question on lightsabers

hi..im a newbie and iv seen pics of people on thease forums with lightsabers i wanted to ask if they are just the hilts and computer added lightbeams or if they are real lightbeams or what.

 

It depends on which you are talking about. There are a few different kinds of lightsabers that actually light up, such as EL, plasma, and neon sabers. If there is a particular lightsaber you are wondering about, just post a link to it and we'll tell you what it is.

 

just info on the ones that lightup and look real and you could have duels with them so ones that dont brake easily. a link would be nice to where i can find them.

 

No problem.

Parks Sabers

 

There is also:
Lightech Industries

If you want one that's already made, and machined. Or with a little skill and patience, you can build your own out of hardware, as I, and others, have done.

 

Or you can buy an EL kit from Lighttech or (probably) Parks and install it in your own creation...

 

I don't think Jeff Parks sells blade kits.

I have one from Lightech in my first saber, though I don't use the blade anymore, now that I make my own blades.

 

Lori, how much does it typically cost to build your EL kits and blades?

 

I got a an EL strip once, but couldn't roll it completely around without ruining it... I don't know where you guys get your materials at. But sometime, I'd like to see a step-by-step tutorial.

 

I'm working on a blade tutorial using the EL wire. I've heard that the strips, or flatlite sheets can be difficult to work with. The wire is much more forgiving.

I forgot to mention this place, earlier in this thread.
The Saberworks This guy only makes 2 designs right now, but in 3 variations. He's working on some new designs that will be out this year. He sabers are also very well made, I've seen and held them myself. And he has a deal with Lightech, and uses their blade kits in his sabers.

I have met and spoken to all 3 of these guys listed here: Mike from Lightech, Jeff Parks, and Guy Thomas of The Saberworks. All are nice guys who produce excellent sabers.

 

For wire you'd have to curl it around the inner blade, right? How's that look?

 

Are you holding an EL kit making tutorials in OC anytime soon?

 

Master Byrd:

You don't wrap the wire around a core, what you do is run a length of the wire up the tube and back down again. You could do it a few more times.

That gives you your core, but then it needs to be diffused to give more of a softer glow.

Lori's method is to string the EL wire inside that semi-opaque white tubing you can easily finding in the plumbing section of most hardware stores. It contains the wire and you can't see the individuals strands.

The other method is to wrap the inside of the polycarbonate tube with a thin sheet of something like wax paper or tissue wrapping paper. But then you get a seam and the EL wire tends to rattle inside the larger tube.

Lori's method has less rattle as the EL wire is more contained inside the polycarb tube, but its not a perfect method either. I'll let Lori explain the problems she encountered.

There is another way of lighting up a sabre, and that is what Master Replicas used in its new Vader FX. Its a series of super bright red mini-LEDs encased in a foam tube to diffuse the individuals LEDs.

The LEDs are much brighter than EL wire, and using a special driver they can even emulate the power up/down effect.

Right now, only MR uses that method, but I'm sure the more electronics oriented people out there will figure out a way to make something similar, and to use different coloured LEDs instead of just red.

 

Donny, do you mean, am I going to hold an EL blade making class for So Cal. people? I suppose I could do it, if there was enough interest. I've thought about it.

Not sure where I'd hold it, though. I don't have a proper work area at my mom's house, where I'm living right now. I work on a table in the living room. I do my messy dremeling and drilling outside on the patio.

 

Yeah I have a Non-EL Kit Fisto saber (that first needs to be hollowed out) which I would like to convert to EL. Plus down the line I'd like to design my own saber so this is something I and a few others I know would be very interested in.

 

Ah, a Kit Fisto saber, huh? I guess that explains the change in your icon. I was wondering.

Well, let me think some more about the possiblity of holding a class. Maybe you could find out who might be interested down in your neck of the woods.

Someone over at ASAP is going to start making inverters for EL wire. When he's ready to go into production, I'm going to buy one and check it out.

Maybe we can do something this summer. I can get all the materials collected and people can just pay for their parts and I can show them how to put everything together. If the right place to do that can be found.

(Are we hijacking this thread? Maybe we should move this discussion back to the "EL lightsaber" thread.)

 

lori;

you know as a fully vested member in the 'build your own saber' class and instructor in it as well, you can use the 'shop' anytime you want to. if you would like to teach a class on making EL blades i would be glad to help you.