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How To Make Your Own Lightsaber

RARAAAAAAAAA HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN LIGHTSABER Jedi's have got it pretty good. Jumping great distances, moving objects with the force, and bamboozling weak-minded Stormtroopers into letting your friend's pass are all pretty great attributes. But the coolest thing about being a Jedi (or a Sith) has to be having a lightsaber. Unfortunately, current technology (and our understanding of physics) prevent us from creating an actual lightsaber. So here are instructions on how to make your own (replica) lightsaber. TOOLS Necessary: Desirable: PVC Cutter Sandpaper "This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Hack-Saw Pliers Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age." Drill Soldering Iron - Obi-Wan Kenobi MATERIALS Handle: • 1x PVCTube 1 8"to12"/20cm to 30cm Length 1 At least 1.25" / 3cm in Diameter 1 The handle from a tennis racket or child's scooter is ideal 1x Push On/Push Off Button OR Switch • 1x Battery Pack - That Holds 2 to 4 AA Batteries • 1x Small Motor (Creates vibrations in handle that emulate lightsaber sound effects) • (Optional): 1 1x Silver Spray Paint 1 1x Bike Iner Tubes Blade: • 1x Translucent Polycarbonate Tube - Roughly 2.5' /76cm Long (adjust scale to Jedi's size) At least 0.75" / 2cm in Diameter (must be less than the inner diameter of the handle) 1 These tubes can be found at a pet store in the aquarium section among the pumps and hoses; or at a hardware store in the lighting department, as they're used to protect florescent lights. • 25x to 35x LEDS of Desired Color • 1x 10' / 3m Coil of Solid Wire (22 gauge / 0.644mm) • 1x Resistor (>10ohms) • 2x Matchstick OR Nail 0.75" / 2cm in Length 1x Roll of Tin Foil • 1x Roll of Translucent Tape (Scotch Tape / Sellotape) 1 For blades, opaque is better than clear because the light must be diffused. A clear tube can be made opaque by rubbing it with sandpaper. "Lightsaber skills, important they are. How to use as well as how not to use. When to move as well as when not to move." - Yoda CONSTRUCTION BUILD THE HILT 10" (25 CM) Cut handle to correct length with PVC cutter. 10" / 25cm is good. • Decide where to place switch. Drill a hole in chosen place large enough to securely fit switch. • Cut a slot in the bottom of the handle large enough to securely fit battery pack. Optional additions: • Spray paint handle desired color, • Cut bicycle inner tubes into 1" (2.5cm) cylinders. Stretch over handle to act as grips. FORGING YOUR SABER (BUILDING YOUR BLADE) Cut the translucent polycarbonate tube with a hacksaw to the desired length. 2.5ft / 76cm is good. 2.5' / 76 CM If the polycarbonate tube is clear (instead of opaque) sandpaper it in a lengthwise direction until the surface is nearly white. "This weapon is your life." • Select one end as the tip. At the tip, glue one matchstick or nail across the opening of the polycarbonate tube. Repeat at the base with the other matchstick or nail. Ensure the ends of the matchsticks or nails do not protrude over the edges of the tube. • At the opposing end to the tip, measure 0.25" / 0.6cm 0.25" / 0.6CM from the bottom and make a mark. At this mark carefully wrap duct tape around the blade so that it can fit securely inside the handle. "Ideally, a Jedi took many months to construct a single perfect weapon that he or shewould keep and use for a lifetime. Once you build it, the lightsaberwill become your constant companion, your tool, and a ready means of defense" - Luke Skywalker CRAFTING A LIGHTSABER CRYSTAL (CREATING AN LED STRING) • Strip two 3.6ft / 110 cm (greater than blade + handle length) lengths of wire of their insulation. 3.6'/ 110 CM • Lay out your LEDs, head to tail in a row. Ensure their positive sides (the longer leg) are all on the same side. POSITIVE NEGATIVE • Wrap one of the stripped wires around the positive legs of the LEDS and the other wire around the negative legs. Ensure the two wires do not touch. For additional security crimp the ends of the legs on the LEDS onto the wire with pliers. POSITIVE NEGATIVE Lower this LED string through the blade and glue the top of the LED string to the matchstick or nail across the opening of the tube at the top of the saber. Ensure the LED string is taught and glue it to the matchstick or nail across the opening of the tube at the bottom of the saber. • Across the opening at the tip of the blade use transparent tape to secure some tin foil inside and seal the end. IMBUING YOUR LIGHTSABER WITH THE FORCE (FIXING THE ELECTRONICS) POSITIVE NEGATIVE Solder two 10" / 25cm wires to the switch or button and thread through the hole in the handle. • Push the blade inside the handle, ensuring that the wires from the LED string protrude out of the bottom of the handle. SWITCH WIRES LED WIRES • When soldering wires ensure all soldering is done in parallel. CID- • Solder the resistor to the black terminal of the motor. • Solder the black wire of the switch ELECTRIC MOTOR to the red wire of the battery pack. SWITCH • Solder the red terminal of the motor BATTERY PACK and the red terminal of the LED string to the red wire of the switch. • Solder all black wires to the black terminal of the battery pack. LED WIRES • Place all the wires and components inside the handle. Wrap components in duct tape if they do not fit snugly. YOUR LIGHTSABER IS NOW COMPLETE. Use it wisely for in your hands is a mighty weapon. Go forth and use its power to bring light to the galaxy or plunge it into darkness. "These weapons are not playthings. A lightsaber is a dangerous and destructive instrument, a powerful blade that can strike down an opponent-or a friend, if you're not careful." - Luke Skywalker FEEL THE FORCE SOURCES: Nagle, "Make your own lightsaber!" - http://www.instructables.com COMPONENT SOURCES: Newark Farnell http://newark.com http://uk.farnell.com

How To Make Your Own Lightsaber

shared by joehale on Dec 15
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Farnell have looked into all the components needed to construct your own life like Lighstaber, made famous in the series of Star Wars films.

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Farnell

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How To
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