ROTJ Luke Saber - Crystal Chamber - Thin Neck - Detachable Blade

[nonentity]

At this point I milled out the slot for the button. I took ever so slightly less off till the button barely fits in the slot.



I also had to file off the corners of the button section that goes into the box for a test fit for the switches and board.



Here's the button for test fit. When the screw is installed, it lets the button rotate JUST enough to activate either switch.



Here's the first triangular hold filed out. A small triangle file is needed for this kind of thing, and loads of elbow grease.



And here it is with both trianglar LEDs set for fit. I'll clean the box up a bit after I drill and tap for the two small brass screws that go underneath the LEDs.

[nonentity]

Ok, I will post up my wiring diagram tonight after I scan it, but I think I have settled on it being a bad ground or short someplace...

For now though, a slight update...



And here is a video of the chamber mechanism... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ivfFNbgqj0&hd=1



First charge! Nothing's shorting out or smoking, looking good!



Ready for presentation! I am missing the two small brass screws under the LEDs in the control box, and the LEDs themselves, and still need to paint the activation button black. I'll add these details after Christmas.

[nonentity]

Dec 24, 2010 - Finally presentable to the customer. Will revisit the control box LEDs and paint the button after the holiday.



The blade is brighter than any saber I have ever seen. My eyes!



This has been almost two months of the hardest work I have done in a long time to get it ready for Christmas. My third saber, and I am still learning so much.



Compared to my first crystal chamber, it was a lot more difficult to get all that detail into a one inch diameter space instead of a one and a half inch. The springloaded chamber mechanism and lock also provided a giant challenge.



And here we have all three Luke sabers.

[nonentity]

Finally getting a chance to finish the last few details on this one... It's been out in the field for more than a month.



I got the saber in for some minor maintenance and a checkup, adding the LEDs in the control box and painting the activation button. Here's a shot of the two switches and pololu switchboard (wrapped in electrical tape)



Here I need to add a way to keep my three setscrews that hold the crystal chamber steady. After almost a month of use, these backed out a bit and tended to wobble the chamber slightly. Also pictured is the cram fu of getting the battery pack and soundcard inside.  The soundcard is heatshrunk, and the guts are electrical taped to tighten everything up for installation.



Here's the setup for the triangle LEDs on the control box. I have to have different value resistors here so they both light up more or less evenly.

Left to do: Secure and Loctite the three setscrews that hold the chamber base, wire up the control box LEDs to channel 1 of the soundcard, reassemble everything.



Here I am running an extra set of wires from the positive lead of the LED strings and the negative lead of channel 1. This will power my control box LEDs. You can also see the buffer spring I have on the lock support rod. This keeps the chamber from slapping open too hard, and eases it into position.



Here it is put back together with the control box LEDs lit.

[nonentity]

GLAM SHOTS!