So, let me get this out of the way, this is a small portion of a very big prop-making/engineering project that will take me a LONG time (Especially because I gotta put it all on hold planning a wedding and all that). So I will not have WIP pics to you quickly! BUT I WANNA!!! Link for fullsize image. it's a big one. I draw on my big monitor so I use a 1:1 scale with it to try and get measurements right.
https://imgur.com/gallery/vMJcqjh
The overall project is to make a functional costume of a pair of Infinite Stratos suits, the Akatsubaki, and the Rafale Revive. These will be puppeted suits which use secured stilts to give the size and scale, but will incorporate a projection on PLA that looks a bit like glass to give a "live HUD" that lets the two suits play a sort of laser tag with each other to simulate battle.
But this is the part that involves Ultrasabers, the blades.
So, Akatsubaki has a left and right hand blade, these are huge 60+ inch "Katanas" (They aren't) that are flared out with grand anime fashion. They flash, they passionately burn with energy, and they do all that anime stuff we just love. Well Ultrasabers does pretty much that. The Diamond Sabers are perfect due to their guesture support and various functions. So instead of reeinventing the wheel I'd like to try and use the UltraSabers as an engine to the bigger weapon! Plus it lets me support them. So before I go at it, while I got all this time to think and plan, I kind of wanted to get ideas going.
So, I'll explain the weapon a bit, then I'll have my questions.
Plan is to have an ultrasaber fit inside the casing sheath and be secured inside. The blade will be made of two parts, a strong hilt to hold the sensitive parts of the weapon, and a replaceable blade that I intend to use as much 3D Printing as I can get away with since I imagine my other half and I will be beating the tar out of each other with these as soon as the suits are live. (WITH SO MUCH LOVE THOUGH) I'll let my CSD above explain lots of the little things, but the idea is to upscale and reshape an ultrasaber by putting a casing all around it. Think it'll work?
Questions for the saber experts here:
- Has anyone attempted a "Sheath" or Insert frame like this? If so, how'd it go? What would you have done differently?
- What would be a good Ultrasaber for this? I used the Initiate I own in my little prototype image above, but I'm not set in stone if there's something that would work better for whatever reason. I'll ultimately need 4 of the guys though since both suits use two blades. (And the Variable Mechanical Wings will cost over 1k EACH!!!! : d)
- For anyone that's done some actual saber whacking, where do your blades break if they're gonna break? (I havent seemed to be able to bust up my UltraEdge yet and I've beaten the tar out of it. It's kinda awesome!)
Project Questions that I wouldn't mind other brains thinking of as well:
///// KNOWN COMPLICATIONS////
-Unknown if UltraSaber will remain firm enough in sheath. The edge of the blade is expected to be held in place by the tapering of the weapon, but internal gooves to support the blade may be required.
-A Laser-Tag sensor will be installed at some point of the blade weapon. This is to tie back to the Hardware/Software switch within the pilot’s Head’s up Display (HUD). It is unknown how heavy these devices must ultimately be.
-Design must be combat capable against another high speed hydraulic/electronic War Frame (The RAFALE REVIVE), if possible, the blade frame would have to be constructed in a way to make it as replaceable as the UltraSaber’s edges, which have proven to be amazingly durable and still cheap enough to replace.
-Need a way to get this quickly into the hands of the Akatsubaki from the deployment rails on the wings. I will need to switch between the rifles and the blades. Thinking maybe magnets somewhere? Where do I put these???
So what do you think? It's ambitious I know but I'm not exactly completely rookie at these sort of things. The previous "Mechanical" suit I worked on was a group project for a Xenomorph, so I wanna try doing something with just my future wife and I.
