Build a Lightsaber

Step 2: Parts and tools

You need PARTS.

Go to your local hardware store and buy parts (some parts will not be available at your local hardware store and must be special ordered). If you have a local Surplus Electronics Recycling store near you (Weirdstuff, Electronics Goldmine), go there and rummage around at the old electronics. Gather anything that looks "cool", geeky, futuristic, funky, hi-tech, or would seem useful later on.

Go to The Custom Saber Shop to buy specialty parts:
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/

OR Ultrasabers
http://www.ultrasabers.com/

Also go to
http://www.onlinemetals.com/
http://tapplastics.com/
http://www.mcmaster.com/

If the parts do not make sense now, don't worry, I will explain each section of the lightsaber in detail in the steps to follow.

The Blade:
1 x 30-36 inch long Polycarbonate (pc) tube, thick wall 1 inch outside diameter (OD). Wall thickness should be 1/8 inch. This is the blade.
1 x end cap for the pc tube (blade tip)
1 x blade film ("corbin" film is great)
1 x reflective material with a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the PC tube.

The Hilt:
1 x blade/LED holder (aka the emitter)
1 x 1.5 inch chrome sink tube. 12 inch long
1 or 2 x sink tube adapter. 1 to attach the blade holder to sink tube and 2 if you have opted for a machined pommel.
1 x switch or button
1 x pomel or end cap

What ever else parts you want to attach to the hilt body - grooved section, plates, gold trim, jewels, tapered section, leather. BE IMAGINATIVE. MAKE IT DISTINCTIVELY YOUR OWN.

The Electronic Guts:
1 x High power LED (luxeon III, K2, V, Rebel; seoul P4, or any LED with a lumen output above 60). Decide if you want to buy an LED emitting a certain color or a white LED and use color filters. The lightsaber I built for this instructable in theory should be pumping out over 300 lumen... In theory. You will see later how I accomplished this.

1 x compatible optical lense to focus the LED to 10 degrees or less.

1 x method to control the current going into the LED - for the example a BuckPuck was used. A Resistor can be used but that method is less efficient.

Sound: Optional, but without it you just have a stick that lights up. At the very least consider pulling the board out of a Hasbro toy.


Batteries, battery holder, speakers, sound board, lots of screws, vibration motor, crystal chamber, and wires.

Tools.
Solder iron 45 watt or higher and some good quality solder.
Hack saw
Rotary tool (Dremel) with sanding drum, cut-off wheels, grinding and shaping tools.
Drill and drill bits
Jeweler's files
a screw tap set
screw drivers
allen wrenches
hammer
Glue for metal or epoxy
Elmers glue
Graph paper
Pencil
Sharpie
Sand paper, course and fine assortment

Comments

[i own airsoft]

could you guide me through the el wire lightsaber as i only have 50$ and can pull it off if i use el wire

[darthdredge]

How much does all of this cost?

[sup3rj3d!]

It can range from 75 to 200 dollars depending if you have accessories on. It can also depend on the quality and where you buy it. For example, Lowe's sell the sink tube for 10 dollars and the Home Depot sells the tube for 7 dollars.

[darthdredge]

It took three years for someone to reply to my comment...

[Genises]

easily the funniest comment on instructables... :)

[sup3rj3d!]

well, 2 days ago

[sup3rj3d!]

i signed up 3 days ago

[sup3rj3d!]

Did you use a 350 mA BuckPuck, i found a 350 mA, 500, and a 700 mA and what store did you buy them too?

[MrTinkerer]

i used 700 mA. The way i have it wired up and the voltage I am supplying, each LEd is getting around 620-650 mA. It all depends on what your LED needs. If your LED works best at 350 mA, buy that buck puck, if it can tolerate 700 mA, buy that. Please read your LED whitepaper for mA requirements.

[memoriable]

Ultrasabers Has A Whole Section Dedicated To Getting You The Parts You Need For Building Your Custom Lightsabers. Visit It Here.

    -Custom Lightsabers

[StArwArsN3rd]

Other than a buckpuck, what can u advice me to buy on a cheaper scale, and if you did buy it cheap where did you go if it's online?

[MrTinkerer]

If you do not want to use a buckpuck, you can use the correct resistor control current and voltage to your LED. Resistors from radioshack is 3 bucks? If you want to go EVEN cheaper, figure out the voltage requirement of the LED and build a battery pack at or below that voltage. Example, if your LED requires 3.2 volts, two Alkaline AA batteries would deliver 3.0 volts, there you go.

[StArwArsN3rd]

Thank you but i think the 3 dollar resistor at Radioshack shall work, I'm cheap, just not that cheap.

[MrTinkerer]

It is also a matter of efficiency. 3 volt battery pack powering a 3.2 volt led means all the voltage goes into powering the led. But 4.5 (3xAA) volts going into a resistor to drop voltage to 3.2 v for the led means the voltage difference is converted into heat in the resistor. The bigger the voltage difference, the more heat generated.

[mikethemaster123]

what lens did you use for the tri-star?

[MrTinkerer]

10 degree with an extra large opening at the bottom. Not sure where it came from. I got it as a kit with the star.

[lord vader]

(removed by author or community request)

[MrTinkerer]

I am not sure. Is there a hardware store there that carries plumming parts? Specifically, chrome sink tubes for bathroom sinks.

[MrTinkerer]

The specialty parts would be a harder to find. Things like the LED, polycarbonate tube, circuit board, film, and lense.

Just to give you an ideas of where the electronics come from - Crystal Focus is in UK, Ultraboard is in US, Makoto is in Japan.

These guys are hobbiest who took their electronic skills to build lightsaber specific electronics to sell to us.

[Luziviech]

i looked for most of the stuff on ebay; i found a seller for "plexiglass"-tubes (which is the german word for polycarbonate-tubes, then there are several sellers for hi-power-led and -equip plus the guys from china/hongkong and several low-bidding starwars immitate-lasers that i'd use for the soundboards. I guess things become harder only for the film (dunno where to get that cept from your seller).

[frankha]

Plexiglass is acrylic, also known as Perspex, which is a trade name, polycarbonate is is most commonly known under the trade name of Lexan and chemically is totally different to Plexiglass/Perspex.

[MrTinkerer]

Ahh, the film. your in luck. it just so happens I took part some film testing along with a bunch of folks in the lightsaber forums. An idea I came up with worked very well and was implement in many lightsbers made by other folks. Basically, you can use that shrink wrap film you find in hobby stores. The kind used to wrap gift baskets. You cut up four sheets to that will be roled into a tube and slipped into the blade. But before you role it up you run a scouring pad over it diagonally Top LEFT to Bottom RIGHT on one sheet and Top RIGHT to buttom LEFT on the next sheet. Alternate like this on all four sheets and then role it up into a tube. If there is such a concept as shrink-wrapped gift baskets in your area, region, country, you can use this method to make your film.

[Arx]

Do you have a link to this thread? I'm going to try it anyways, but it would be interesting to see.

[lord vader]

dont worrry anymore i found me a lightsaber to buy it is darth vaders exact replica for R1 951.00

[depotdevoid]

Hi, great instructable!  I've got a couple of questions about sourcing the parts though. 

I am a total cheapskate but was planning on making a couple of blades--finding the polycarbonate tubing from mcmaster or grainger was easy, but what is an alternate source to TCSS for the tip and the film?  I'm having trouble finding those, do you have any ideas?

Thanks for your help, and again, great instructable!

[MrTinkerer]

Tap Platics has the domes made out of acrylic.  Works great.

[depotdevoid]

Thanks, I've poked around on their site just now and come up with this:

Acrylic Cabochons

They look right, but the page specifies that, "The bottom of the 1/2 cabochons are not flat."  Is that alright, or is there a different product I'm missing?

Also, did you have an alternate source for the light diffusing film, or is TCSS the only option?

Thanks again!

[MrTinkerer]

If the bottom is rounded, just sand it flat. if the domes have a lip at the bottom, then just let it be and glue it on.

[depotdevoid]

Okay, I'll give it a shot, thanks for your help!

[nivekcizia]

 aww sketchup. that's cute

[Darth-Vader]

that is cool

[Ortzinator]

Some of these parts, like the PC tube would be cheaper from somewhere like McMaster-Carr <a href="http://www.mcmaster.com">www.mcmaster.com</a><br />

[MrTinkerer]

Good point.  I'll add the link and item number to the instructable as soon as the editor works again. Also, got my PC tube at a local Tap Plastic store and saved myself shippng cost.