Lightsaber From Trash! (and Less Than $20.00 Worth of Hardware)

Intro: Lightsaber From Trash! (and Less Than $20.00 Worth of Hardware)

Ok, someone on this forum gave me some sage advice.  Each Jedi had to build their own Lightsaber.

DOH!  I didn't have to copy ANYONE!  I could make my own!

STEP 1:

So, here's how it all started.  I found a camera lens in the garbage, and I'm going to apologize right away for not taking a picture of it BEFORE I took it apart.  I thought I was going to fix it.

But upon dis-assembly, the inner lens was cracked.

STEP 2:

So the idea hit upon me to build my own Lightsaber.  I completely dis-assembled the lens and started fiddling with how each piece could be spun or fit onto another.  Basically I just played around.

For example, this is how I figured the pommel would look.

STEP 3:

For the emitter end, I toyed with a knob that I had picked up for a dollar at Ocean State Job Lot.  but it really didn't seem to be the solution.  So I had some old hard drive bits from drives that I have taken apart. (for security reasons....)

using a drift and  a hammer, the drive parts come apart.  They're only press fit.

I did sand down the drive motor so it would fit in the same spot as the old lens.  Thank goodness for a belt sander!

STEP 4:

And then that piece was screwed onto the larger lens piece!  OOOooooo we were excited!

That was the end of day 1.  I was surprised I slept that night as I couldn't wait to get back and finish it!

STEP 5:

as for the pommel end, I ran a screw into the old lens cap to hold the D-ring on.  then that got screwed to a secondary piece.

STEP 6:

Now the next step took some fussing.  The pommel pieces were all about the same size, and larger than the 8" chrome pipe extension as far as the Outside Diameter was concerned.

Digging around I found a microphone piece from Shure that fit inside the pipe and took up most of the room of the inside of the lens pieces.

I created a drawing to show how it all fit together as it's a little confusing.  I also used a film canister to fit inside the pipe, the screw screws into the bottom of it, there's some JB Weld to hold it there, then everything is glued together.

STEP 7:

Back to the emitter end.  I drilled a 1/2" hole to hold the indicator lamp and installed that.  Then screwed the 8" pipe extension into the lens body.  It actually tightened up!

Luck.  Pure luck.

The rubber gaskets are then slid on.

STEP 8:

So with everything just roughed together, here is where I was at.

Not bad.

But what to do about grips?

STEP 9:

I toyed with strips cut from a rubber mat from the bottom of the tool drawer...

And then I flipped that mat over and found a cool pattern!

BINGO! So we cut a piece and glued it on and let it dry overnight.

STEP 10:

I then added a few screws that went through the outside of the pommel to the inside to catch the film canister and that pommel is all tied together as a unit.

A few rivets to hold the grip on... and VOILA!

Total cost for the build was well under $20.00 as I only bought the pipe extension, the lndicator lamp, a couple of gaskets and the D-ring.

My Jedi skills are now complete...

Comments

[suyashtheman]

is that just the hilt

[monkeywork]

Correct. Just to hang off the belt or to display in the office. No blade or internal lighting, although that could be figured out I'm sure.

[Iki53]

Where's the Jedi/lightsaber Crystal

[monkeywork]

removed for safety purposes. Wouldn't want to put an eye out.

[thedarklordsauron]

Cool! :D something u can do is add a small switch and bulb in it to make the lights and if you had some really thin plastic you could make an extending blade. still looks great.

[JohnnyP2]

yeah the battery (9v) can be installed in the hilt...you can add LEDs to the blue indicator light and perhaps install a series of LEDs up and down the hilt! Awesome job!

[JohnnyP2]

[Noirkrahe]

you mentioned in your parts list that you used an old camera lens and a hard drive, may I ask what kind/ size was that lens and hard drive. By the way, awesome job, looks just like the real thing.

[monkeywork]

The camera lens, just says "made in Germany" and had a zoom feature and has markings from 5 to INF. So not much help there. It was in the trash, so who knows what it went to.

As far as the hard drive pieces, all the hard drive parts come from the 5.5" hard drive from a desktop machine. I destroy hundreds of them a year and save various bits. The end of the lightsaber consists of a motor with spindle and one of the spacers.

Experiment with parts, and create your own design, as any Jedi would have to.

[ademouy]

I don't understand, what makes it light up like that?

[monkeywork]

The Force. (of Photoshop.)

[jgderuvo]

Nice project. Great detail. Just wish your tutorial was more clear.

[monkeywork]

How so? If you have any questions on any of the steps, I'll gladly go into more detail.

I didn't intend to gloss over anything, help me clarify.

[Jakwiebus]

classy!
I like it :D

[monkeywork]

Thank you! It came out really well and inspired me to make more prop pieces from scrap objects.

[Covert Koala]

Nice job, using the drawer mat for the grip was inspired and really makes it look professional.

[monkeywork]

Initially I was going to use the ribbed side and cut strips like Luke's lightsaber, but when I flipped the material over and saw the pattern... I was hooked.

[MaskMarvl]

Cool... :D

[darman12]

Sweet! Now I have a use for some of the hard drives I cannibalized...thanks :)

[Advar]

"The Force is strong with this one!"
-Darth Vader