PVC Lightsaber WIP

[Molina00]

As the title indicates, this thread will be for the PVC lightsaber I am going to attempt to construct.  I have already picked up most of the supplies, picked up some of the hardware over the weekend and the PVC pipes and couplers tonight.  I just need to get my Amazon order for the tools placed.  Only snag I have hit so far is the 1" coupler wouldn't fit inside the 1 1/4" pipe for the blade holder.  I am guessing and hoping plain old 1" pipe will fit inside the 1 1/4" okay.  Also electronics have already been ordered from US and waiting on shipping notification now.  Anyway, here is what I have planned.  Each horizontal line represents 1" so I am planning on this being an 11" hilt, give or take a little bit.  This will be a stunt saber and the color scheme will be revealed upon completion, assuming I get that far.   

[Ninja-Jedi]

can you sand the coupler down how much thickness u need to shave off?

[Molina00]

can you sand the coupler down how much thickness u need to shave off?

That would be quite a bit.  The coupler was close to the same size as the 1 1/4" pipe.  I'm going to see if a piece of 1" pipe will fit better than the 1" coupler.  The couplers seem to have a thicker OD than the same size pipe.

[Master Bluespike74]

Sch 40 1" PVC will fit inside 1.25" Sch 40 PVC.  I have used this setup on my PVC sabers with success. 

[Molina00]

Sch 40 1" PVC will fit inside 1.25" Sch 40 PVC.  I have used this setup on my PVC sabers with success. 

Thanks.  Sch 40 is what Lowe's and Home Depot have so I'll get some 1" pipe tonight.
My tool order should be here Thursday so I can get started. 

[whitmers]

This looks pretty similar to the project that I am working on for feasibility for teaching my summer camp kids! Even the emitter! Though I am planning to use a 1 inch module , and I have the blade stop and module reversed from your design.  My shroud design is different, but that's to be expected. I'm planning to put in a 3aaa holder use one of the x2s so that I can get gg, bb and a blend of ggbb. We'll see how well that works...

For the pommel though, I just used a rounded end cap as I can't find a flat one :/ but will also use a ret screw there too. I'm using some tcss thumb screws for the blade ret screw.

for my blade stop i am using a piece of heavy grade poly tubing.

I like the look of yours, are you using a pvc cutter to make rings on the hilt for the o rings to lock in place?

[Molina00]

This looks pretty similar to the project that I am working on for feasibility for teaching my summer camp kids! Even the emitter! Though I am planning to use a 1 inch module , and I have the blade stop and module reversed from your design.  My shroud design is different, but that's to be expected. I'm planning to put in a 3aaa holder use one of the x2s so that I can get gg, bb and a blend of ggbb. We'll see how well that works...

For the pommel though, I just used a rounded end cap as I can't find a flat one :/ but will also use a ret screw there too. I'm using some tcss thumb screws for the blade ret screw.

for my blade stop i am using a piece of heavy grade poly tubing.

I like the look of yours, are you using a pvc cutter to make rings on the hilt for the o rings to lock in place?

I am going to use a pipe cutter to score the pipe and hopefully they will stay put.  They should be tight enough to where they don't move easily though.  I do have a rounded end cap for the pommel, I just kind of drew it flat in the diagram so it would fit on the page. 
Thumb screws would be nice for convenience, but I can get packs of 2 retention screws at Lowe's for about a buck so that's what I'm going with.

I kind of wish I could have found thinner 1 1/4" pipe.  I didn't realize how thick it was until I got it home and compared it to my Ultrasabers.  I'm just going to go with it and see how it turns out though.

[Master Bluespike74]

Go to Lowe's and ask for cold water PVC pipe.  They have it available in 1.25".  I used that for the emitter and shroud of my Graflite project.  Was really easy to work with. 

[Molina00]

Go to Lowe's and ask for cold water PVC pipe.  They have it available in 1.25".  I used that for the emitter and shroud of my Graflite project.  Was really easy to work with. 

Do you know how much thinner it is compared to regular sch 40 PVC pipe?
I would assume Home Depot would have this as well.

[Master Bluespike74]

About 1/2 the thickness in my opinion.

[Molina00]

About 1/2 the thickness in my opinion.

Sounds perfect, thank you sir.  Have a Wookiee cookie. 

[Molina00]

I got my pieces cut a few days ago.  I've done some more work on it since then, mainly just need to drill a couple of holes in the blade holder and that part will be done.  Then it's on to painting, soldering and final assembly. 

I've got the hilt, emitter shroud, switch shroud, pommel, blade holder and LED holder.



Here are the pieces drilled and assembled.

[srams]

Nice work! What color will you paint it and what color will the LED be?

[Molina00]

Nice work! What color will you paint it and what color will the LED be?

Thanks.

I don't actually remember what the paint colors were, I was going to go black and silver, but I found a dark color that looked interesting so thought I would give it a try.  I just don't remember what the name was. 
I'll check after work.  I was going to go Vader-esque on the color scheme, but it's going to be a little different now.

I got a BR LED.  I was going with BR because I didn't really have the color yet, but I have since gotten a Dominix V2 and V3 as grab bags, both in BR and an RGB saber so I can have red their too.

[Molina00]

Just finished the wiring tonight.  This was literally my first ever attempt at soldering, and I am ecstatic to report...



 

More than half of me expected this not to work.