I was inspired by some ible's here on this site. Steam punk is getting more and more my attention. So I had some stuff laying around and had to make one myself. Although it looks like it is finished... it's not in my opinion. But I'm laking inspiration to finish it. Maybe some of you have an idea?

Step 1: Getting Parts

Ok, this is the fun part. Turn every spare electronics box up side down finding fun parts to use.

These are things I've found:
- some 2,5mm² electrical wire
- a piece of plexiglas
- a piece of wood
- earphone jack-plug with connector
- broken 4x AA battery container
- battery container from the "Cybug" magazine series
- electronics from a solar light
- mini solar panel from a calculator
- panels from solar lights
- a switch from an old radio

Not on picture:
- some length of cat5 network cable
- switch from a broken cd-rom player
- 3mm red led (diffused)
- some little screws

Tools I used:
- a dremel tool
- screw drivers
- a pocket knife
- solder iron
- wire cutter
- hot glue gun

Step 2: Making the Handle

First I determine where to hold the handle and how far inward the blade will be. With the dremel I cut a sleeve in the wood for the blade. I wanted to cut off a piece of the handle but later on I changed my mind and decided to keep it this way. The handle has a nice line this way.

Then determine where you want to place your components and outline the components onto the handle.

Step 3: Fitting the Blade

Hmm ok... how to explain this step. What I did was making a notch in the upper right corner of the blade so it will fit in the handle. Keeping the blade in line with the handle. Determined where to put the 2 LED's. Then made 2 holes for the screws to hold the blade in the handle. I used my dremel for making channels in the sleeve where the blade will come, this is where the wires will go through.

The design of the blade isn't finished, maybe I finish this one or I'm going to look around for a (2x) longer piece of plexiglas to match with the length of the handle.

Step 4: Gutting the Handle

After you are satisfied with the placed components it's time again to pick up your dremel and gutting your handle for easy access and wiring. The placements are flattened with a pocket knife because I didn't had a vile nearby.

Step 5: Time to Wire Up

After gutting its time to wire things up. The mini solar panel stays on his place with very thin double sided tape. The PCB and battery container are screwed onto the handle. See pictures for more details.

Step 6: Building Solar Station

As base I used a battery container of the "Cybug" magazine series. Maybe I can mod this thing to charge 2x2 AA battery's by using the solar panels, but for now I leave it this way. The LED is soldered parallel over the solar panels witch are soldered parallel also. The switch is used for turning the station on and off. For the masts I used the 2,5mm² wire. Stripped the wires and straighted by hand.

See pictures for more info.

Step 7: Some Ideas?

As I mentioned in the first step, in my opinion this project isn't finished. Sure... it looks cool, but maybe I can add some more stuff. Maybe some clockworks? I don't know.

So please leave a comment.

Step 8: Update 12-08-11

So I've searched around and found an old broken windscreen of a reachtruck. It had the same width as the clever blade. One of my favorite swords are the Japanese katana's, so I tried to make such one. I don't have pictures of me making the blade, only a picture of the finished sword. I'll try to explain how I made it.

First I determined the width of my handle, I my case 32mm. I outlined the blade onto the windscreen. With a hot-knife I cut out the blade.
Also I made a change in the design. On the clever blade the led's where in the blade. This time I cut a little piece of the new blade and put the led's in this little piece. The main advantage is that I can build and change the blade to my will and still can lit the blade . Then I removed any excess left on the blade from the hot-knife. I use a vile and sandpaper to smooth the edges of the blade.