Cool Lightsaber building website

Hey All..= )
I don't know if you have seen this site or not, if you have and forgot about it, it's incredibly good. I enjoyed just reading how he constructed his sabers, and the fan pictures of others sabers others made. Really Groovy!

http://bigyellowbox.tripod.com

He makes most of his stuff from cheap things he found at local hardware stores, giving you the prices of the peices also. This guy totally rocks!

Lotus

 

Yeah - he's a great inspiration for those of us without access to a machine shopes (I really want a lathe!)

I do wish he'd update the site, though. I've seen a few pics of stuff he's done in the meantime, and they look Most Cool...

 

*looks around*

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Oh my gosh! HAHAHAHAAA!!!!!

So uh, how long have you been with these boards?

 

Kal Joren's Jedi Academy is a great site. It's what got me started in this whole thing.
It's also the source for my first name of my Jedi name Toren Depor.

 

My fiance used to work with machine tooling equiptment. Basic lathes can be pretty expensive, but you can get neat ones for a couple hundred. The hand crank ones are neat, my fiance and his best friend used to bring me home hand crank tops from work. *laughs* Pretty cool!

I acutally saw an update on his site. He just added pictures, but more designs would be nice tho..= )

Lotus

 

Hi ya..= )

I just started posting here last night, I stumbled on it doing costume research. I entered the costume contest for the Convention and was looking for information on different stuff for others I'm helping to build costumes for, just for the Con. The little tidbits.

Thanks for asking..= )
Lotus

 

Jedi Toren,
Very cool!!! Thanks so much for this link! I love looking at other ideas. Hopefully soon enough I will build my own, so I love having different sorces to build from!

Lotus!

 

If you do go to a machine shop, how much does it usually cost to get a saber made?

 

I must agree with Lovely Lotus. http://bigyellowbox.tripod.com is a great site for anyone who wants to make a decent looking lightsaber for around $20!

You should really go take a look at it right now!
I'll wait here till you get back!
...
... [Humming the]
... [theme song]
... [from Jeopardy]
...
Oh you're back so soon?
Did you read the instructions and parts lists for one of the 8 different styles?

Really?!?
Should I believe you?
Now I'm serious, really! Go look!

True none are perfect halibrand replicas but style V is a pretty close shot and Obiwans ANH saber don cha? think? And 90% of it all comes from the plumbing & garden supply aisles of your neighborhood Lowes home supply center.

If I sound like a commercial forgive me. It is not my site and the guy who runs it does not pay me to say nice things about him. I just can't believe that a klutz like me could ever have made such nice sabers and on the cheap to boot!

I've made 2 of the different style sabers shown there (IV & VI), with eminently passable results, and mind you I'm a real novice at this stuff, the type of guy who risks 50/50 odds of removing a finger or two when I pick up a Dremmel tool.

If you don't have a Dremmel, a hacksaw and a few small files will do the produce similar results, just not as fast. Get the Dremmel if you can. I got mine at the repair service department of Sears it was about $30 for a reconditioned variable speed model.

When I went to build my sabers I found the parts listed with only minor hunting (Hint: Lowes rocks & Home Depot sucks) One change, to style IV, the belt clip button thing is a cell phone accessory add-on part. I couldn't find the one he suggested at K-mart. I got mine at Pep Boys.

The owner hasn't updated it in just about a year, but if you've never seen it, it'll all be new to you.

bigyellowbox also features the most intelligent use of frames I've ever seen on a website. As you read through the directions or parts list, you can click on an icon next to most every part name or construction step, and you get an image of what the text it telling you about in a spiff little side area top left, while keeping the text instructions right out front at the same time.

O.K. If you've read all the way down here and you still haven't checked out http://bigyellowbox.tripod.com theres nothing more I can do for you. You obviously don't want to experience the joy of creating something all by yourself. If you still want a nice saber for about the cost of the Hasbro toys but don't want to build it, look for me (jonny5) at SW:CII I'll be the guy selling custom sabers out of the lining of his jacket.

 

So whatever happened to BookGuy (maker of the Most Valuable Big Yellow Box?

 

Oh.... I'm still around.

Guys and Gals.. I know I haven't updated my site in a while, but I got the style 9 prototype in the next room.. I just need to knuckle-down and do it. ... anyway like I was saying.. I haven't updated in a while, but I really do appreciate all the kind words about the site. It's the only payment I recieve, and all I'd really ever want for simply sharing information with folks that love Star Wars, too.

And thanks to all those other great do-it-yourself sites out there!

LovelyLotus.. welcome to the board and watch out for the Dremels... they BITE!

...and I'll let you all in on a little secret, "Obi-wan's Jedi Academy" can be accessed again. We've had server and domain problems, but we're on the mend. We still have some DNS issues, but you can go straight to us for now right here:
http://66.33.77.175/

Hopefully soon we'll get the www.jedi-academy.com going again.

 

Bookguy, thanks for the info on the dremel, yeppers they bite, and are a down right pain, but I wouldn't trade mine to a Jawa for nothin'! I do a lot of jewelry work, so I don't mind the bites or burns. It's just part of the process, and you have wounds to swap stories with your friend. j/k = P

I've always dug your two sites I'm glad there out there, and your doing a great service to those of us who have looked hard to find a way to make it cheap. My fiance and I drooled all over your site, and loved reading it. I was like, "This guy ROCKS!" So no I'm not becoming a groupie, but I really do like your sites.

Thanks for all the work you do!
Lotus

 

I'll be proudly displaying my version of your saber VIII as a part of my Sith costume, hopefully in the costume contest (if my entry gets there in time, too cheap to send a 34cent letter fed ex for $13.

 

S'okay, I'm with you, I was too cheap to Fedex my entry, so I mailed it on Saturday last week. I'm hoping it'll get there on time! If not I'll just enjoy the weekend and dress up any how!

Track us down at the convention if you can, I'd love to see your saber..= )

Lotus

 

Hey.. good luck in the contest to both of you!

Be sure to look for me at SWC2. I'll be staying at the Hyatt in the block of rooms reserved for the 501st and Rebel Legion. If you want to track me down, just stop by the 501st booth and give them my ID # TK-232 and they should be able to give you my room number.

See ya there!

 

VERY cool! I and probably about 1500 other Star Wars fans will be dressed as Leia from a New Hope, yeah Cinabuns and all strapped to my head, just dont' come near me if your hungry! j/k!

We're driving in from Cincinnat about two hours away, and staying there Saturday night so that we can be there if I make it into the Constume contest. If any one is from Cincinnati, we can always caravan up, if they like.

Thanks for the info, Bookguy! Mucho appreicated!

Lotus

 

Hey as a newbie this site has been a great way to get my feet wet, thanks BookGuy. I was wondering, I seem to remember in an EU book or somewhere there were 'Light' Jedi that used double bladed sabers. Anyone know about this? Thanks for all the good info.

 

Hey bookyguy! Can you give us any "spoilers" as to what the type 9 looks like? I've been waiting for it ever since you mentioned it in your news section.

I just want to let you know that your sabres have influenced my prop building to such an immense degree that I can give all credit to you. I'm sure you may see a few familiar hilts in Knight's Dawn. I've even taken some of your sabres to the next level, using new hilts that are everywhere and easy to find, doing unusual things with those rubber o-rings (such as making a beehive-style grip near the pommel, and putting windsheild wiper trays up the whazoo. Thank you Bookguy. You've made the Prop community a better place.

 

Ask... and you shall receive:
[image=http://mywebpages.comcast.net/yellowbox/proto9a.jpg]
click photo for larger image

This is the prototype for style 9.. which is inspired by the Mara Jade saber (as conceived by J. Parks). It's a slim design that is meant to be comfortable in smaller hands. The final version will see some changes... but there's a peek.

Jarick.. Thanks.. and I'm afraid I'm pretty pathetic when it comes to EU facts.. sorry.

MC,
You're going to make me blush... you words are much appreciated.

What part of the south are your in/from?

 

That looks awesome, Bookguy! You are the lightsaber handle, God!

Lotus!

 

Good ole Knoxville Tennessee! Our only claim to fame is the Smoky Mountains, the Vols, and the World Trade Fair came here once upon a time....

 

Lesse..

Smoky Mountains - Horribly polluted
Vols - Suck!
World's Fair - Cracked, underused, overbuilt concrete mess, and wig storage in that Simpsons Episode.

 

You mean there isn't a wig sphere?

 

I would have to agree with everyone that Lightsabers from the big yellow box has inspired so many to construct their own saber. I am so thrilled with the way mine turned out. I love the preview for design 9! I plan on wearing my yellow box saber proudly to many conventions and telling everyone i know about the site. May the Force be with The Big Yellow Box!

 

Anyone order plastidip online? Here in BFE north carolina no one has it, or they will order it if you buy a CASE.

Any help would be hot.