Build a Lightsaber

Step 5 The Blade Holder

The blade holder is the emitter section of your lightsaber hilt - the business end. It can be made into various styles and shape but it needs to have a hole in it for the blade to go into. It serves three purposes:
1. It holds the blade securely.
2. It holds and aligns the LED and the Optics under the blade to light it up.
3. It is the heatsink that prevents our LED from burning out.

Choose from the different styles on this page:
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/Blade-Holders-C32.aspx
 
Mine is LED Blade holder style #3 with a stack of rubber o-rings and part of the sink tube overlaid on it.

A small hole needs to be drilled in a spot somewhere in the middle. That hole then needs to be tapped to accept a machine screw. A screw then needs to be put into that hole so the end just barely juts out the inside wall of the blade holder. This screw is the blade retention screw. Now when making a blade retention screw you want it small and inconspicuous. OR you want it to blend in with the rest of your hilt design. Thumb screws work well in blending in with the design. a small 6-32 screw works well for being inconspicuous. On my example, the blade retention screw was incorporated into the brass accents decorating the hilt.

(Blade Holder images used with permission from TCSS)