About the switch placement I'm curious why you put the activation sticking out of the box 'end' that way and the auxiliary on the box 'top' and not vice versa? If its personal preference thats fine but just looking at it it seems to me that having the auxiliary on the box 'end' instead might make it easier to control the effects 'invisibly' with the foreward hand? And having the activation on the box 'top' might also be less likely to inadvertently trigger [though maybe APOP makes that less necessary?]? Maybe my impression is totally wrong...just curious since I've not handled a 'working' Mara saber.
that's indeed a very good question. Since I've built Telum Infensus, I kept thinking about switches and their placement, order etc. The thing is that the activation isn't that critical. On that one, I like the fact that you can have your thumb ready to push on it while holding the saber in any position. Easy to feel & trigger. Not that "canon" compared to a control box that is supposed to 'control' the saber (true). On that Mara Jade, I initially wanted to have both controls on the control box, but I couldn't get rid of the screw. Also, I didn't want to have the aux switch to be something "singular" like the red tactile I installed. Indeed, there are no "aux switch" on a lightsaber, so I didn't want to give it an obvious place. It remains then a sort of "secret button" hidden in the green indicator.
At the end, you're correct, with A-POP, you're safe for dueling with such a configuration. The fact the aux button is on top of the control box makes a good choice for grabbing it too, IMO. And it's better to hit accidentally the activation switch (with no harm thanks to APOP) than having the aux at that place and trigger force or blasters fx in an unexpected way.
still, it's a matter of taste too and how you duel (or don't duel) with your saber.
thanks for the comments !