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Author Topic: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Jedi-Loreen  2749 posts
Title: OCSWS Secretary
& Master of the Blades
 Registered: Dec '02
43743_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 5/13/05 1:11am Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
You can't power a Hasbro sound chip and speaker with a 9V battery, if that's the voltage of your inverter.

It will burn out the chip. At least, that has been my experience with them.

What do you mean that we "create switches"? We just buy a switch and put it into the circuit.

 

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In order to see the Light, you must sometimes risk the Darkness.
"The Force is my Ally"
Builder of EL Sabre Blades
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Strydur  259 posts
Registered: May '05
39869_Aragon
Date Posted: 5/13/05 6:43am Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Got the other tubing today..you where right loreen...much better looking now. How hard is it to get the 1/2 diffuser inside the polyc using silcone spray lubricant? With the 1/2 ID polyc and the 7/16 OD diffuser tube there really isnt any slapping around of the tubes when you wack them together but i would prefer the diffuser tube to be straighter inside the polyc.

Strydur

 

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RedHeadKevin  313 posts
Registered: May '04
6982_Chewie<br>Galactic Heroes
Date Posted: 5/13/05 8:57am Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
( which "other" tubing? the 1/8-wall stuff?)

 
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sporty  146 posts
Registered: May '05
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/13/05 11:12am Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
I ordered today from usplastics.com, 3/4 od and 5/8 id. 8 feet of it, they charge $1.00 per cut. Im getting it in 24 inch lengths. cost was $11.17 for shipping and cut. its the 1/16 th tubing.

Ill try it out and then if I dont like it, look at getting some 1/8 th thick tubing.

However I am curious if people are going to a smaller tube for less slop in the tubing.

sporty

 

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Strydur  259 posts
Registered: May '05
39869_Aragon
Date Posted: 5/13/05 6:58pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Well now that i got making these blades down to a art. i figured i'd help those on here that dont want to take the time to make or figure out how to make blades.
Since you have to buy allot of this stuff in bulk someone who just wants one blade can get really screwed. So for a limited time i will make anyone who wants one for $55 per blade. There wont be no skimping on materials either. They will be whatever length you want up to 40" 3/4"OD 1/2ID polycarbonate with diffuser tubing and 4 strands of 2.5mm wire, thats around 13 feet of wire. Each blade will have a acrylic round end on it and be fully assembled with a mono connector. I have dueled with the blades i made and they hold up great, i've even smacked the end of it against metal and just got a little scuff mark on it. Anyways do the math i am not out to make money here..more to just help those having problems making their own. If you want to buy one get ahold of me at compunerdy@comcast.net

Strydur

 

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sporty  146 posts
Registered: May '05
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/14/05 2:59pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Well I got my 2.3mm ultra bright today. Hmm I am wondering, if 60 inches is enough for 24 inch lightsaber blade.

And the polyethelene tubing that I have with the 1/2 outside and 3/8 inside. Seems almost like you could add more than just 3 strips in the tube. So I ordered some 5mm today. Just have to build a few and see what i am most happy with.

sporty


Hmm, I wouldnt mind buying a piece of that polcarbonate 1/2 id 24 lenth to try out.

 

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Seanohue 
Registered: May '05
Date Posted: 5/14/05 3:28pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
I talking about how to solder the female connector to the inverter then to the switch, a picture and diagram would really help. Also, im looking for a hilt that is easy to build and looks very nice because the one I was working on I recently found out is too small for the switch I have. Other than that, I know how to make the blade.

 
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Jedi-Loreen  2749 posts
Title: OCSWS Secretary
& Master of the Blades
 Registered: Dec '02
43743_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 5/14/05 5:29pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Oh, I see.

Well, you just have to keep in mind that the female connector goes on the leads from the output of the inverter, and the switch can go on either the red or black wire between the batter clip or holder and the inverter. I usually put mine on the black wire, just my preference. You just need the switch to interrupt the flow of electricity from the battery to the inverter.

You will likely also have to add a little wire to your switch, or shorten the other wire coming from the battery, which could be done by folding it.

Lengths of wiring and where to put things is pretty much determined by your design and size of your saber. Just keep the few things in mind that I mentioned above ^ .

 

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In order to see the Light, you must sometimes risk the Darkness.
"The Force is my Ally"
Builder of EL Sabre Blades
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Smithenguan  402 posts
Registered: Apr '05
7843_Anakin / Vader
Date Posted: 5/14/05 6:24pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Ok, I'm a n00b at saber construction, and I'm not very crafty. I'm buying a Parks Saber, but I want to completely seal off the end where the cap would go, but I want to use something that will stay on (hot glue sounds right, never used silicone before) while dueling.

I don't quite know what the diffuser is. Isn't that the tubing? Your tutorial confused me, I'm not a very mechanical person.

Is there any laymen's(sp?) way to describe how to seal off the end? Like a "Saber Sealing for Dummies"?

 
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Jedi-Loreen  2749 posts
Title: OCSWS Secretary
& Master of the Blades
 Registered: Dec '02
43743_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 5/14/05 6:52pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
These EL blades consist of 2 tubes. There is the outer, clear polycarbonate tube, and inside that goes the polyethylene diffuser tube (which is kind of white), which diffuses the light from the EL wire to make a nice, even glow inside the tube and also hides the wires.

You can seal the end with hot glue, but I've seen some of my glue tips get kind of soft and threaten to pop out when kept somewhere hot, so now I don't trust it at much anymore. I'm now using silicone to seal mine.

You can use that on your Parks blades, too. I would gently bend the end of the plastic holding the EL paper, to the inside, briefly, so that you can get a little of the silicone between it and the inside of the tube, then just squeeze enough into the center to fill at least 1/2" of the end, smooth it off (I use my finger tongue ) and set it down to cure for a few hours.

 

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In order to see the Light, you must sometimes risk the Darkness.
"The Force is my Ally"
Builder of EL Sabre Blades
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Smithenguan  402 posts
Registered: Apr '05
7843_Anakin / Vader
Date Posted: 5/14/05 6:57pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial - Date Edited: 5/14/05 7:41pm (4 edits total) Edited By: Smithenguan
Thanks. Where do you get silicone at? Do you have to heat it or anything to be able to old it or whatever?

Edit: Is this the right stuff?

Damnit, I can't get linking to work right.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@2044914049.1 116124291@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfhaddejdmlfmicgelceffdfgidgkk.0&MID=9876

 
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Seanohue 
Registered: May '05
Date Posted: 5/14/05 7:44pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Wish I had the inverter in front of me so I can see what your saying. I bought the inverter u recommended for the blade (the one from Coolight.com, 9V, cant remember #). Does that one come with a battery pack? The picture on it wasnt large enought to show if it did or did not.

 
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Jedi-Loreen  2749 posts
Title: OCSWS Secretary
& Master of the Blades
 Registered: Dec '02
43743_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 5/14/05 8:08pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Silicone comes in a tube and has a thick, liquid consistancy. You squeeze the amount you want through the tip on the end of the tube. It air cures into a rubbery textured material.

 

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In order to see the Light, you must sometimes risk the Darkness.
"The Force is my Ally"
Builder of EL Sabre Blades
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RedHeadKevin  313 posts
Registered: May '04
6982_Chewie<br>Galactic Heroes
Date Posted: 5/14/05 8:15pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
look for silicone in the caulking department of a hardware store.

Well, I'm getting my hilt just about done, and psyching myself up to order the EL stuff and tubes. It's looking good for a bunch of toilet parts and some weatherstripping.

 
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sporty  146 posts
Registered: May '05
6537_Green Lightsaber
Date Posted: 5/14/05 9:01pm Subject: RE: Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial
Well I got a few photos for of the plasma saber and my home built saber, no blade, just led's.

http://home.insightbb.com/~jedijohnson/wsb/html/view.cgi-photos.html-.html


 

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