Lightsabers & Blasters Official Lightsaber Tips and Tricks Thread

Since many many people are interested in sabers, this thread is intended as a repository for all the info often gets scattered amongst other threads.

Here's the spot to post your queries, share your tips, and talk sabers!


For anyone new to the world of prop lightsabers, I strongly encourage you to have a peek at these helpful threads from the board:

• EL Sinkpipe Lightsaber Tutorial


• Jedi-Loreen's EL Lightsaber Blade Tutorial


• EL lightsaber


• How can I build my own lightsaber?


• Your lightsaber (pictures and descriptions)


• Anyone have any idea what to use for grips on a lightsaber?


• How to *wear* a lightsabre?


• Lightsaber fighting styles and techniques


• Turning toy sabers into useable props


• Toy sabers


• Park Sabers


• Park sabers worth the investment?


• Sith Lightsaber colors?
• Master Replicas Force FX Lightsabers


• Random Sabers


• Stunt sabers

And additional tutorials:

• PVC lightsaber created by Doright


• Lightsabers from the Big Yellow Box -- an excellent site to guide you through creating your own saber.

More helpful links:

Build your own lightsaber instructions:

Plan 1 to 8 : (Multiple) http://bigyellowbox.tripod.com/
Plan 9: (Luke Skywalker)
http://www.jedi-academy.com/sabers/luke_anh_saber_tutorial.html
Plan 10: (Obi-wan Kenobi)
http://www.jedi-academy.com/sabers/obiwan_saber_tutorial.html
Plan 11: (Darth Vader)
http://www.jedi-academy.com/sabers/vader_saber_tutorial.html
Plan 12: (Luke Skywalker ROT)
http://www.jedi-academy.com/sabers/luke_rotj_tutorial.html
Plan 13: (Count Dooku) http://kincharbamin.com/Building-Lightsabers.html
Plan 14: (Count Dooku)
http://kincharbamin.com/The-Vacuum-Cleaner-Lightsaber.html
Plan 15: (Darth Vader) http://www.wilcoxusa.net/saber
Plan 16: (Luke Skywalker) http://members.aol.com/yodashous2/building.htm
Plan 17: (Multiple) http://www.apocprod.com/Pages/tutorials/lightsaber1.htm
Plan 18: (Others) http://www.angelfire.com/ar/kaljoren/recipe.html

Building your real glowing light saber blade:
Plan 1: http://boards.theforce.net/Costuming_and_Props/b10019/15796050/p1
Plan 2: http://www.zapwizard.com/guides/Lightsaber/Cheap/index.html
Plan 3: http://www.zapwizard.com/guides/Lightsaber/Version2/index.html

Gallery of over 50 light sabers built by other readers
http://yellowboxgallery.tripod.com/

Analysis of the real prop used in the movies:
http://www.partsofsw.com/esbsksab.htm
http://www.oohyeahzone.com/collection/collections-luke-sabers2.html

Tips and hints from previous lightsaber builders:
http://www.wilcoxusa.net/saber/step-by-step.htm

Hist

 

Just as an FYI -- this sticky will only be stickified for the first week the thread is here. After that, it will function as a normal thread.

Have at it!

 

Thanks for doing this!

Could you make a permanent link on the menu bar or put a link to this thread in the Thread Index sticky?

 

It will definitely go in the thread index sticky -- I just hadn't done it yet.

 

very cool!

 

Does anyone know where can I buy Metal/Durable lightsabers (Hilts to be exact) for VERY CHEAP < $50ish?

Does NOT have to be Exact replica, but would like it to look similar to the ones in the movie.

Nor needs FX, or blades, just the Lightsaber base/hilt by itself? If it comes with Attachable blades, great, but I still need it to be $50 range.

But be Metal Or very Durable is a MUST!

I have NO skills to make one

Thanks

 

$50 ish - try Randomsabers - you may be able to get a basic, custom hilt for that

My advice to anyone who is making sabers and is using any type of screw fasteners - get a tap and drill bit set - well worth the $5.

I have attached everything from Covertec Knobs to D-Rings and Red Buttons - all the pieces you can get usually say what the thread size is. I know for my Covertec's I have found that a 8-32 Button Head Cap Screw fits into the knob perfectly.

I use the tap and bits in a cordless drill - not overly powerful but enough to drill through tubes and pipes while maintaining control.

The only other thing you want is a dremel - you would be amazed how many times you use that thing once you have it

Dave

 

for anyone familiar with anakin solo, i'd like to build his lightsaber. if anyone has any plans for this or list of parts, etc., any help is greatly appreciated.thanx.

 

If you give me a pic, I could have a parts break down for ya.

 

thanx,thelightsaber.com

it's the third one down-entry #3

 

I have many questions here first things first.

Anakin AOTC saber:
- Width is 1.25"?
- How do i make the end peice? Do I carve it?
-Is the clamp a MPP clamp or made to look like one?
-Is the activation board Calculater bubbles or Clear LEDS?
-How do I make the little thumb nails and screws. Hook thingy?
- How do I make the Emitter look bigger without looking like it's a different peice? (I mean no line to show it's another pipe put on it?
-How do I make that wrap around the emitter thing?

Obi Wan TPM saber:

How Do I make the grooves and little bump above the grip and make it look like it's part of the metel without showing I just put another little peice of pipe around it?

How do i make the black part at the end?

And last how to I make the bar go down and smaller just when the grip starts?

Thanks so much for the Help!

Edit: Pics

Obi Wan Saber:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/Sub-Zer0/help.jpg

Anakin Saber:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/Sub-Zer0/helop2.jpg

 

thanx,thelightsaber.com

it's the third one down-entry #3
-----
I would say the emitter is a sink piece, the upper grips would half to be done on a dremel, along with the bottom, half, and then buy some grips from blast-tech or something, I'll look at it again later.

 

Sal? Are you talking to me? If you are which lightsaber are you talking about? And those answers are to questions I never asked.

 

He's talking to the guy that wanted to know how to make Anakin Solo's lightsaber, who posted above you.

 

Ignore what I said then.

 

my toy saber sucks.

 

What is the point of your post, Josh?

Just venting your frustration with a statement of fact?

 

There are a few cool websites that sell lightsabers out there but for the life of me I can't remember them nor find where they are. Google is little help. Do you guys have some sites you can list that sell good lightsabers tnat I can use for dueling in a fanfilm and look good.

 

I got in contact with Ryan at Random Sabers and am having mine done soon. It's a great deal, and they are ALL machined. I haven't heard of one person whose been unhappy with their saber. Each one is unique.

He's very informative, and will work with you on making a custom saber.

Just look at his site, and see the work that he's done.

www.randomsabers.com

 

Ok, does anyone know how to make a hardware ANH Obi-Wan lightsaber? I know how the original was built, but I don't exactly have the much money. Heck I haven't been able to find a graflex clamp under $30. For just a clamp, that's a bit to high. What's really racking my brain is the grenade grip above the clamp, and the black section below the clamp. Can some one please help me?

 

Ok, forget about the top post, cuz I got my answer for that. Now I need help on making a Dooku Stunt saber. Does anyone know how to make one?

 

you could use 45 dgree angle pieces, stick one ont he end and a sinkpipe for the grip another angle piece then one more short sink pipe for the emitter section , its not a perfect one but its cheap to make and gets the idea across, then just put all your details and stuff on it

 

does anyone know of a tutorial that shows how to make an el ready saber.
or red ignition buttons?

thanks

i found this one just wondering if there are more/
http://members.aol.com/ctlaw74/button.htm

 

Um, did you read through the first thread in the first post here?

Also look through the last few pages of the 2nd thread listed, even though it's about making the blades, there are a lot of good suggestions about building the sabers that power them, too.

I know you are a newbie, but sometimes people can get annoyed having to answer the same questions over again and when someone doesn't want to do any homework and see if their questions have already been answered.

 

I just wanted to step in here and say -- thanks!

And, just a note, don't you think it should stay sticky, that way future...umm..n00bs don't come wondering along, asking these very questions?