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FX-Sabers Discussion - Including a Gallery of custom sabers. => New Ideas and Technologies => Topic started by: BipeFlyer on June 25, 2018, 11:18:29 PM

Title: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 25, 2018, 11:18:29 PM

I've already posted some of this information in my Stormtrooper Lightsaber thread, but I've been asked about the switches a couple of times, so i thought some might find this information useful.

You can get illuminated tactile buttons from sparkfun.com. LED Tactile Button - Blue - COM-10443 - SparkFun Electronics (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10443) They are inexpensive, small and come in 5 colours.
You can get acrylic rods on Amazon and make light pipes on a lathe, or with a drill and sandpaper. Acrylic Round Rod Transparent Clear Extruded 1/4" Diameter 12" Length Pack of 6 (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01901PK4A/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

The illuminated buttons.
(https://thumb.ibb.co/jAYUvT/101_2626.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jAYUvT)

They look like 4 LEDs, but the white and blue ones are also switches.
(https://thumb.ibb.co/k2FL28/101_2619.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k2FL28)


(https://thumb.ibb.co/g8XB9o/101_2691.jpg) (https://ibb.co/g8XB9o)




Cutting and polishing the light pipes.  If you don't have a lathe use a drill and a file, then use progressively smoother sandpaper; starting with about 200 grit and go to 1000 grit.  Once sanded and smooth, use polishing compound to make them crystal clear.

(https://thumb.ibb.co/nbbU0J/IMG_20180331_115622.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nbbU0J)(https://thumb.ibb.co/eYXPZd/IMG_20180331_115722.jpg) (https://ibb.co/eYXPZd)(https://thumb.ibb.co/hotbfJ/IMG_20180331_120142.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hotbfJ)(https://thumb.ibb.co/nOWU0J/IMG_20180331_120533.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nOWU0J)


Completed light pipes.
(https://thumb.ibb.co/eJptSy/101_2630.jpg) (https://ibb.co/eJptSy)

Title: Re: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: erv on June 25, 2018, 11:39:20 PM

very cool and thanks for sharing your tutorial. I've been a big fan of illuminated tactiles, I used to make them with regular ones with a SMD led attached to it, and use a chopped / machined 5mm LED as the plunger + light pipe. Very nice result on that ST saber !

Title: Re: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: Obi_1 on June 26, 2018, 07:35:18 AM

Thanks for sharing, I've been looking for this kind of switches for a long time now!!!

Title: Re: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 26, 2018, 10:06:14 AM

Quote from: erv on June 25, 2018, 11:39:20 PM

very cool and thanks for sharing your tutorial. I've been a big fan of illuminated tactiles, I used to make them with regular ones with a SMD led attached to it, and use a chopped / machined 5mm LED as the plunger + light pipe. Very nice result on that ST saber !

Thanks Erv.  It took a lot of pondering; I was originally going to make the aluminum knobs the switches until I saw what Jango Fett did on his Killsythe Customs ST Saber.  I don't know how he made his, but when I stumbled across the tactile buttons the light went on, so to speak.

Title: Re: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: Seth Skywalker on June 26, 2018, 10:12:52 AM

Great Tutorial. Thanks BipeFlyer!

Title: Re: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: Obi_1 on June 27, 2018, 03:47:25 AM

Looking at this ST saber I really feel sad I cannot go trooping with the 501st wielding one of these due to all those screenaccuratenessfanatics crying "non-canooooooooon"!

Illuminated tactiles already ordered, I will put them to good use. One will go into my new E11, the other in my TCSS saber I'm going to rework.

Title: Re: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: BipeFlyer on July 06, 2018, 12:36:15 AM

Allelectronics has similar switches in stock for $1.

YELLOW LED LIGHTED TACTILE MOMENTARY PUSHBUTTON | All Electronics Corp. (https://www.allelectronics.com/item/ltsw-127y/yellow-led-lighted-tactile-momentary-pushbutton/1.html)
RED LED LIGHTED TACTILE MOMENTARY PUSHBUTTON | All Electronics Corp. (https://www.allelectronics.com/item/ltsw-127r/red-led-lighted-tactile-momentary-pushbutton/1.html)
GREEN LED LIGHTED TACTILE MOMENTARY PUSHBUTTON | All Electronics Corp. (https://www.allelectronics.com/item/ltsw-127g/green-led-lighted-tactile-momentary-pushbutton/1.html)
BLUE LED LIGHTED TACTILE MOMENTARY PUSHBUTTON | All Electronics Corp. (https://www.allelectronics.com/item/ltsw-127b/blue-led-lighted-tactile-momentary-pushbutton/1.html)

Title: Re: Illuminated Switches - Making Light Pipes
Post by: BipeFlyer on March 08, 2019, 11:33:36 PM

Quote from: Obi_1 on June 27, 2018, 03:47:25 AM

Looking at this ST saber I really feel sad I cannot go trooping with the 501st wielding one of these due to all those screenaccuratenessfanatics crying "non-canooooooooon"!

Illuminated tactiles already ordered, I will put them to good use. One will go into my new E11, the other in my TCSS saber I'm going to rework.

I'm ordering my first Stormtrooper costume and I was looking through the 501st requirements and I found the Stormtrooper Lightsaber listed on the ANH costume. 
Costuming:TK anh hero - Databank (http://databank.501st.com/databank/Costuming:TK_anh_hero)  Scroll to the bottom.

So, it would appear that you could go trooping with 501st whilst wielding one!  That's my plan.