Brutalizing a Saber for my Baby Girl

[imgumby001dammit]

After discovering my youngest daughter has love for Star Wars, I asked if she would like me to get her a saber. Obviously, any good child would reply yes, and, after being asked if she’d like daddy to customize it for her, because she is such a good girl, she also said yes to that. Her requests were simple, red led, and something “dark” silver. Dark silver challenged me, but red led is easy. After literally months of planning and thinking. I chose my DSI stunt in BR. So, today I began the process. Here are the initial results.




I removed the pommel, for another project, and replaced it with one off one of my v4 Initates that make up my staff. Clearly, I slashed the emitter down the center, from the tip to the retention screw, and bored a blast hole. She’s been stripped down, and prepped for more weathering. Lex said she didn’t need sound, BUT, I have an old hasbro I built at Disney world and I gutted it for the parts. Sooooo, if anyone is familiar with a method to stuff and wire those guts into a US hilt, let me know. Cheers!!

[Therion Jinn]

Can't say I'm familiar with the other setuo, but I'm liking what you've done to the hilt so far

[scifidude79]

Looking good so far, bro. I haven't messed with Hasbro guts before, so I don't know how to do them.

[imgumby001dammit]

Thanks boys!! I’ll take some pics of the hasbro assembly I pulled out of that plastic hilt. It’s actuall kind of cool. After taking it apart I realized it did stuff I had no idea about. Not sure how I’d integrate it into the DSI, but its interesting to think about.

[scifidude79]

Plastic. You mean one of the C battery jobs? I was hoping it was at least a Black Series.

[imgumby001dammit]

No, it’s one I got in like 12/13. Three triple a’s. But for kids, nothing expensive (except for the fact I got it at a theme park). It had a very primitive k-crystal chamber I never noticed before. Apparently, you could remove any of three crystals and change the sound fonts! They’re little rocker switches. The over all setup is robust, it’s a 28mm 2ohm speaker, and a sound board pair with an integrated switch. My biggest problem is how to wire the av into the setup. I’d gladly sacrifice the font changing ability to have it just be wired reliably to the hilts actual switch assembly. Guess it’s going to take some research.

[scifidude79]

Yeah, I'm thinking of the Walmart ones. I don't know if they still do, but those used to take C batteries.

[Infinit01]

No, it’s one I got in like 12/13. Three triple a’s. But for kids, nothing expensive (except for the fact I got it at a theme park). It had a very primitive k-crystal chamber I never noticed before. Apparently, you could remove any of three crystals and change the sound fonts! They’re little rocker switches. The over all setup is robust, it’s a 28mm 2ohm speaker, and a sound board pair with an integrated switch. My biggest problem is how to wire the av into the setup. I’d gladly sacrifice the font changing ability to have it just be wired reliably to the hilts actual switch assembly. Guess it’s going to take some research.

If it’s illuminated , it’ll have four prongs that you’ll have to test for positives and negatives but if it’s non-illuminated, figure out which is the positive and make note of it, cut the wires, and solder them to the AV along with adding heat shrink tubes for added protection.

The above instructions are for basic wiring so If you have pictures, that would help as well.

[imgumby001dammit]

So here’s what I’ve been doing this morning...



Bored a hole through the initate pommel. Not as easy as it sounds without a drill press. Not perfect, but close enough.

Unfortunately, the speaker I have is not going to work without modification. I’m not sure it’s even worth it. It would probably get destroyed in the process. Here’s a few pics of the electronics I was hoping to use. Not sure if it’s possible at this point.





The ignition switch is integrated into the board, so I’m not sure if I can unsolder it. It’s a cool little board. Gonna be touch and go the whole way if I try to use it I’m afraid.

[scifidude79]

Looking great. I love the pommel. Those guts definitely don't look easy to install in this kind of hilt.

[Infinit01]

Unfortunately, I have dabbled with a soundboard with an integrated switch.  That’s a pretty weird speaker as well. PM you

[imgumby001dammit]

I actually think I figured it out! I’ll update pics after work of the current paint and how I’ve modified the board/speaker/wiring! It’s going to be an interesting build. We’ll see if it holds up to combat though!

[Infinit01]

Look forward to it, as long as the board is protected, I don't see why not.

[Lady Agana Kath]

Very nice weathering job Gumby

[imgumby001dammit]

So here’s what I’ve got done tonight...








Got some details started. All of this is just, really, nothing more than background color. A LOT of color will go on, and then come off to create the contrasts. Good thing enamels are relatively cheap!!