HOW TO MAKE LIGHTSABERS 2.0

^^for the blue screen I dont haveone yet but I just need to edit out my backdrop just for the teaser which just shows me.

 

You'll have to roto yourself out, then. Masks, son. You can do lightsabers, so you know how to use them.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3DaLC2vZhI

here is the teaser clip so you can see what im tryin to do >_> rotoing my self out.. sounds kinky.. Lol

 

No offense but that's not a teaser. That's just you spinning around and throwing your saber in the camera lens for 3 seconds.

 

I know. Its just supposed to show me I still got alot of editing to do.

 

gah i cant edit my post no button.

but anyways. How did my saber look anyways? also On rotoscoping my self.. how Would I make that work with the saber its self? What do I do after I rotoscoped my self? nest it on the other comp layer?

 

I must say that your film was very well done!

I also, to anyone wishing to construct a Lightsaber, the best place to find almost everything you will need to make one is at Home Depot.

I was there one day with my inlaws, and I was board out of my mind.. so I walked around and ended up in the plumbing section, when an idea popped into my head...

These items can make a nice lightsaber, I collected a bag og items, and took them home..

I looked up Lightsaber building online to see what I could find... and behold!
I found out I wasn't the only one with the same idea!

It took about a weeks worth of free time to finally finish it off.

3 different shops in total, Home Depot, The Source and an online shop in the UK that sells SW belt clips.

And It is beauitful! Flawless perfection! Can you tell I'm very proud of it

If anyone wishes one made for them I can make one for you.
Email me for more info.

 

I was browsing old posts and found my lightsaber hilt tutorial, originally from 4/10/05.
It got some good responses before, so I figure I may as well post it again for those who haven't seen it.


I recently got asked what I use to make my lightsabers.. so I wrote an e-mail and it surprisingly became lengthy and detailed.

I figure someone in here may be able to use this info, so here you go:

This is the final product:
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/Vaportrail1519/Chillin8.jpg]
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v511/Vaportrail1519/Picture001.jpg]


Cheap Hardware Saber.
Elegance and Function for less than $10 each.

Alright, here's what you'll need:

12"x1-1/4" brass pipe, chrome finish.
This can be cut down to size if you want, as some people find it to be a couple inches too long.

Screws: Round combo w/ Nut, 1/4-20 x 1-1/2
(Quarter inch thick, 1-1/2 inch long.. you should be able to find a box of like 20 or so screws & nuts.) They're cheap, so buy more than you need. You'll be amazed how quickly you might need more. These I recommend for holding the blade in, but if you feel a thinner screw will do the trick and look better, by all means try it out.

Drill bit: 1/4" thick or less.
Don't go too small or the screw won't go in, don't go too big or the screw won't support it. Make sure it's length is greater than the diameter of the pipe. If you get smaller screws, get the right bit as well.

48"x3/4" broomstick.
Make sure it's not warped, bent, or damaged in any way. Don't get a dowel, look for the spare broomsticks. In my experience, they're made better and last longer. If no one's close by, twirl it in the store to make sure you like the weight. Remember, the hilt will add more to one side. Also, they usually have a rounded tip which can be a helpful guide when drawing the 'saber core in your effects program. If you have a different blade preference, it will work as well with the following step.

Masking or painter's tape.
Use this to make the portion of your broomstick that's going into the hilt thicker. Choose where the screw will go, and tape off just that section of the broomstick. Usually you'll want a screw a couple inches from the top, and a one a couple inches from the bottom. Feel free to be sloppy with the tape.. you'll use less if you create wrinkles and pack them tightly. Your goal is to get the broomstick centered in the hilt. Make sure it's a snug fit.

Screwdriver and wrench.
After you put the screws in the hilt and the nuts on the exterior portion, use these to tighten them. If you've done everything right, the blade won't wiggle at all. Trust me, this feels amazing after dealing with shoddier props.

Plugging the bottom.
Go to the sink section, and you should be able to find a rubber drain plug that'll fit nicely. I also used to pick up a D-ring so that I can slide the lightsaber into a clip on my belt. The D-rings can be easily screwed into the plug if you remove the tab on top. However, the rubber plugs do fall off sometimes during a duel.
Recently, I've been putting bottled water caps (16.9oz Aquafina) with the top of the cap on the inside of the hilt. (Just the normal ones, not the pop-tops.) Color them however you want with a marker, paint, etc. Wrap a thin layer of tape around the side before you put it in, and use a hammer or the floor to ensure a snug fit. Do this BEFORE you drill the holes for the blade, as you may lose some space inside the hilt. If you don't want a small hole in the bottom of your saber, you may plug the cap with anything you like, or even just put tape over the hole and color it with a marker.
EDIT: Even more recently, I have found endcaps which will go over the end of the pipe and match the chrome finish. For the 1-1/4" pipe, the endcap will stick out roughly a few millimeters all the way around. This can be covered with details, but honestly it's barely noticable and looks great for when you want to hang it on your belt.

Emitter Detail.
T

 

I think it's worth adding in one of the opening posts (I believe it's the second one) that the GIMP is a free alternative to all those expensive programs. It is almost as powerful as Photoshop and can create a lightsaber just as good.


If you combine the GIMP and the GIMP-GAP (Animation Plug-in) with VideoMach (to convert your footage to frames and then back to video) you'll get the same effect. And at a cheaper price: free.


If necessary, I can work on a tutorial.

 

how do you connect the blade to the hilt?

(supposing its aluminum)

 

Screws. Duct tape it up to make it snug.

 

Its what I guessed.

Thanks!

 

if you can't use tape, what should you use?

 

Tape is pretty basic stuff man.

 

what I meant was is there anything better

 

Well I suppose you could mold it in plastic or some kind of resin, but that seems like overkill to me.

 

I was thinking foam, but that wouldn't hold in the saber well

 

Just use tape and/or a screw. Not that complicated, and it works.

 

Tape is really the easiest.
I have tried out these tubes of foam insulation, but generally they're too thick and it's a lot more trouble to get the blade centered in the hilt.

Tape is where it's at. Duct, masking, or even that blue painter's tape. Something that's somewhat wide would obviously work better.

 

I use electrical tape.
I also bought all my supplies at Home Depot and Lowes. Except for one saber that I made with a hack-sawed bicycle pump.
I use the handle from a paint roller (which is threaded), bolt that in place. Then, I screw in the dowel, and wrap electrical tape around it.
I also have on saber that has a metal ring the screws on to threads on the end of the hilt where the dowel goes in. That is pretty cool for effectively hiding any tape that might show up.

My episode 3 trailer has close-ups of both of these hilts.

Edit:

 

wait, run that by me again?

 

What didn't you get?

 

that

 

It's just a short metal extender that screws onto his saber. He uses it for an emitter shroud, I'm guessing.

 

If you take a look at my Episode III Trailer. About 40 seconds in, is a great shot of the saber in question.

And, yeah, Funk is right. Basically, the hilt is made from a drain pipe. One end is threaded so you can put a ring-type thing on it. It fit the design well enough. And it had the extra bonus of making the emitter look more recessed. Looked really cool when the blade was rotoed.