Levitating Death Star

I have always loved Globes and especially the electronic floating ones.

The Levitating globes i have seen (and could afford) were OK but i thought it would be cool to do something more with one.

I went through a list of things i could try to make, DeLorean car from back to the future, the moon, a jedi training remote or the death star.

I wanted to do either the jedi remote or the death star, i had seen the remote on-line somewhere so I decided the death star would be the way I would go. 


So this is how i went about doing it.

Step 1: Materials and Tools.

Materials : 

-paint
-glue (plastic solvent, super glue, contact adhesive all work fine.)
-card / paper
-masking tape , different widths.
-Bright white LED
- fibre optic strands (optional)
-micro press button
-wire
-battery
-solder


Oh and the main component the levitating globe.




Tools :

-knives or cutting tool
-sand paper
-twist drill or dremmel, i used a twist drill as its not too powerful.
-tiny drill bits. 0.75 and 0.85 mm are the two i used.
-ruler or straight edge.
-tweezers (things can get quite small)

Comments

[ChrysN]

Awesome! I like the lights shinning out like a cityscape.

[Technohippy]

great build... I wonder how feasible it would be to build one from scratch.

Great work though, really cool!

[backwards lamb]

The problem would be with the whole electro magnet unless you know all about them I guess it would be difficult.

[foxworrior]

i dont think electromagnets are essential for it to work, neodymium magnets would work just as well.
It couldn't be turned off though.

[foxworrior]

it wouldn't rotate though

[nerd7473]

well done backwards lamb

[techguy321]

well, wouldn't it be a bad idea to add a electromagnet to the top and bottom of the frame and metal sheets to the top and bottom of the globe? the magnetic forces will keep the levitation in check. I use the repelling side for both up and down electromagnets so they both repel. how's my idea?

[badjer1]

Simply Sweet!

[andamas]

What a great idea. I will be hitting the toy stores after Christmas to find a globe.

[jklementowski]

I am planning on making one of these and I was wondering if you had a link to where you got the plans to paint the death star.

[backwards lamb]

i just googled death star plans and there are hundreds of files you can use.

[ARTTEC]

Actually you can build your own levitation system from my kit:
http://www.arttec.net/Levitation/index.html
Also if you line the inside with tissue or thin toilet paper it will make the lights read better.

[backwards lamb]

oh , i know you can make your own levitating kits. but i had a limited budget and the store bought globes are already constructed, known to work, come with a globe ready for conversion and cheap. :)

[ARTTEC]

Also, here's a suggestion for a really light weight battery holder, you have to solder wires onto it though:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/BHSD-2032-SM/BHSD-2032-SMCT-ND/2647826

[WastedBabies]

Could you tell me what brand the floating globe is?? I would like to get the right one. And awesome job by the way!!!

[Mr.Asmith9]

+1 and Favorite, I'll be adding this to my to-do list. One question though, how much weight can you add before it becomes unbalanced and or doesn't levitate?

[coreygray123]

i wanted to create something similar, a floating treasure box from final fantasy xiii. they are floating spheres but it would be a lot harder because it is more complex. its hard to explain what it looks like so here: http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100123225038/finalfantasy/images/e/e1/Access_Treasure_Orb_FFXIII.png you cant see it because a light flashes when you open it, but the part with the flash over it is an indent, kinda like on the death star.

[backwards lamb]

it doesnt look too hard, you would just have to make sure you dont add too much weight when adding the detail of the chest, and make sure that you can make all the details (ie. the indent) doesnt cover the magnet at the top of the globe.

i think it would look great

[Eh Lie Us!]

what the devils?! This creativity is over the top. Fantastic job, man. The internal light leaking thru the holes is the piece de resistance!

One criticism: the Star rotates the other way and possibly you want the ship going in the opposite direction??

[amandaghassaei]

love the detail on this!

[FutrixEnterprises]

Cool, very cool man, I think my first boy is getting into star wars a bit but maybe a couple of years off he and his little brother destroying it, besides no time atm. But will mark it! :)

[X86-1138]

Built one of these years ago as a product presentation to Lucas Licensing. I'm a Toy Designer by Trade.

[repguy2020]

I would love to see a photo of it. Wicked job Lamb! Remember, they're on Dantooine. :-(

[happyadrian]

WOW... That's legit. I would like to see it in the dark though with the LEDs clearly showing.

[flurng]

OUTSTANDING work!!! The level of detail in your art work is staggering, and the internal lighting - inspired! The only suggestion I might make would be to remove the red led's in the base, though I don't know how difficult that might be. As for the video, it's very cool, but I think if you re-shot it, just a TAD darker ( to see the lights better ), maybe with the Imperial Theme playing in the background, ( and of course the "Darth-breath"! ), man, that would be EPIC!!!!

[kevinjameshunt]

This is just amazing. I especially love the tiny details like the lights and the orbiting Star Destroyer!

[grofaz]

Dude, Win-Win!

Ex-cellent, thanks for sharing.

The force is strong with you....

[rstewart8]

That's fantastic. Love the Super Star Destroyer.

Any chance you could post a link to the plans for the Death Star?

[backwards lamb]

I just googled Death Star plans and they came up. There are loads out there.

[DonRibble]

really cool, however: the video is private :(

[backwards lamb]

I think I have changed it now. Let me know if it works. Thanks for the heads up.

[DonRibble]

yep, it works, looks great btw. was the fiber optic in the materials for the lasers focusing together?

[backwards lamb]

Yeah. They are. I forgot to put that step in the instructions. I will try and put it in. They were sanded and then stained green with ink.

[FuzzeeDee]

Your project is awsome. You have definitely inspired me to build one as well. I have some ideas that should significantly lighten the lighting circuitry. I can also get a smaller switch that could be toggled with a pin through one of the windows. There are also some LEDs that are only 1/5 the size, just as bright and available in white, red, green and blue. You could place the micro LEDs behind the hole for each planet destroyer booster laser and the main one which would make the fibres glow much brighter, you just have to remember to use a small bit of electrical tape on the back of the supplemental micro LEDs so as not to contaminate the other lights. Alternatively you could use white micro LEDs and tape green cellophane to the inside of the laser holes. I think I also have some techniques that could light up tiny, tiny windows on the little destroyer using the fibre you used but opaque the outside of the fibre so light only comes out the end on the inside of the destroyer. The trick is making the micro tunnels from the fibre to the various "tiny windows".
• • • Fuzzee Dee OUT • • • }~{ <> }~{ ^~^ :->

[spider_kyle]

Oh man, many Bothans could have been saved if only the rebels thought to look on-line.

[syates3]

You should make a video of it with the lights off.

[User1]

+1

[syates3]

So we can see all the little lights on the deathstar on.

[josephjohnamoroso]

Very cool idea

[cybercapri]

Dude this ROCKS, you did a great job... I love how you just cut out a circle and then flipped it to be the Death Star Weapon... Well done....