Lightsaber Knitting Needles

Intro: Lightsaber Knitting Needles

An Epic Battle With Every Stitch...

I will not embarrass you with my poor knitting but maybe someone out there can "give me a hand! Right?"

I will however show a cast on at night in a darkened room with the lights off!

I made a second set at 8 inches length for the pocket size contest!

And a third with smaller diameter rods for tighter stitches!!!!!

these have 1000 uses... can you guess them all?

STEP 1: Gather the Supplies

3/8 Lucite rod
several key-chain LED flashlights(princess auto 2.99)
Red LED
Green LED
2 X 10 Ohm resistor
heat shrink tubing
120 Sand paper
Scotch-bright pad
resistor (10 Ohm)

TOOLS
Soldering iron
Dermel
Torch
drill
Bastard file

STEP 2: The Light Is Wrong!!!

This flashlight uses a white LED light and has no resistor!

This flashlight has a small circuit board with LED  on the non-trace side. De-Solder the white light!

Change  the colour to super bright Red/Green as shown and add the resistor as shown. Good/Evil will have to Wait!!!!

Before assembly cut off the top of the new LED with a Dermel cut off disk as shown, and leave it cloudy.

You will need to add a stable base and current limiting resistor, mount the resistor as shown.

To support the resistor add heat shrink as shown. in the trace side of the small circuit board.

The heat shrink will add stability and support to the circuit.

STEP 3: Make the Light Pipe!

Cut an appropriate diameter Lucite rod to length as below.

The Lucite rod needs to first be scored and shaped with a file, then with sand paper then with scotch-brite pad to eliminate snags.

A standard hack saw can be used to cut the rod to length but this creates an uneven edge that will take a while to file flat.

The rod can be scored with a file or knife, but I find that a tubing cutter makes a clean break point.

The rod is then secured in a drill  for finishing.

With the rod turning at a slower speed ( to prevent friction burning your hand or the rod), pull it against the file to remove unwanted rod bits...

continue shaping until you have the desired look. In this case a needle point.

You will have to reposition the rod in the drill chuck and work on the base. it will need to be shaped to fit into the head of the flashlight and flat against the cut LED. This is determined by the repositioning of the updated LED circuit board into the flashlight head.

Make two the same with different lighting colour, since I'm old, red and green work nicely for me!

STEP 4: PERSONALIZE!

As with any saber, you will have to personalize it for you liking. I used copper an aluminum foil tape for minimalist decoration.

Have fun and may the knitting be with you!

Comments

[sterne]

I found the flashlights at amazon in colored packs of 5. they say columbia on the side, but that is easily dealt with via the foil tape. http://tinyurl.com/mdon3bz

[michaelgc]

Really cool. Cant you copywrite the idea or something so they don't get ripped off?

[indywave]

If some one made me one how much would you sell it for to me?

[Random_Canadian]

I am currently way too busy to get around to making more of these, Sorry.

As with my lighted Newton's Cradle, I suspect that think geek will have someone rip this one off shortly as well.

[indywave]

By the way awesome

[Ingulit]

I love these, and I'm hoping to make some very soon! Any chance you could post the dimensions of the mini flashlight? I don't have a Princess Auto store anywhere nearby, and like an earlier poster said they aren't on the Princess Auto website (and the direct-from-China link is broken). I know it needs to accept a 3/8 Lucite rod, but I'm not overly sure how much larger the light is supposed to be judging from the pictures.

[awsmsplr]

I love this! It's cute and stylish and I cannot wait to make a few pairs of these... These are amazing and I think they will be helpful for pre-sleep knitting. (Knitting makes me sleepy but lamps do not.)

[BrittLiv]

Wow, now I really need to start knitting again! I made a sock once, but lost interest and never finished the second one...

[clcok511]

LOL MAY THE KNITTING BE WITH YOU TOO!!!! :D and is it okay if I make these and then sell them (because of all the copywrite stuff...)

[bpeek]

where can i find the keychain led flashlights needed for this project? i checked princess auto.com and couldnt find the peticular model displayed

[Random_Canadian]

You can order direct from China... one example from aliexpress.com...

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-selling-free-shipping-mini-sporting-flashlight-Carabiner-flashlight-Mini-flashlight-LED-Weight-21g/896651914.html

[Random_Canadian]

I usually go in and get them from a big bin by the checkout. I will try to source an alternate for you.

[blakemenezes]

Hello! The Autodesk social media team loved your project so much that we included it in a post we created on BuzzFeed. Check out your work featured here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/autodesk/a-donkey-mask-lightsabers-daft-punk-helmet-cybo-b3y4

If you have any questions, please contact me at [e-mail]

Best,
Blake Menezes
Autodesk Social Media Strategist

[free reza]

beutifull

[J-Five]

Luke, use the force!!!

[lbrewer42]

Amazing... and i thought my light saber chopsticks (thinkgeek.com) were great!

[JenniferLeighLu]

That's so cool! I'm making that!

[panakanic]

Oooooooooo! I don't knit, just crochet, but there are clear, plastic (lucite? not sure) crochet hooks in many colors in the stores. Wonder if this would work with them??? I want! Coolest idea for fiber artists, in a long time!

[Kurisutsure]

Whoa... I think I should take up knitting...

[caarntedd]

Very cool.