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Author Topic: Custom Blade Plugs - pics & instructions appreciated  (Read 56014 times)
ShadowyKnight
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« Reply #105 on: August 19, 2019, 11:57:51 PM »

So far in this thread, I have seen one method mentioned for cutting the polycarbonate tube, and that's been a fine-toothed hacksaw.  iw there any other recommended method?  For instance, what about a tube/pipe cutter for plumbing pipes?  I'm thinking of something similar to this.
That tube cutter looks like a fancy can opener.
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Cyclops942
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« Reply #106 on: August 20, 2019, 09:38:10 PM »

Hi Cyclops942, that type of pipe/tube cutter is the best method I have seen and recommend. It reduces dust produced to near zero as it "scores" a line around the blade then cuts into the scored line as you tighten and rotate the cutter. The finished cut is much cleaner and straight plus as there is no dust you don't get loads of debris inside your blade afterwards. Then a decent sharp craft knife and straight edge to cut down your diffusion film if you're cutting a blade down (obviously no need to cut film for a plug!)
Ah, thanks!  But you see, the only 1" OD clear (or translucent, if we're talking about UltraEdge) tubing I have is a couple of grab-bag blades that are currently on the way, so I was interested to know if the tube/pipe cutter will actually make a clean cut of the existing diffusion film lining the blade.

Of course, now that I have a need for it, I cannot find either of the two pipe cutters I KNOW that I have...
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« Reply #107 on: August 20, 2019, 10:12:47 PM »

The tube cutter will not make a clean cut on the diffusion film as it is intended to cut rigid materials not flimsy film.  As for Tyeth mentioned you can use a sharp knife or like me a sharp pair of scissor to cut the diffusion film.  But honestly I usually remove the diffusion film prior to tube cutting and then reinstall and cut the film to fit afterwards.  If it is glued in place, I just use a blow drier to heat up the glue and remove with my fingers.  But lately I have seen that US sends the blades without gluing the diffusion film, which helps avoid wrinkles during heavy combat.
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Cyclops942
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« Reply #108 on: August 20, 2019, 10:22:59 PM »

The tube cutter will not make a clean cut on the diffusion film as it is intended to cut rigid materials not flimsy film.  As for Tyeth mentioned you can use a sharp knife or like me a sharp pair of scissor to cut the diffusion film.  But honestly I usually remove the diffusion film prior to tube cutting and then reinstall and cut the film to fit afterwards.  If it is glued in place, I just use a blow drier to heat up the glue and remove with my fingers.  But lately I have seen that US sends the blades without gluing the diffusion film, which helps avoid wrinkles during heavy combat.
That (not cutting the flimsy film cleanly) was my concern and expectation.  Removing the film first (and using a heat gun/hair dryer to soften the glue) sounds like a good idea... maybe I can use my wife's cutter that she uses for scrapbooking to cut the film, since that will help me get straight cuts and true right-angle corners.
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ShadowyKnight
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« Reply #109 on: August 21, 2019, 05:16:23 PM »

At one point, I considered cutting my blade, but then I thought about the diffusion film and got cold feet.
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Cyclops942
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« Reply #110 on: August 22, 2019, 06:55:03 PM »

Well... crud.

Let me start off by saying that UltraSabers did excellent work in fulfilling my order really quickly, and exactly as requested. I placed the order Monday around 11am my time, and the order was on my front porch by 9am my time today.  Granted, it was a parts-only order, but that's still an amazing turnaround time!

So... in order to have some certified-excellent blade stock to make my own custom blade plugs, I ordered two full-size Grab Bag blades and two Initiate-size Grab Bag blades, along with two UltraEdge Mid-Grade round tips, two UltraEdge Heavy Grade round tips, and a VC2 charger with two 14500 Li-Ion cells (with the charger and batteries thrown in just to round out the order and make me feel like the postage charge was worth it).  All good, right?  Right.  Okay, so this morning, the package arrived.  Even better, right?  So far, yes.

I unpacked everything, and I got everything I ordered, exactly as I ordered it.  The VC2 charger not only works, but has already topped off the two Li-Ion batteries included in this order, plus some AA and AAA NiMH batteries I had lying around waiting to be used.

The blades I got included the following:
Initiate blades (2):
 - 24" UltraEdge Mid-Grade
 - 24" UltraEdge Heavy Grade

Full-Size blades (2):
 - 32" Standard Mid-Grade
 - 36" Standard Heavy Grade

All good, right?  Nice assortment, with no duplication whatsoever... Perfect, right?  Considering that I already own a 36" UltraEdge Heavy Grade blade and a 24" Standard Heavy Grade blade for my Aeon LE V3, this is a really, REALLY well-distributed assortment of blades.

And... therein lies the problem.  Now I don't want to cut ANY of the Grab Bag blades I just received!!!!!!  After all, what if I want to use one of these blades for my saber?

*sigh*  Sometimes I feel like a real doofus.

Oh, well, at least now I can find the pipe-cutter (which, even though I thought I knew exactly where it was, could not be found until today), once I figure out which blades I'll start cutting down first.

I'm thinking that I'll start with the Mid-Grade blades, because that will leave me both a 24" and a 36" Heavy Grade blade if I want to start attacking neighborhood trees with a blade that can safely be scratched up, and will withstand the abuse.

So... none of these four Grab Bag blades has the diffusion film attached/sealed with hot glue (or anything else), and it can easily be removed by inserting my finger and rotating the blade in the appropriate direction to tighten the film on my finger.  Replacing the film seems to be a simple inversion of this process, followed by tamping the film down into the tube for final alignment by thumping the blade tip on a solid surface, like the floor.  Am I missing anything?

I figure the first project will be to make a simple ultra-short blade that is the exact length to snugly fit up against my LED module, and have only the rounded tip protruding from the hilt.  Right now, the standard blade plug from UltraSabers, at 2" in length, is about 1.25"  shorter than the depth from the edge of the hilt to the edge of the LED module.  I figure such a simple project will allow me to start to get comfortable with the actual decision to start cutting up these perfect, brand-new blades, and playing around with KraGl, and all that sort of thing, without being at all complicated in concept.  Any thoughts here?  Any recommendations on whether I should start with the Standard or the UltraEdge as my first project (note that all four of my blade tips are UltraEdge, although, for this purpose, I don't know that this will make a significant difference)?
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janx
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« Reply #111 on: August 22, 2019, 07:02:08 PM »

sounds like a plan.

I think MG, non-UE tubing is optimal for blade plugs since it'll have more space inside the tube for whatever artsy stuff you want.

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Cyclops942
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« Reply #112 on: August 22, 2019, 07:11:25 PM »

sounds like a plan.

I think MG, non-UE tubing is optimal for blade plugs since it'll have more space inside the tube for whatever artsy stuff you want.


I understand how the Mid-Grade tubing will allow more room inside the tube, but why do you favor the non-UE blades?  From what I can see, the tube wall thickness is unaffected by whether or not it's UltraEdge.  Am I missing something?
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Cyclops942
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« Reply #113 on: August 22, 2019, 10:55:26 PM »

Okay, after all that build-up in my mind, that was a real let-down.  WAY too easy!

Here is a link to an album of pics.  Pretty boring, but there you are (to steal an Arthur Weasley-ism). 

Now a question... since the entire length of tubing used for this blade plug is inside the hilt, I didn't bother to cut the diffusion film and line this with it, so I now have approximately 3-3/8" of diffusion film sticking out of the blade that I cut to make this blade plug.  How do you guys store your unused diffusion film?
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janx
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« Reply #114 on: August 26, 2019, 10:57:09 PM »

I understand how the Mid-Grade tubing will allow more room inside the tube, but why do you favor the non-UE blades?  From what I can see, the tube wall thickness is unaffected by whether or not it's UltraEdge.  Am I missing something?

from what I can tell, the UE blades have a frosted distortion in the plastic itself.  I want a clear tube so I can see what's inside (my grandmaster has vents).

That'd be my reasoning.
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Cyclops942
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« Reply #115 on: August 26, 2019, 11:49:02 PM »

from what I can tell, the UE blades have a frosted distortion in the plastic itself.  I want a clear tube so I can see what's inside (my grandmaster has vents).

That'd be my reasoning.
Ahh, I see... but the Aeon LE v3 has no windows, and that is the only saber I currently own, so that was not a consideration for this plug.
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janx
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« Reply #116 on: August 27, 2019, 01:14:39 AM »

Ahh, I see... but the Aeon LE v3 has no windows, and that is the only saber I currently own, so that was not a consideration for this plug.

no reason not to plan for the future Smiley  You are one trip away from a CNC machine to add windows...

Or you might order another saber.  Why not design for more possibilities
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Cyclops942
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« Reply #117 on: August 27, 2019, 08:08:33 PM »

no reason not to plan for the future Smiley  You are one trip away from a CNC machine to add windows...

Or you might order another saber.  Why not design for more possibilities
Who says I am NOT planning for future possibilities?  I did buy four Grab Bag blades, after all... that sounds like LOTS of raw material for plugs to me!  LOL  Seriously, though, I wanted a plug that "fit" this particular saber, since I didn't like the fact that the standard US-supplied blade plugs disappeared below the set screw, and therefore would rattle around and not really be visible.  I made this one so that the straight tube rests against the LED module at one end, and is flush with the end of the hilt at the other, with only the dome of the round blade tip protruding past the end of the emitter.

So, since I was pretty sure I could manage to find my pipe-cutter, measure the proper depth of blade, cut the chosen blade cleanly using said pipe-cutter, and use cyanoacrylate glue to attach one of the blade tips that I bought to the freshly-cut short piece of blade tube without permanently sticking my fingers to anything, I placed a "parts" order with US with four Grab Bag blades, four round blade tips (2 standard UE and two HG UE), and the deluxe XTAR charger.
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DarthSyronimus
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« Reply #118 on: January 29, 2020, 07:48:26 PM »

bumping this in hopes that you have some pics to share by now (4+ months later)... Smiley
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Cyclops942
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« Reply #119 on: January 29, 2020, 09:35:00 PM »

bumping this in hopes that you have some pics to share by now (4+ months later)... Smiley


See the link to the Imgur album below.


Here is a link to an album of pics.  Pretty boring, but there you are (to steal an Arthur Weasley-ism). 

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