Lightsaber Props

This should probably be in the costumes and props forums, but since it applies to fanfilm making, here it goes. Don't give me that "Go look at the tutorials" crap. I already have, and I have found no suggestions on how to do this. I was wondering how I would make a lightsaber hilt from PVC BUT would allow a detachable and re-attachable blade. I want to be able to remove the blade from the hilt with ease. I am going to buy the materials this afternoon, as the final production shoots begin in a couple of weeks.

Or heck, if anyone already has some lightsabers built that they would let me use for filming, that would be awesome too. And I think most of you know me enough to know that I would give it back. Or would I just keep it for my own evil purposes? BWWWWAAA HA HA HA!

 

PVC is easily pierced with a drywall or sheet metal screw.

For my own sabers, I typically included an extra screw in the design that comes out easily with a power screwdriver or drill with phillips bit.

The hilt, of course, needs to be open as far down to the pommel as possible. When the PVC was more narrow than the inner tube of the hilt, I just wrapped duct tape around the the PVC at the bottom and again near the top end of the hilt to make it snug.

This is my newest creation:
[image=http://www.jushhome.com/saber/saber2.jpg]
You can see the set screw on the opposite side from the knobs in this pic:
[image=http://www.jushhome.com/saber/saber4.jpg]
(more pics in my post here)

Same is true with these:
[image=http://www.HiddenPhantom.com/sabers2.jpg]
For the two sabers that used conduit joiners, the set screws are in the joiners.

Keeping a power screwdriver handy, it was very easy to add and remove the blades while filming, yet the blades were stilll very secure while fighting. Not one ever came out or even loosened during filming.

Have fun.

 

Nice saber props. Simple, yet very cool looking.

I'm in the middle of building my first prop now. It's taken me a little while to find all the parts I need, but it's coming along...

My solution to the blade is this:
I sawed off the handle from a paint roller with a threaded part for attaching it to an extension pole. So, the attachement and detachment of the blade is as simple as screwing an extension pole into the threads. And since the extension pole is the perfect size for rotscoping, it solved all my problems.
Well, except how to mount the handle inside the hilt. I still haven't perfected that part. But, it's still a pretty good idea, I think.

 

The best way I've found is slightly more expensive than some others but works amazingly well and doesn't require any other tools. In the plumbing section of my local hardware store I found some dark grey plastic piping that came in about 4 ft lengths. Both ends had screw threads on them. The pipe itself was slightly thicker than that of standard PVC and was about the same diameter as 1/2 inch PVC. I Then looked around in the assorted connector pieces until I found one that the pipe could screw into and would also fit into the hilt of my saber. I then screwed the connector piece into the saber hilt, making sure not to do it as the top. I was then able to screw the blade in quite easily and unscrew it as well. If you're wanting a more complete tutorial on building the hilt, I've got one on my site here.

 

A little hostile there, aren't we PixelMagic?

With all of your ingenuity with digital compositing and such, didn't it ever occur to you about using screws and such to fasten/de-fasten a blade in a metal or PVC lightsaber prop?

C'mon Pixel .... you've been around here long enough to be a little bit more clever than that.

 

We used to use PVC pipe and screws for our hilts, but then they started to break when we started to really go at it. So we devised a new plan. 10" Chrome metal pipe($5.00 from Lowes Home Improvement)and no more screws. We use masking tape. Take your blade and put it beside your hilt and add exactly four spaced out strips around your blade. Keep adding to them until your blade won't come out unless you're really pulling on it. This method works great for us because it WON'T come out during combat, but will come out when you want it to with no screws to deal with. That's our method anyway...

Sage H.

 

OK, here are my PVC sabers for my fanfilm.

Now I don't use a screw like most of you guys do, but then again I don't use the standard wooden rod. I use I believe electrical PVC piping. I found some isolation material wich fits perfectly around these pipes. They rarely fly out, I suppose a screw is safer, I just don't like screwin' my sabers.

 

JediTac: Didn't your mother tell you that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all

Anyway, the reason I need a detachable blade is obviously because I need no blade when it's hanging on my belt, and of course I need no blade for the blade ignition shots. However, I will be using two different kinds of blades. For outdoor day light shots, I will be using standard dowel rods or perhaps pvc piping. However, (spoiler) there is a scene in my film which takes part in a cave in fairly low-light conditions. For this, I want to have the light from the saber show up on the actors faces, so I will be using some sort of clear tubing with "glowsticks" inside of the appropriate saber color. That's why I need such varition. When I have tried securing blades in the hilt with screw before, the screw chewed through the dowel rod, and it wobbled back and forth. It's probably because there was a half-inch space between the blade and hilt inner wall though. Also, do you think glowsticks will be bright enough for the lightsaber light casting?