Ben's Custom Saber Project

[BenPass]

Good point Manroon about the mistakes making it your own. And Spidey, I think I'll be fine unless I burn down the house with the soldering gun or hurt myself...then she'll kill me lol.

Mini update: As of 4:51AM, my flash handle was in LA from Phoenix. One US shipment has shipped and the second one is still processing though it's been paid. It's only been a couple of days so I'm not worried. In other news, my second US order rendered my other electronics shipment unnecessary, but I couldn't cancel it. So I'll be getting a couple extra parts to experiment with. That order has shipped too.

[BenPass]

Another little update: my flash handle has cleared customs! Should be here on time or a little early. My first US shipment of parts should be here on Friday, though Purolator will probably get it here on Thursday. I'm still waiting for my second US order to ship which is strange for me; normally my stuff would be shipped by now but I'm not worried. Just anxious about getting started.

On a side note, I won an auction on ebay for a Luke ROTJ saber. I'm trying to get in contact with Ultra to look into converting it like he did to Master Nero's. Lots of fun, and lots of paying on the credit card going on. I've got to get debt free again and save up this time lol. Welcome to Saber Addicts Anonymous.

[Manroon]

Remember: Fish are friends, not food! Wait, sorry.... wrong support group. But seriously, that's pretty cool about everything being on time or better for the most part, and scoring a Luke ROTJ. Good luck getting it converted!

[BenPass]

Remember: Fish are friends, not food! Wait, sorry.... wrong support group. But seriously, that's pretty cool about everything being on time or better for the most part, and scoring a Luke ROTJ. Good luck getting it converted!

That's hilarious! Yeah, I'm getting more and more excited as the days go by. I'm really hoping I can get in contact with Ultra about converting the Luke ROTJ saber. What I'd like to do is get it, turn it on and feel it while still in the post office, pack it back up and slap on a shipping label to US

Update for today: in just over an hour I had my first successful soldered connection!




I took two audio cables and cut them up a little bit at a time. Once I figured it out and got the soldering turning out alright on a semi-regular basis, I took both of them and soldered the middle. I then plugged it in to the old vcr because hey, if it blows up, no great loss. It actually worked! So I did my first electronic solder, it held and it worked! I'm still going to practice more before I try wiring up a saber, but I'm happy! Now, more veteran solderers, how does it look? Any hints for me? Anything I can do better?

[Master Nero Attoru]

It's a little messy, but that's totally normal for amateur soldering - I do it too!  One question, are those two separate wires?

[Veldryne]

I think its some random cabling he decided to use to practice on. Rather than wrecking any decent equipment.

[BenPass]

It's a little messy, but that's totally normal for amateur soldering - I do it too!  One question, are those two separate wires?

Yeah, I'm still messy with it right now lol, but it's good to know I'm not the only one! Those actually are two separate wires. I got one of the dual audio cords, separated the two sides and soldered the middle. The reason I did it that way is because I had been experimenting on one end (both white and red sides) and it turned out terribly so when I finally got it going alright I used the other end for the jacks and soldered red to white.

Second update of the day: my second US order shipped finally! Not that it's been a looong time or anything but it seems that way when you're waiting. ETA is the 22nd...The day that my flash handle is supposed to arrive!

EDIT - @Veldryne yup, it was just a cheap-o dollar store audio cable. $1.99 I think.

[Master Nero Attoru]

Yeah it's looking ok, just be sure to minimize the amount of solder you use.  You're learning!  Keep practicing, that's all the advice I can give you...

And be sure to let me know if you have any questions, I'll be happy to help.

[BenPass]

Yeah it's looking ok, just be sure to minimize the amount of solder you use.  You're learning!  Keep practicing, that's all the advice I can give you...

And be sure to let me know if you have any questions, I'll be happy to help.

Good advice! I'll have to keep an eye on my amount of solder. I'm also going to pick up a pencil tip for the soldering gun. That should make it easier to be precise. Thanks for the help and advice!

[BenPass]

Update for today: I got my first shipment today. This was the one that contained the drill and tap set, heat shrink and extra wire. I had also ordered a battery pack before I realized it wasn’t a Li-Ion pack. So, one shipment down, three to go.

My first US shipment was 6 hours away from here as of 11:30 this morning and should be here tomorrow. My flash handle is completely through customs and should be here next week, and my second US order arrives next week too. I'll be getting the new soldering tip next Wednesday as I'm not driving an hour away just for the tip and my local hardware store doesn't have any. Theoretically, I could get started by next weekend. I'm going to have to get everything in and get a little better with soldering before I attack good electronics though.

[BenPass]

Great news! My flash handle arrived today! Over a week early!!!! I'll post some pics later but let me tell you about it quickly. First, it DOES have the spring in the bottom like Manroon hoped. Its upper diameter is just a tad too big for my Liberator's blade so a little bit of work and I have my blade holder already included. Both top and bottom parts screw in so that's great for accessing my parts. What else....it's nice and shiny! I'm really impressed and can't wait to get started on the build! I'd post pics now, but our church is planning on having a Star Wars kid's camp this summer and I've got a bunch of work to do on that. I'll update this a bit later on today!

[Manroon]

SWEET! Lucky break for you on the blade holder. Can't wait to see how it looks. Also, your church has got to be awesome. Cardboard X-Wings FTW.

[Veldryne]

cardboard xwings? PICS!!!!

[BenPass]

SWEET! Lucky break for you on the blade holder. Can't wait to see how it looks. Also, your church has got to be awesome. Cardboard X-Wings FTW.

Oh I know! I think I'm going to have to take the bottom of the "blade holder" off with a hack-saw so that the blade will sit in further. Also, I think I'm going to have to drill my retention screw hole into the blade holder and not the emitter. When the pics are finished uploading you'll see why but with the ability to unscrew the emitter, it won't be too inconvenient. I've got a TON of pics loading to photobucket right now so be on the lookout in the next few minutes. Without getting too far into the church topic, we're just a small country church of 20ish people, and since I'm the pastor and my fiancee takes care of the kids, we have a bit of leeway.

cardboard xwings? PICS!!!!

I don't think I'm good enough to make cardboard X-Wings unfortunately but I DO think I'll be able to pick up some of the Lego Star Wars ships for decoration. In case you all are wondering about the snacks, I'll post my rough ideas (nothing is confirmed yet).


Day One – Jar Jar Links in a Blanket (Pigs in a Blanket) Or Qui-Gon Jinn-ger Snaps

Day Two – Droid Cupcakes Topped with Droid Batteries (Rolos)

Day Three – Lightsaber Pretzel Sticks (Pretzel Sticks Wrapped with Green and Red Licorice Vines)

Day Four – Princess Leia’s Cinnamon Buns

Day Five – Hoth Snowballs (Snowball Cookies) and Chewie Wookiee Cookies (Chewy, Gooey Cookies) Served with Blue Milk

Day Six – Pizza the Hutt and Yoda Soda (Pizza Party with Lime Pop and Lime Sherbet)

[BenPass]

On a note more related to the topic at hand, my US shipment didn't come today. Apparently the Purolator truck broke down or there was some other mechanical error. Hopefully it'll come tomorrow! I picked up a soldering iron today instead of trying to use the big ol' gun. And only $10!!!



Here are some pics of the flash handle. WARNING, there are a bunch of pics!!

Here's the entire thing as it arrived.


Here's looking down the "emitter"


Here's the bottom of the "pommel". It reads, "Smendolsohn Photoflash Speedgun MADE IN USA 202 E 44th St N.Y.C"


Here's the spring inside!


View from the bottom.


View from the top.


A couple of pics of the "emitter" and "blade holder".




This black thing is where wires used to go out. It unscrews too. I think that's where I'll be able to access the retention screw.


These two parts are located around and underneath the "blade holder".


Inside.


Everything apart.


And here is where you would activate it. Too bad my LED will need to sit up there


I'm really excited to get started! And what a great day, I got promoted to RP Game Master and had this baby arrive early the Force was with me for sure!

EDIT - The reason for the soldering iron is for a finer and more precise tip. Also, for those who were wondering, I WILL be getting my Luke ROTJ converted! Thanks Ultra!!!!!