Suggestion Box/Wishlist: what do we want from Ultrasabers?

[Rapine]

Hey ya!  Nice one Musiclover221.

+1 dude.

[Vervidian]

Working on it.

Ooooooo... This could be awesome.  I'm already thinking about how to accomplish this optical trick.  Maybe a translucent grey tinted polycarbonate lined with black film would produce this effect... Time may tell!

Master Vervidian
Jedi Sentinel

[Darth Logos]

Ooooooo... This could be awesome.  I'm already thinking about how to accomplish this optical trick.  Maybe a translucent grey tinted polycarbonate lined with black film would produce this effect... Time may tell!

Master Vervidian
Jedi Sentinel

Something like that. I'm just glad that the haters have been silent on the subject for a while. There was one that was fervently opposed that this is possible. I'm an engineer. Nothing is impossible until you've tried everything.

"I haven't failed. I just found 2000 ways how not to make a light bulb." - Thomas Edison

[Rina Ascura]

I may be reopening a three-years-old can of worms, but more curved hilts! We now have the Mantis as a proof of concept that this is possible. But we need iconic curved hilts. Dooku style. Ventress style.

[bigBear]

I'd like to see the curved reaper stay as a fixture in the main market.

[Darth Logos]

I'd like to see the curved reaper stay as a fixture in the main market.

I may be reopening a three-years-old can of worms, but more curved hilts! We now have the Mantis as a proof of concept that this is possible. But we need iconic curved hilts. Dooku style. Ventress style.

Unfortunately, the US "curved" hilts merely have a bend in them. Most curved offerings I've seen have been an actual curve but made from 2 cast halves. I've only seen one smith produce a single piece curved hilt that is combat ready, but he charges 3 prices for one.

I think that US would have to alter the simple setup of their core electronics in order to accommodate a non-linear space. But considering how effectively they setup a crossguard saber (and the first to do so), I'm confident they could figure it out

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

Maybe a smart phone app to change settings on the go? Emerald, specifically. I've got 5 large sound set ups and silent mode to choose from and almost never need to plug back in. But I change color a lot.

[Rina Ascura]

Unfortunately, the US "curved" hilts merely have a bend in them.

Look closely at Dooku's saber: it is, in fact, bent in two places rather than uniformly curved.

[Iram]

Look closely at Dooku's saber: it is, in fact, bent in two places rather than uniformly curved.

^^True

[Thanamira]

The emitter has a slight curve to it.  The pommel is just a simple bend.

It's probably the emitter that's giving sabersmiths nightmares, because I suspect a cylindrical LED module won't fit in that curve.

Well, that and bending aluminum like that is, I believe, not easy to do in a predictable, reliable, won't lose all its inherent strength, kind of way.  (I personally don't know, but a friend of mine is a mechanical engineer.  He said a lot of words at me describing the process, and I was like, uhhh, I'm a software not hardware person mmkay.    )

[Darth Logos]

Look closely at Dooku's saber: it is, in fact, bent in two places rather than uniformly curved.

Don't get me wrong. I would lose my $#!& is US came out with a Count (or better yet.....Duke ). But Thanamira hit it. The emitter section is curved.

What has me worried about the design is can it be produced in a reasonable scale and still have strength to be combat worthy?

[BlindJedi]

The emitter has a slight curve to it.  The pommel is just a simple bend.

It's probably the emitter that's giving sabersmiths nightmares, because I suspect a cylindrical LED module won't fit in that curve.

Well, that and bending aluminum like that is, I believe, not easy to do in a predictable, reliable, won't lose all its inherent strength, kind of way.  (I personally don't know, but a friend of mine is a mechanical engineer.  He said a lot of words at me describing the process, and I was like, uhhh, I'm a software not hardware person mmkay.    )

They could always do a similar looking saber to the one produced by Hasbro, when the original movie came out in 2000 I think.

[lovetadraw]

Or just give it a mild bend and then have it straight enough for the blade socket etc. Rather than the "curved" end just have it angled out, but straight. Personally , I care more about the curve in the butt end anyway

[Thanamira]

Or just give it a mild bend and then

I think that's the problem: I think with steel, you can just heat it up a bit, bend it, let it cool, and bam, good to go.

With aluminum, I think if you heat up a tube of it and try to bend it, it'll shatter or at least develop catastrophic cracks.  But I'm not sure.  Anyone with metallurgy experience? 

[lovetadraw]

Here's my thought, see how on Dooku's saber on the butt side the bend is at that joint piece there? couldn't you just have a threaded connector piece where the threading was angled slightly. It's hard to describe. Here's a doodle I did to try to explain it but it doesn't help much http://sta.sh/0hu06ipkedd

Basically the "bend" is created by angling a slanted cut ring of aluminum. If done the way I'm trying to describe, there wouldn't be any "bending" of a tube. The only downside is that it becomes multi piece. Though, it could just be presented as a large pommel.