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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lightsabers & Blasters How can I build my own lightsaber?

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by DarthMasan, Aug 13, 2003.

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  1. Ti-el_Terall

    Ti-el_Terall Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 11, 2006
    You should check the CSS forum. Iv seen alot of people make curved hilts with electronics, so i dont know why you think you wouldnt be able too.....

     
  2. Jedi-Loreen

    Jedi-Loreen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2002
    I can never find anything at Home Depot. :p I prefer Lowes, where they are in the specialy hardwar cabinets, for some reason. [face_thinking]

    Try looking for them under "chrome end cap", also.
     
  3. moosemousse

    moosemousse CR Emeritus: FF-UK South star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2004
    I've checked out the various sites and it looks like this lightsabre will come to about £200 in total. It might be less though as I budgeted $50 for the blade and it could end up being less than that. It's still a lot of money though. :(

    Talking of blades, does anyone know of a way I could conceal a blade so I can carry it around without it looking like a plastic tube? I was thinking that the thing I could hide it in could be part of a Jedi or Sith costume, but I can't think what it could be.
     
  4. Jedi-Loreen

    Jedi-Loreen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2002
    A lot of people sew a pocket on the inside of their Jedi or Sith robe to slide their blade into when not using it on their saber.
     
  5. Jedi_Kai

    Jedi_Kai Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 27, 2001
    http://images17.fotki.com/v308/photos/4/42813/792776/pocket-vi.jpg shows how I've added a long, narrow pocket along the left seam, under my arm. I attached the pocket fabric, which is a strip of the same fabric out of which the robe is made, with stitch-witchery, a iron-on fuseable stuff. That way, a sewn seam wouldn't show on the outside of my robe, as it is not lined.

    I agree. Lowe's is often better than Home Depot for lightsaber parts. Even better yet is a local chain, McClendon's (WA).
     
  6. Jedi-Loreen

    Jedi-Loreen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2002
    I have a blade "sheath" that I picked up a few years ago. It's basically a tube of fabric with a web strap that has an adjustable side release buckle. The strap webbing is also used to reinforce the opening, and the bottom of the sheath. It holds 2 blades.

    It's meant to wear with the strap diagonally across your chest, but I don't like the way that looks, so I wear it on my left shoulder with the blades under my arm. I'm just barely tall enough for that at just under 5'6", so that style of carry wouldn't work for someone smaller.
     
  7. Col_Chopper

    Col_Chopper Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2006
    You can get some authentic parts to build a light saber at www.parksabers.com for a good price[face_peace]
     
  8. LAN-ED-TUL

    LAN-ED-TUL Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2005
    i have 2 slings. one i hand made for carrying 1 of the inch blades for the led lux sabers, and another i modded from a gun sling to hold 2 of the 1 inch lux blades.
     
  9. xwingband

    xwingband Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2001
    Parks? Cheap?

    NAW... You used to be able to get the Graflex for $125 and $75 each if you bought ten. He moved it up to $150 a while ago, and just recently did away with the bulk buy. Ironically ebay is selling REAL ones for half that.

    The parts... sometimes you're stuck, but just try to tell me $40 for an MPP emitter is reasonable when the whole thing is $125 (half of "saber kit").
     
  10. James3

    James3 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2006
    Must be a west coast thing or something but around here Lowes SUCKS! I always hit the Home Depot first. It is pretty much certain that Lowes won't have what I want and Home Depot will.

    Parks makes some pretty hilts for sure but I have never thought of them as cheap. I hunt around for prices on parts.
     
  11. LAN-ED-TUL

    LAN-ED-TUL Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2005
    lol, around here james, if lowes dont have it HD will, and if HD dont lowes does. im lucky on one store we have a lowes in town, HD i gotta make a trip to get stuff. either owasso, or tulsa.
     
  12. Jedi_Ranger_007

    Jedi_Ranger_007 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 15, 2004
    Up here in Canada, Rona is my first stop. Then Home Depot, then smaller speciality stores.
     
  13. Kev-Mas_Colcha

    Kev-Mas_Colcha Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 15, 2002
    [image=http://kevmascolcha.ifastnet.com/kevmascurvesabers.jpg]

    I want to build these sabers, and I think I know how I am going to do it, but I need some input.

    First of all, I will get Stainless Steel Pipes, and find a Muffler Shop that does Mandrel bends, and get them to curve it to the shape I want for the base. That one I'm sure about.

    But, next, I'm wondering if would it be possible to use the stainless steel tubings for vaccuform bases for sheets of Polystyrene Plastic, that I use for the external plating on the sabers.

    For the grip, I will put on O-Rings, covered and held in place by vinyl. The O-Rings, would make up the contours of the grip.

    After that, I get some sculpey, and add on the miscellaneous greeblies (emmitter details that aren't shown in the pictures, activator box which will have clear hot glue or similar dots in it), and I also put in the Electronics for EL Blades.
     
  14. xwingband

    xwingband Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2001
    I can definitely see the saber you were inspired by, that entry to one of Luuke's contests. I believe he hammered metal to get that look. That may be a little overboard.

    The problem I see with styrene is you cant get a perfect circle. You'd have to have seams. I think layered PVC tubes would work better.

    The rest seems pretty fine on building it. Just keep the blade mount method in mind and you should be cool.
     
  15. Kev-Mas_Colcha

    Kev-Mas_Colcha Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 15, 2002
    But, how would I make the different shapes with PVC Pipes? Would I be better off with metal plating, so I could take some pliers or a hammer and shape it?
     
  16. xwingband

    xwingband Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2001
    You'd sand the PVC to get the edges rounded and heat with a heat gun it to get the bends. It shouldn't be that terribly difficult if you use the inner steel tube as the basis for the bends.

    You could do it like that guy did though and hammer it in shape. I just thought I'd throw out the PVC idea since you did seem willing to paint the styrene.
     
  17. Kev-Mas_Colcha

    Kev-Mas_Colcha Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 15, 2002
    Yeah, that's true. I'll stick with PVC.
     
  18. moosemousse

    moosemousse CR Emeritus: FF-UK South star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2004
    I have a question about blade length. As soon as I can afford it I'll be buying a light sabre, but I'm having problems deciding on how long to have the blade. Does anyone have any tips or anything?
     
  19. LAN-ED-TUL

    LAN-ED-TUL Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2005
    on most all of mine i have 36 inches exposed blade, then add whatever needed to go in the hilt.

    most of mine are 38 total. except for my great saber which has a 48 inch total blade length.

    its a long hilt too. round a 6 cell in length.
     
  20. XGundam05

    XGundam05 Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 17, 2006
    Right around 36 inches of exposed blade seems to work rather well for me as well. That's about what the "Ultimate Guide to the Star Wars Universe" says the blade length is (1 metre, actually. And I've owned that book since I was 10, so it's at least 8 years old) Although, if you were sizing it as you would a Katana, the blade would be approx. as long as the distance between the bottom of your foot to your hip, and the hilt would be about as long as the inside of your forearm, but I digress...
     
  21. moosemousse

    moosemousse CR Emeritus: FF-UK South star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2004
    That's actually very helpful, thanks. :)
     
  22. JediKnightGareth

    JediKnightGareth Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2005
    as far a sfinding parts hitup your local anythings. I'm working on a sabre and found some awesome Greeble at a local junk store and these sweet screw-on spikes and studs at the music store.
    HIt the blacktop, and hard. I got my Salvation Army store to GIVE me TWO old nintendo Zapper guns just for being determined enough to untangle the cords.
     
  23. LAN-ED-TUL

    LAN-ED-TUL Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2005
    dont forget bout the hardware stores. i find lots of cool parts for sabers browsin round those places too.
     
  24. DARTHLARS

    DARTHLARS Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 12, 2002
    I did not hammer metal. This was the first lightsaber I made of metal so I did not use any fancy technique. :)
    It was made of aluminum pipe in three different sizes that slid into eachother. Each pommel section was made by first cutting the end into a "mouth" and then bending the upper and lower "jaws" inwards using pliers. Then I filed the surfaces and edges smooth. The "control box" was made of thin sheets that I had shaped with my fingers around a block of sculpey.
     
  25. xwingband

    xwingband Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2001
    Same difference... it's still bent metal.:p
     
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