gah! I need help putting a blade on a lightsaber!

Okay, I tried my best, but it just doesn't seem to have cut it. I'll provide a couple pictures of what I did.

Picture of the hilt and blade
http://jasondelta.tripod.com/saber/Pict0035.JPG

Picture of the emitter (notice two screws on upper left and lower right)
http://jasondelta.tripod.com/saber/Pict0034.JPG

An attempted picture of the innards holding the blade in
http://jasondelta.tripod.com/saber/Pict0033.JPG

I built my *first* hilt, which I thought could have turned out better (I am a little disappointed, but practice makes perfect, right?). I still need to attach rubber grips, but my real problem is with attaching a blade.

As you can see, I already have a painted dowel rod attached, but it's not a good fit. I used two screws, at opposites sides of the dowel rod's circumference. I also added some strip insulation stuff I had, to act like a shock absorber. The problem is that it's not really a tight fit, and it's also not really removable (because the screws are tightly put into the dowel rod so it stays in place). So I'm curious what other methods there are to attach a blade, particularly so that it is removable. And added bonus would be a system that wouldn't add extra screws to the hilt that are unnecessary and don't look too hot. Any help would be much appreciated!



Note- I'm not entirely sure that you'll be able to access the pictures above. Just tell me if they don't work, and I'll find a solution. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, though!

 

If you'll take a look at this saber...Niralle's Saber
It is put together with screws securing the blade (photoshop effect in pic) which is a dowell.

This one has a steel shank (piece of pipe about 6" in length) that acts as the "emitter" when the blade is taken out, and as a fitting for the blade. The shank slides into the inside diameter of the hilt *perfectly. The dowell slides into the shank *perfectly. The two screws that hold it in are on the same side, lined up, and are about 1.5" apart. The blade can be removed/installed within 1 minute or less.

I would suggest not using foam or anything else as a "shock absorber". You neeed a *tight fit on the blade...it needs to be solid, just like a real sword.

I couldn't see your pics, BTW...but I hope what advice I could muster up helped you some...

--Kai

 

(I couldn't get the pics to work either , but here's my two cents)

When I made a lightsaber, I made one from the Big Yellow Box. It was style #2, like Obi's from the prequel, and when I was done the inside tube was completely smooth and hollow down to where the pommel connected. I had planned to get a glowing bade thing seperate and instal it later (I still might). But not having had the time, money, or inclination, I came upon a cheap solution.

Golf club sleves.

They're long plastic tubes, hollow and light. My mom rustled up mine; I really don't know where she found it. I guess you could pick some up at a golf store someplace- from what I've been told they go down in golf bags to protect the clubs and keep them from getting tangled or something. Anyway, I just spraypainted it and rammed it down inside the saber until it looked a realstic length. It was a bit difficult to put in and remove the first couple of times, but it got easier. And even though I primed it, the spraypaint chips after a few battles... but I've been pretty happy with it. Its easier for me to spar with, 'not as clumsy, or random as a' dowel. (I tried a dowel too. It was too heavy for me.)

Anyway, I hope this helped. If not... well, I tried !

 

If your dowell was too heavy, then it was most likely too large in diameter. 3/4" is about right. Inside a metal handle, the balance and weight are great. My hilts are multiple layers (at least 3: an outer casing, an inner casing, and a steel pipe core to accept either a dowell blade, or simple wooden core). The thing is to have each subsequent pipe fit exactly inside the previous one.

I tried the golf tube thing once, and ended up destroying it within one duel. They're just too light duty for me. I've used dowells from 5/8" to 3/4" very successfully. I did some practice sabers out of a PVC pipe hilt, with a wooden core. I drilled a hole in the wooden core to accept a dowell rod blade, and they worked great.

There are lots of ways of doing it, I suppose. To me, the key is simply having everything fit snugly...

--Kai

 

The way I made my blade secure and easily removable is with a paint roller extender/broom handle. I took the grip portion of the paint roller and placed it in the base of my grip with sheet metal screws. The broom handle slides down in my grip and screws into the roller grip. I then added a set screw up at the emitter to add stability to the blade.

Loosen the set screw and unscrew the blade and your ready to park. Screw in the blade and tighten the set screw and your ready for action.

 

Okay, I finally found a place to put my pics! Tripod kicked me out because I was ignorant to the fact that you CANNOT use their service for remote loading (i.e. for eBay). Anyway, here's the site with the pics-

http://hometown.aol.com/everestff3/saber1.html

I wish I had thought of putting my stuff there earlier!

 

Kai,
How heavy is one of your Sabre hilts w/o blade? Mine weighs about under a pound. What do you use to clean the sabre hilt when it gets dirty from hand oils etc? I use a damp cloth
Mynn

 

I've kept a close eye on my weights. Most of my hilts are 1lb. or slightly more. Since I use a chrome plated sink drain, with a galvanized steel pipe inside of another pipe (usually PVC) inside the hilt for inserting the dowell rod blade, they tend to have some heft to them. But, around 1lb. is a good weight.

As for cleaning, it depends on what they are made of, but for the most part I clean with a product called "NevRdul" (never-dull). It's a cleaner and polish for metal, found in most places like WalMart in the AutoCare dept. You could also find it at places like Aadvance Auto Parts, and so forth.

You can clean with just about anything, Windex for example, but I'd stay away from wiping them down with a wet (assuming you're using water) cloth. Some sabers are made of steel, or at least have steel parts (screws etc.) and you don't want to go rusting it up. Truly, I'd recomend the NevRdul...it's great stuff.

--Kai

 

So you guys suggest screws, or is the shank workable.

I am having 4 sabers in my film and having them custom machined.

Any watch the BA Cherography movie? It shows them install their blades closly...

Thanks,

Justin

 

I did watch the BA behind the scenes videos. The method they show for the blades is exactly what I'm talking about. I think their hilts were custom machined, so they were probably solid rods that had been lathed, and then a hole drilled for the blade insertion. That would work perfectly. The whole "shank" deal is for sabers made from pipes or tubes...that's how mine are made. As long as everything is nice and snug, and you use at least two screws, spaced at least an inch apart, you'll be fine...

--Kai

 

What is this BA choreography movie you guys are talking about?

 

BA...That would be the fan film "Broken Alleigance"... it's not bad. The thing I greatly admired was the behind the scenes movies...very helpful to a lot of folks. It's listed in TFN's fan films...check it out...

--Kai

 

Kai,

when it comes to the dowel then, I saw it also had predrilled holes?

Is this what we want, or how can it catch?

Know what I mean??

 

The holes do need to be pre-drilled to prevent splitting out the dowell rod when you install the screws. Just driving a screw into a dowell can split it, which would be bad.

The holes need to be only slightly (read VERY SLIGHTLY) smaller than the diameter of the screw that's being used. A difference of about 1/16" or 1/32"...this lets the screw "bite" into the material and holds well...I assume that's what you meant about it "catching" (?)...

That make sense?...

--Kai

 

Yep.

So lets say we need to have another scene without and then with blade, can the same holes be used??

 

Should be no problem. With the screws in the holes of the saber (without blade), it looks fine...

--Kai

 

I meant can the blade be reused, sorry

 

Oh! Certainly. The only thing to keep you from not re-using the blade would be breaking or cracking it. I make mine removeable...simply take out the screws, slide out the dowell rod and re-insert the screws for a deactivated saber. Pop the blade back in, and you're ready for action...

--Kai

 

Kai, thanks.

One more.

You said you used 3/4" dowels? Whats the strength of these? Are they practical?

Its what I am looking at, thanks

 

Yes. 3/4" dowells are the thing that most coreographers use. They are reasonably strong, and resiliant. It mostly depends on the force with which you strike. When I was training an actor for a film, we used dowell rods that were less than 3/4" and it took forever to break one. 3/4" last much longer. Basically, you want to pull your hits...never actually striking as hard as it LOOKS like you are. If you're hitting hard enough to break the blades, you're hitting WAY too hard...remember to be safe.

I guess the short answer is: yes, they're strong enough...just pull your strikes for safety of your actors, and wear and tear on props. If you DO happen to break a dowell, you're only out a few dollars to replace it. I recomend having at least ONE replacement blade for each saber on hand just in case...

--Kai

 

Kai,

Thanks again

Yeah I know some about stage combat, and pulled attacks, not an expert

Well I'll probably want more than one extra each lol. 4 sabers, maybe 8 extras, just in case.

They seem reiliant, I bought 2, just hard to tell with no sparring partner, lol!

Thanks for your help

Well I guess I am good to go then, lol!

Screws and blades, yay!

Justin