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Author Topic: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board  (Read 30251 times)

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Offline M19eleven

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #75 on: September 14, 2018, 12:34:09 AM »
I'm currently in the process of building my first saber and I've been testing some alternative blade construction ideas.

The blade core uses the skinny sk6812 neopixel strips, 2 strips of 128 stuck back to back, staggered by 1 pixel. I'm using a 1" clear tcss outer tube with their neopixel diffuser insert.

My first test was with the foam blade diffuser inside the tubes above, but I was a little disappointed with how much that cuts down the brightness, and the mottled look the foam creates. Additionally, the skinny strips flop around in the foam tube leading to corncobbing in some areas depending on how the strips are positioned inside... But overall decent.

My next idea was using a bunch of Corbin wrap inside the foam to add bulk and try to center the strips better. This was an improvement, but cut the light output even more.

While assembling the configuration above, I pulled the foam out a bit and the section left behind looked fantastic. Very even, very bright. I pulled the Corbin wrap out, rolled it as tight as possible and taped it up, creating a semi rigid tube. This creates a central core holding the neopixel strips straighter, almost perfect diffusion, excellent brightness. The only drawback is the film isn't rigid enough to hold the strips centered while moving the blade around.

I just ordered some 1/8" wall 3/8" ID clear tubing to further test this tube within a tube idea. Hoping that will be rigid enough to keep everything centered.

My final goal is to make the tip appear as seamless as possible in both on and off states. I polished up a tcss bullet tip and drilled the center to allow a few pixels. What I'm having trouble with is a good way to continue the diffusion through the tip. Especially where the shouldered part pushes the diffuser back when inserted in the tube. I'm wondering if a little white paint might do the trick?

Any tricks or ideas are welcome!

Here's a few pics to help visualize everything.

Offline rcmaniak

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #76 on: September 25, 2018, 01:07:17 PM »
Hello, i'm in a process of building neopixel blade, i used two strips glued back to back, used some transparent heat shrink tubing as a first layer of light diffusion. Now i want to wrap it in 1/32" packing PE foam, but it is very hard to get an even consistent wrap, does anyone know a technique how to do it correctly? 

Offline rcmaniak

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #77 on: October 02, 2018, 01:30:29 PM »
Hi, after having problems with fitting foam into a tube i tried thin agro fleece (17g/m2) instead. It works perfect, light dispersion is in my opinion better than foam, it is waaaaay thinner so probably it would be great with 3 strips neopixel builds.    newbielink:https://ibb.co/gdO7De [nonactive]

Foam on the right side and fleece on the left.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #78 on: May 15, 2019, 07:44:00 AM »
Right, I'm asking for help here.

After a bit of a flop with making my own diffuser from packing foam, I caved at JQ Saber's May 4th discount and bought the TCSS foam pixel diffuser. Getting the pixel strips in the foam tube was easy.

Now, I'm stuck on how to get that !"£$%^& glorified glowing pool noodle into a 1" light duelling blade. I can get about an inch and a half into the hilt before friction kicks in, and all my attempts at pushing just bend the foam rather than making any progress. I've tried what I used with my LED string saber, ie, sliding it as far as it goes, then whacking on the other end with a mallet, but no dice.

Any ideas?
Better late than never.

Offline Megtooth Sith

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #79 on: December 05, 2019, 02:45:08 PM »
Right, I'm asking for help here.

After a bit of a flop with making my own diffuser from packing foam, I caved at JQ Saber's May 4th discount and bought the TCSS foam pixel diffuser. Getting the pixel strips in the foam tube was easy.

Now, I'm stuck on how to get that !"£$%^& glorified glowing pool noodle into a 1" light duelling blade. I can get about an inch and a half into the hilt before friction kicks in, and all my attempts at pushing just bend the foam rather than making any progress. I've tried what I used with my LED string saber, ie, sliding it as far as it goes, then whacking on the other end with a mallet, but no dice.

Any ideas?

If you are using the strip diffuser inside your blade, and trying to get 1" TCSS foam in, its really tight.  I have had luck tying a string to the foam and pulling the foam and strips into the blade, rather than pushing them.  But, the best bet is to use 7/8" blade foam, and then just add cellophane outside the foam until it is tight, but not ridiculous going into your blade.  Looks phenomenal, and the layers of cellophane outside the foam diffuses better, and gives the appearance of a core when the blade is ignited. 

TOm

 

retrousse