Prophecy (or general saber) dis-assembly tips?

[mekishiko]

Hi there, New to the forum, and hobby, but I have searched many many hours over the last week and I haven't found quite what I'm looking for.
 
A little background: I make Arcade Joysticks at mekishiko916.etsy.com, build photobooths, modded every video game console, and have been in the Computer industry for ~14 years. So with that experience I am a little ashamed to ask what is the recommended way to take apart these things?

I got a Dark Shock with Sound and RGB and I LOVE IT. wow is it awesome. I was so impressed I got a second saber, the Prophecy.

I have a Prophecy with green LED. I ordered a 1.2" extension and pommel from TCSS and want to install a US2.0 sound board that I got on eBay (Hopefully it works, I didnt find the horror story threads until after i bought it) and a momentary switch Identical to the latching one that it comes with.

My main 2 Questions are how do I remove the switch with minimal damage? when I view it from inside the threads are all stripped, there is no nut, and it seems the switch was just shoved in the body of the hilt. which is fine I guess as long as it stays, but is this standard? how should I remove it? Same question for the LED, does it slide out the bottom after I remove the switch?

Thanks for any tips, I just don't want to scratch up the awesome Aluminum finish!

[Warlock Umbra]

The switches are push-fitted in, so this is standard for those types of switches. As far as taking it out, I haven't attempted this yet. If it was me I would use a flat-head screwdriver to gently pry it up some, then use pliars to pull it the rest of the way out. Like I said, I haven't attempted this so it is just what I would try. Not sure about the LED, having not seen the inside of the Prophecy.

[Hebi]

Use the Force, you don't need anything else !!

[mekishiko]

Alright so I got it figure out.

1) First remove the blade, looses then 2 retention screw on the top so that they are flush with the inner body

2) Remove the pommel

3) use a long flat head screwdriver, and place the flat head on the edge of the switch from the inside of the tube. Use a piece of plastic under the driver blade edge that is hitting the pommel-thread area, and press down, it takes a lot of pressure/patience to loosen it up. Use the screwdriver in a similar fashion and try to put it on other areas of the switch (on the inside of the body) try to primarily pry in this method to avoid damaging the body. Once the switch is most of the way out use vicegrips or pliers to pull it out from the top.

If you can't get it to pop most of the way out and you want to use the driver to pry from the top, use a small piece of plastic to wedge under the driver before you apply pressure or you'll gouge the rim of the button hole.

My empty hilt:


4) Clip the wires....

5) Use the screwdriver to push the bottom of the LED module out of the top

6) once the edge clears the lip of the slanted emitter, pinch it with tweesers or your finger nails and pull it out. Clip the wires. (The battery portion should now fully slide out of the bottom of the hilt)



You will see it is a plastic cylinder filled with hot glue:



7) Use a tiny flat head screwdriver to poke in the edge between the Nut they used for the heatsink, and the plastic wall. pry the GLUE out along the edge, go around the entire length to free the cylinder. Once all the glue is broken, push the NUt/LED/Lens out of the top with the large screwdriver:



If you want to replace the LED you need to carefully pull off the hot glue that is all around the lens. you should be able to get your finger nail under it and peel it off. try not to use a screwdriver because you can scratch the reflective lens coating.




Use a small flathead screwdriver and wedge it beneath the LED and the Nut-heatsink. the LED should pop off easily.

do the process in reverse and use A LOT less hot glue to hold everything in place.


Hope this helps someone! Thanks Ultrasabers for such amazing looking products.

[Dark Lord Proscidior, Titus Solvan]

Mekishiko: This is a /fantastic/ reference. Personally, if I were to replace my LED, I'd go the lazy route and pick up the quick n dirty LED unit from US directly, but for the tinkerers this is fabulous. Also, this will still be helpful as hell to getting a saber pulled apart to put in a quick disconnect after the fact.

Having just finished a 2+ year restoration job on a Neo Geo MVS 2 Slot cabinet, I cannot express how valuable simple, well photographed explanations like these are.

Double-plus thanks!

[ThreadJack]

I remember the days when you HAD to know this to be a Jedi. This generation gets off easy. XD.

[Maslac]

I remember the days when you HAD to know this to be a Jedi. This generation gets off easy. XD.

Hehehe

[mekishiko]

I also have an MVS. If you need any Carts lemme know I have over 30.

I am now stuck with the Prophecy hilt sound mod: The Ultrasound 2.0+2AA Battery Holder fits inside snugly, but once I insert the 14500 AA sized Lithium batteries, I can't slide it in the hilt.

Bahh.....I wonder if my only solution is to do away with the AA Harness and use a Lithium Pack and install a Recharge Port?

[Dark Lord Proscidior, Titus Solvan]

Probably better off going for a unified Li pack for the whole thing. Easier than having multiple sets of batteries to run it all. Or maybe I'm misreading that. Hrm, maybe see if you can find a slightly different battery holder? I know that even similarly configured ones can have notably different dimensions.

Aside: I've got about 30 or so carts as well, hehe. Now that resto is done, I plan on building my library up, but with a baby arriving, literally, any day now, hobbies are all in a holding pattern. D'you spend any time over on the Neo-Geo forums?

[Tengen Toppa Angel X]

God this talk about cabs is givin me alot of memories. My old neighbor and one of the coolest guys i looked up to would also restore arcade cabs for a hobby. I loved watchin him do it too