RGB Hilt Without Microcontroller

[BlackDove634]

Hi everyone,

So I'm looking to build my own saber from the ground up, but I'm definitely a novice when it comes to the wiring part (working on that).  I had the idea of using an RGB LED for my saber but use potentiometers to control each diode instead of a microcontroller, similar to this idea:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-RGB-LED-MOOD-Colour-Potentiometer-Without-M/

Not only would that allow for changing colors on the fly, but I think having the pots on the saber hilt would give it that wonderful "retro-futuristic" look that permeates the SW universe (at least Eps. 4-6).

Has this ever been done before?  If so, would anyone be able to provide some helpful resources or advice?  I've looked but haven't had much luck.

Thanks!

[BlackDove634]

For anyone passing through, I did find this thread on another forum that's exactly what I was wondering about:

http://forums.ultrasabers.com/showthread.php?16699-Smooth-color-mixing-saber-with-NB-v1-0&highlight=potentiometer

[RevanReborn]

Hey blackdove

Yup, guess you already found out lol, but totally doable!  Seen it quite a bit actually it's a really cool way to do a saber.  Not sure how you're thread showed it (I'll check) but I know one way that's SUPER easy and saves huge space.  You can buy buck pucks that have the potentiometer hooked up already, and they're not much more than normal pucks.  There's your dimmer knobs right there, just hook puck(s) to led as desired and mount knobs in hilt body .  Then you've got colour mixing on fly via knobs on your saber. 

Make sure to keep us posted if love to see!  MTFBWY! 

[Corwyn VonBeck]

Rev! Quit giving me ideas! Project Revanant will never be completed! lmao

[BlackDove634]

Hey blackdove

Yup, guess you already found out lol, but totally doable!  Seen it quite a bit actually it's a really cool way to do a saber.  Not sure how you're thread showed it (I'll check) but I know one way that's SUPER easy and saves huge space.  You can buy buck pucks that have the potentiometer hooked up already, and they're not much more than normal pucks.  There's your dimmer knobs right there, just hook puck(s) to led as desired and mount knobs in hilt body .  Then you've got colour mixing on fly via knobs on your saber. 

Make sure to keep us posted if love to see!  MTFBWY! 

Thanks!  So basically, I would need a separate buckpuck for each diode on the LED star?  Sorry if that's a n00b question, but I'll probably be asking a lot of those along the way xD

So far I'm still in the planning and research phase, but I have the emitter design more or less drafted and I can't wait to get this thing going!