First Lightsaber Build (from Stuff Laying Around) UPDATED

Intro: First Lightsaber Build (from Stuff Laying Around) UPDATED

Like the title says. This is a build of a lightsaber. I built it from stuff laying around. I have not made a lightsaber before so wanted to see how this one would turn out. I had no plan just some crates of plumbing, lamp parts and computer parts. Most of it old or found items.

I lucked out as most the pieces just fell into place and didn't need much modding. Each picture is annotated with what I did exactly with each piece.

Parts needed:

Pop up drain assembly
brass knurled nuts x2
small brass screws x2
Lamp bits
broken toy (for the red button and the spring under it ripped out of the battery compartment)
Hard drive rotor
chrome faucet handle cap
Pack of faucet washers (mine was an old pack of assorted washers)
Knob from a bathroom faucet (all I had were the two knobs and no name on them)
a covering for the flexible part from a broken lamp
rubber plug ( i think it was to block a pipe temporary while working on it )
chunk of shiny red plastic from a sled. (

Tools used:
Dremel
Drill
bit of sandpaper
hairdryer
some liquid dish soap
drill mounted hole saw
drill bits
workmate (a portable work bench that can be used as a vice

STEP 1: Main Tube

I started off just taking all the bits and pieces I had and messing with them till I could see what would fit well together. I ended up with almost the whole thing assembled before to long, I only had to sand down the rubber stopper with the dremel, drill the drain plug, tear apart an old toy, and drill through the upper part. So I'll just go through each picture and explain.

STEP 2: Controls

This wasn't that difficult either. Clamped down the upper pipe and drilled a hole clean through the middle and centered. I then stuck small brass screws through the small holes sliped on the black washers that I had hit with the dremel to match the contour and spun on the knurled nuts. I did this on both sides.

The activation button was pretty easy too. I just dropped a red plastic disk down into the ball joint housing dropped in a spring from the battery box of a toy i scavengend from droped a button from the same toy and screwed the cap back into place.

STEP 3: The Emitter

This was fairly easy. As I had already torn apart a hard drive. (I'm sure there are how to's here on Instructables but this site has really nice pics. http://www.m3design.com/hard-drive-comparison/ )

I used a hole saw on my hard drive because the case was formed and machined aluminum. The hole saw I used was the perfect size and cut out the rotor element in seconds. The faucet cap fit snugly into it and then I just dropped the rotor and cap into the upper drain housing and the flange part screwed right down on top of it locking it into place.

STEP 4: Finished Saber

This project took less than 2 hours. Luckily I had all the pieces laying around and it was more a "Those look like they would make a great lightsaber."

I haven't built one before and I can already see where I could make improvements. I may actually work on something a bit nicer in the future. I have more bits and pieces but I see where I could do a lot of stuff with a few more cheap parts.

Feel Free to ask questions, comment, or critique.

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STEP 5: Small Update

I finally got around to hitting up the hardware store and baught out all their 1 1/8 O-rings to add to the handle. They had 13 and I need 9 more. they were $0.40 a piece so not to bad. I could probably find them in bulk online for cheaper.

So here are the before and after pics.

STEP 6: UPDATE 2

Ok hit the hardware store again and they finally had the O-rings in so bought 10 more. I think the handle looks much improved. The only thing I want to change on this is the upper handle where all the control knobs are. I know I've seen others without the brushed finish. If I see anything close to what I want in the future I may add to it but until then I think this project is finished.

Comments

[Glitch44]

La qualità del risultato alla fine dipende tutto dal materiale di partenza.
Questo è il progetto a cui sto lavorando, dopo aver intravisto in una scatola alcuni vecchi pezzi sparsi di oggetti ormai dismessi da tempo ne ho assemblati insieme alcuni usando:

-parti di un saliscendi per doccia
-un paralume di metallo
-il copri padiglione di un auricolare
-la rotella di regolazione di un binocolo
-l'antenna telescopica di una vecchia radio
-alcune parti di un lampadario

Penso di aggiungere ancora qualche led verde o rosso e alimentarli a batteria.
Ci saranno le ovvie rifiniture ma la resa attuale dovrebbe essere molto vicina al progetto finale.

[morrisona2022]

I have a yoda lightsaber I bought as an early Star Wars Geek, but that's no where near as cool as saying that you built one yourself. I could make all sorts of different lightsabers with just these instructions! Thanks!

[TheGeekFather]

Just want to say thank to everyone who commented so far. I've been looking at a bunch of sites with lightsabers for a while like http://bigyellowbox.tripod.com/
and some of the builds here. They were all part of my inspiration to do this and the fact that I just happened to have what was needed to make it go together easily.

Looking at Ace hardware today and you can pick up most the lamp pieces for 13-99 cents each. I need another rubber stopper if I'm going to make another saber.

[Doctor Freeman]

what is the name of that exact site but without that side with advertisements and stuff

[dedoweb]

Sorry... this is the real light? I Don't believe.

[lobo_pal]

Add an LED and enter the contest, I'll vote.

[TheGeekFather]

This was more a proof of concept. That and been doing a little army training the last two weeks and volunteered for a community project that's gonna last me through July. Gonna be busy with that then GenCon in Aug so the next two months are gonna be busy. Maybe on the next one.

[lobo_pal]

It's real easy, just get an led and one of those small round batteries and tape it. When you press on it and complete the circuit it lights up. You can do it in two seconds. But if you really don't have the time then that's too bad.

[TheGeekFather]

I know how to make one just don't think it's applicable for this build.

[seyonne90]

To make it black couldn't you use electrical tape, it would also seal them in place so they wouldn't move without changing the look of the saber at all.

[TheGeekFather]

I didn't want the whole grip to be black. I think once All the O-rings are in place I'll have the look I want. At least on this one. Been thinking about what to do on the next one because this one was so fun to build.

[lobo_pal]

I love junk buckets. So useful.

[TheGeekFather]

:-) Me too, and not just buckets. milk crates, coffee cans, (empty of course) tins of all sizes, drawers, (wooden ones folks not talking about small clothes here) tool boxes, and what ever else looks like it can hold all the little things that I end up with when I tear apart stuff instead of throwing it away.

[noobiefied]

Not bad Pretty neat but i dont like the handle grip >:O yucky colour

[TheGeekFather]

yeah I know it wasn't my favorite either but it was what I had. In fact I just went to Ace Hardware and bought out all their 1 1/8th o-rings (13) and added them on to see what it would look like and I like it. Need 9 more to finish it. Hmmm guess I'll update this with new pictures of that. Let me know what you think.

[hayleemomo]

u had that stuff just laying around!! lol

[TheGeekFather]

Well when you own your own house and remodel a bit when you moved in, then had a house fire where we remodeled the kitchen and baths again, AND the fact I'm a pack rat and instead of just tossing stuff in the garbage I tear it down into its component parts and throw it in milk crates, lidded tins, empty coffee cans and other assorted storage containers then yes, yes you do have this kind of stuff just laying around.

[Xellers]

Add in a small high voltage AC power supply and an old fluorescent or neon tube, and it will light up when you touch something with it.

[TheGeekFather]

maybe on the next one.

[Xellers]

That's how the expensive models work. This is constructed very nicely, and with the small addition it could sell for hundreds.