Goodman's Obi Wan TPM Parks LedEngin 5W Lightsaber Build Thread

[JANGO FETT]

Xwing ~ Are you installing a recharge port, and if so where?

BTW, Goodman ~ I will be ordering another LEDngine 5W blue, on your recommendation. Thanks!

[Goodman]

Roger, xwing, I'm sure. After Eastern first tipped me yesterday to look at it closer, the emitter section is in fact the same size as the older versions, but everything rear of the thin neck section is narrower than the older versions. Whereas the black grip on the older version was ~1/16" thick, or something around there, on this one the black grip is ~3/16" thick, almost 1/4" I think...I'll have to put my calipers on it for sure, but it is noticeably thicker.  Phaseblade's core is 7/8"OD/3/4"ID  instead of 1 1/16" OD, like as you said the ELs were. The Phaseblades are indeed the slimmest Parks Obi TPM, but again, a part of me sure wishes it wasn't, LOL!

Sethski,

I'll start posting the pictures and walkthrough tomorrow. To answer your initial questions:

1) I'm using a charge port hidden in the covertech wheel as the kill switch for the USv2

2) I'm using a modified tactile sitting in a spring tensioned, bored out metal red button. I experimented with a few of the red acetate copies from TCSS since I only have two of the aluminum ones. I was going to hide the tactile under the brass button, but I want to *dimly* illuminate the amethyst crystal in it so there's no space left.

3) The 3W speaker is one I bought from Ari-Jaq on TCSS. It's a titanium cone speaker that's been out of production for a little while now, but if you can find them, they're certainly worth it. Great, deep bass and timbre, noticeably several times more "robust" sounding than the premium 1Ws, which are already a really get component in their own right. If I can find the link to these 3Ws I'll post it here. Size wise, it's about three times thicker than the premium 1W (3W has a built in resonator cavity), and about 1.25" wide.

The speaker's size presents a huge challenge for this Obi saber, as it will not fit in the main saber body where I have it sandwiched between the black shroud (which ends just before the covertech wheel) and the pommel (which protrudes into the main saber body by 1/4").  So, the only place I can put the speaker is in the pommel. Obviously, I can't put it at the very end of the pommel, because then it won't have any space to resonate. To set it as far back into the pommel as I can, and buy ~3/4" of space to resonate, I'll basically need to fab an entire pommel in three pieces: the shaft which connects to the main saber body, the base which will hold the speaker, and the cap/cube section which will fit over that and have a removable "butt" so the sound can escape. In order to keep the proportions as accurate as possible, the base and cap/cube sections' walls will be so thin that I don't think I'll be able to thread them, so they'll be secured with set screws. Visually, this will be the only place on the saber where a set screw or any other external modification of any kind will be visible.

If I didn't want to do ALL of that, I may just settle for a 2W Deep Base iPod-ish speaker. They're much more manageable



Keep the suggestions coming!


If only I had a CF available....but that may have to wait for the next saber I may buy from Kurosawa... ;)

 
**EDIT** Jango, run it at 1200ma and you won't be disappointed with it. Depending on the bin you get, I wouldn't mind sending you one of mine if a different bin for comparison. I noticed Mouser has them out of stock, may I ask where you're buying yours from?

 

[JANGO FETT]

mouser usually.

Also, I have a speaker that you may want to try. I will post pics of it and the Larbel build later in this post

[XsaberX]

I wouldn't know where else to buy LedEngin LEDs but I've spoken to their sales department and they will actually sell a specified bin code direct if the order is over 500 units (which I'm assuming would cost a little under $4000). I think it would be an excellent buy for TCSS...

Goodman: I'm assuming the "crazy" soldering technique worked?

Nice work by the way!

[Goodman]

Jango, yes please post pics of the Larbel TPM. I'm thinking of doing one myself (and maybe another, larger EL read Parks Obi TPM), and I'm always on the look out for new components to try out.

XsaberX, yes the "crazy" technique worked. Thanks again! :)   

I don't know if Tim would want to buy THAT many of the same color LED, but a large order certainly makes sense for people looking for the better bin of LedEngin blue. xwingband was the first guy to recommend I try the LedEngin 5W blue as being more "screen accurate" and also being the same if not brighter than the LuxV, and at lower voltage. They really are neat. Watch out for those shallow solder pads though.....20 seconds contact...eeesh!

[darthmorbius]

This is looking to be an EXCELLENT saber... WHERE exactly have you been hiding Goodman? You should have come here sooner! :D

[xwingband]

xwingband was the first guy to recommend I try the LedEngin 5W blue as being more "screen accurate" and also being the same if not brighter than the LuxV, and at lower voltage.

Doesn't sound like something I'd say.  Especially since I don't use LEDEngines.  I push Lux Rebels. ;D

You have the idea though on switches!  I have holders designed to use tactiles.  I'm going to thread the long stem and even use the brass valve as the aux.

Jango, on the one that used to be yours the port is already there.  I'll just be swapping the board and holder for a better one.  I'm not sure yet what I want to do for mine and the other I have to do.  I may utilize the rotation of the sleeve like Yoda to reveal an inner port or a way to pop CR123's in and out.

[darthmorbius]

  I may utilize the rotation of the sleeve like Yoda to reveal an inner port or a way to pop CR123's in and out.

Now THAT sounds like a REALLLLY good idea Xwing!  Quite an interesting way of accessing batteries. Would you mind if I employ that on a saber in the future?   8)

[xwingband]

Go ahead.  I'm not even sure if that's what I want to do or how easy it would be.

Personally I'm not afraid of opening my saber to fish a quick disconnect out if I need to charge it, but I wouldn't want to do it for others.

If I do an internal port I'd have to find something smaller than the traditional one.  Not quite sure on the spacing of a CR123 solution either.  I do know that CR123 holders fit perfectly snug in 1" thin blades so I'd likely fabricate something with that.

[Jedi-Diah]

I think it was Xsaber who recommended the LedEngin and I think he was turned on to them by Do-Clo?

Doesn't sound like something I'd say.  Especially since I don't use LEDEngines.  I push Lux Rebels. ;D

[Chowser]

I may utilize the rotation of the sleeve like Yoda to reveal an inner port or a way to pop CR123's in and out.

No easy way to do a recharge port in the convertech knob?  i don't remember how it comes apart.  at least i have cr123s in bulk.

[Goodman]

Jeid-Diah, yep, it was XsaberX, not xwingband. So many "X"'s... :)

Darth Tyranus, thank you that's a huge compliment coming from you. I'm just a regular sabersmith trying to make his way in the galaxy... As I said in my introduction post in the Padawan forum, I've been involved in sabers for years, but only recently decided to actually register as a user. 'Lots of learning over the past years from many experienced people here, and I figured it was time I had something valuable to contribute back to the community.

Chowser, I put the charge port in the covertech knob. It's not that difficult: I bored out and threaded the covertec wheel to match the threads on the charge port and screwed it on. The port sits a few mm inside of the wheel, but there's enough "meat" there to bear the weight of the saber when hanging from my belt. 

Now....The trickier part is retaining the covertec wheel to house the charge port AND still retain the sleeve rotation feature that Yoda uses. I too am using Yoda's method, to twist the silver body and reveal a cutout in the black shroud to access the batteries and mini CCC. The problem is, in its current configuration the charge port threads through both the silver body and black shroud, meaning no twist feature. To compensate, I ended up redesigning the way the port sits in the black shroud: it is now pressure fit against through the walls of the black shroud with a thin PVC clip, which itself is threaded to secure the port and prevent it from slipping out of alignment. The port protrudes through a *slightly* larger hole in the silver body, but the hole is smooth and not threaded anymore.

With this design, I can now unthread the covertech wheel off of the charge port's threaded portion that protrudes outside of the saber by a few mm, and then gently push that portion back into the silver body enough to clear the body's thickness, thus clearing the way for the black shroud to twist freely to the side to reveal the battery pack.  The pressure of the PVC clip holds the port against the inner wall of the silver body (I cut a shallow channel to guide it and keep it aligned), and when I twist the black shroud back into alignment, the port pops through the hold in the silver body and I screw the covertech back on.

Simple. :)


Well, maybe not.  Pictures this weekend, I promise!

the way the  then used a thin PVC clip to hold the port securely against the inner wall of the saber.




***EDIT*** I just figured out a simpler way to mount the recharge port: The diameter of the standard male port insert at its widest (the nubby rubber sleeve) can be shaved down about .5mm to fit inside the current opening on a covertec wheel (with a little widening, perhaps).

Using a dished covertec wheel to provide enough "meat", a hole can be drilled through the wheel which will accept the male insert, and my measurements show that the distance between the rubber on the male insert and the top of the threads on the female insert are roughly the same thickness as the silver body --meanwhile, the covertec wheel itself is threaded onto the silver body only (using a hollow set screw to allow the male port insert to pass through and reach the female port), instead of going all the way through to the black shroud. What does this mean? Well, that I can just mount the female port on the aforementioned PVC slip and position the top so that it is flush with the outer wall of the black shroud. This will not only allow free twisting movement of the black shroud to reveal the battery pack, but also negate the need for a pressure mechanism to push the port all the way through the silver section --it's just coincidence that the measurements all line up on this saber.

Of course, what this design would mean is that there is now nothing to hold the silver body and black shroud in line with each other (Notice how on the Parks how the covertec wheel's screw is the only thing holding all three lower body pieces in alignment. I can aleviate this by either of two ways:

1) Using a longer hollow set screw after all to secure them together while still being able to use the charge port, and just adding the extra step of unscrewing the covertec wheel AND removing the set screw in order to reveal the batt pack (no matter, since if there ends up being no CCC in there, and there's a recharge port, there isn't really any reason to reveal the insides on short notice and/or access the batt pack inside on a regular basis)

OR

2) Hiding a set screw elsewhere. Hmmm.... I think I'll have to do option #1, since I don't want to drill anything on the exterior of this saber...





...Pictures tomorrow.

[Master Jedye]

Goodman...this sounds FREAKING amazing!!!!  I'm must be getting old cause I had to read it a few times to completly understand it...but wow!  What you're doing is really thinking outside the box and thanks for taking the time to share this.
Can't wait for the pictures!

[xwingband]

Goodman is correct.  On the old one the Covertec is integral to the construction.  It goes through the outer sleeve, core, and into the pommel.

I'm not ready to throw that out yet.  If I can I won't screw with the possibility of it going back the way it was before I installed anything.  I like Goodman's set screw idea though.  Even without a Covertec being the recharge port, spliting the duty of it into two screws would allow it to move freely without major alterations.

[LUMINARA UNDULI]

Goodman, again, just wow!  I can't wait to see pictures!  BTW, it is the weekend ;) .