "pull" wire to the pack so I could easily get it out.

BINGO. As usual, Jay Gonn is right on the money.

I can't stress enough how useful a 1.25" sink tube pipe is in order to create about the tightest "choke point" you can have for a saber, while still being able to fit electronics in it. They are pretty strong too, so don't think they're going to dent or collapse or something! They're meant to take water pressure. Duh.

When using the bottom 1.5" sink tube (back hand), you can also use the "sink drain filter" or whatever the heck it is Jay Gonn put inside the tube--that is good for a speaker grille, and don't forget the "drain cup" ones. They are even better IMHO since they allow for more resonance room.

To protect the hilt from damage (and the speaker from hellish shock)... rubber gaskets/O-rings, etc.

[Novastar]

A good one I didn't think of until now... velcro!

A little velcro stickies, one placed on part X the other placed inside the hilt or whatever... should hold something in place fairly well! Especially if you later wish to take it apart and want quick access...

[gundamaniac]

Wow. I can't believe I didn't think of using a pipe cutter to get the illusion of sectioned parts on a sinktube. I was looking at the Share Pics thread in Misc. and saw an aluminum saber with segments done with a hacksaw and file...I want to try something like that for my next saber, and the pipe cutter trick never even occured to me.

Very neat

[Treadingwolf]

I like to put battery "compartments" in my sabers so i dont have to twist the wires. Usualy have the battery holder inbetween an mhs sinktube adapter and a pvc coupler or female reducer. Also i put rubber gasket or foam weather strip in a few spots around the battery holder to keep thing snug and not rattle around inside.