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Author Topic: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.  (Read 35692 times)

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Offline Rafalema

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #30 on: January 13, 2012, 06:04:17 AM »
"#16: If you listen to nothing else I have said, DO NOT try to make your own Crystal Focus saber as your first build."

I disagree. If you really plan it right you can do it without a problem. And just making 5 quick crappy sabers won't solve anything either, you have to just plan it right.
My first saber wasn't a CF saber, and I refit my first saber twice before I wired up my CF. That project turned out awesome, but when building it I did some big mistakes which would've been avoided by great planning.

The list is great.
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Offline ASAJJ VENTRESS

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #31 on: January 13, 2012, 06:15:30 AM »
I think what he was saying was that you shouldn't have your first project be too complicated, and the CF certainly qualifies, as several qualified smiths have already said that a CF is very difficult.

Besides, why set yourself up for a fail?  Yes, plan things out accordingly, but plan them according to your skill level.  No black diamonds before the bunny slopes!   :D


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Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #32 on: January 13, 2012, 06:23:29 AM »
I workat a ski resort, and we always joke about the accident reports we have to fill out.  first question is what the customer's skill level is.  second is which hill they were on.  usually they are green level going down black level hills. 

Also, it is very hard to plan a cf saber as your first, since you have no experience building and planning sabers.


Offline Luke S.

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #33 on: January 13, 2012, 07:23:12 AM »
"#16: If you listen to nothing else I have said, DO NOT try to make your own Crystal Focus saber as your first build."

I disagree. If you really plan it right you can do it without a problem. And just making 5 quick crappy sabers won't solve anything either, you have to just plan it right.
My first saber wasn't a CF saber, and I refit my first saber twice before I wired up my CF. That project turned out awesome, but when building it I did some big mistakes which would've been avoided by great planning.

The list is great.

My first build ever and really first soldering was an MHS cf build.  I had one hiccup with the SD card but that was a card issue.  Once the card was swapped out it worked fine.  Proper planning, learning and practice make the difference.

Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #34 on: January 13, 2012, 07:29:11 AM »
"#16: If you listen to nothing else I have said, DO NOT try to make your own Crystal Focus saber as your first build."

I disagree. If you really plan it right you can do it without a problem. And just making 5 quick crappy sabers won't solve anything either, you have to just plan it right.
My first saber wasn't a CF saber, and I refit my first saber twice before I wired up my CF. That project turned out awesome, but when building it I did some big mistakes which would've been avoided by great planning.

The list is great.

My first build ever and really first soldering was an MHS cf build.  I had one hiccup with the SD card but that was a card issue.  Once the card was swapped out it worked fine.  Proper planning, learning and practice make the difference.

Yeah, but which version?  4.x and below is way easier than a v5. 


Offline Luke S.

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #35 on: January 13, 2012, 07:41:42 AM »
But any CF is harder than an MR board to wire.  IMHO you cant even count an MR board as a build towards learning to build a CF saber.  An MR is already wired for you.  All you need to do is wire the switch and led.  Sure that helps you learn a little bit but it really doesn't give you much experience for a CF buiild.  No board wiring, no SD formatting. You could build 1000 MR sabers and it wouldnt give you much experience to do one CF build.

Offline Silver Serpent

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #36 on: January 13, 2012, 08:00:38 AM »
I've learned several of these the easy way, and too many the hard way.  I can't say I disagree with any of them.

Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #37 on: January 13, 2012, 08:05:49 AM »
I'm not gona sit here and argue why not to make a CF saber your first.  i just don't want anyone to say i didn't warn them. 

A petit crouton is a good alternative if nothing else.  i still would't recommend it from experience, but a PC is much easier to have fixed.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2012, 08:09:12 AM by Alex Gordon »


Offline CHEWBACCA

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #38 on: January 13, 2012, 09:19:22 AM »
I'm not gona sit here and argue why not to make a CF saber your first.  i just don't want anyone to say i didn't warn them. 

A petit crouton is a good alternative if nothing else.  i still would't recommend it from experience, but a PC is much easier to have fixed.

I get your point and let me say that no I don't think a cf build would be good for your first time to ever use a soldering iron and such (I assume that is what you are saying) BUT if you practice soldering on spare things (you can get PCBs to practice on) then I see no reason a CF cant be your first build.  Most people will say that you should build a few sabers before jumping into a CF but I have never looked at it that way (mostly from my experience in soldering).  Really it all depends on your experience and comfort level.

I have to disagree that the PC is easier to get fixed than the CF.  The same people do repairs for both.

IMO the CF5 is not harder to do than any other CF either.


Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #39 on: January 13, 2012, 09:45:42 AM »
I meant it in the sense that there are less parts, and they are more available if totally destroyed. 

Also, the accent pad resistor footprints on the cf5 raise the difficulty level significantly vs the 4.x and below imo.  if you don't use accent leds, sure. 
« Last Edit: January 13, 2012, 10:05:20 AM by Alex Gordon »


Offline CHEWBACCA

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #40 on: January 13, 2012, 10:04:30 AM »
I meant it in the sense that there are less parts, and they are more available if totally destroyed. 

but again its not a problem.  The parts are the same except for a couple of things and both people have the stock to repair all parts.  If its totally destroyed there will be no repairs anyway.

I am not arguing with you on this so don't take it that way.  I am just pointing out for the sake of people that may be worried about repairs that there is no reason to worry about repairs no matter where you are and that they can be repaired just as easily as the PC.


Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #41 on: January 13, 2012, 10:10:41 AM »
We aren't arguing.  i know better than to argue with you.  this is a discussion.   :D  CF is repairable, take it from me  :D.  if totally destroyed, you can't just get another at tcss.  there, now i finally got my point out the way i meant it.

Same goes here, don't take this as arguing.   ;)


Offline vulcan fox

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #42 on: January 13, 2012, 11:51:11 AM »
i would agree that anyone building their FIRST saber really should use a low end board and gain much needed experience :) :) however IF you are well trained AND practised in the soldering and electronic arts,? then yes with planning you could wire up a CF.... but personally speaking although i have both a CF and an igniter i will still complete my hasbro economy project to completion, ... number 16 is VERY GOOD ADVICE. ;)

Offline ASAJJ VENTRESS

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #43 on: January 13, 2012, 11:55:41 AM »
i would agree that anyone building their FIRST saber really should use a low end board and gain much needed experience :) :) however IF you are well trained AND practised in the soldering and electronic arts,? then yes with planning you could wire up a CF

and that is the best way to phrase what everyone has been saying!   :D


For everything you gain, you lose something else.

How "Freedom of Speech" works:  you have the freedom to say whatever you want, BUT you also have the freedom to suffer the consequences

Dream Big, Build Bigger.

Offline CHEWBACCA

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #44 on: January 13, 2012, 12:04:00 PM »
We aren't arguing.  i know better than to argue with you.  this is a discussion.   :D  CF is repairable, take it from me  :D.  if totally destroyed, you can't just get another at tcss.  there, now i finally got my point out the way i meant it.

Same goes here, don't take this as arguing.   ;)

ah OK that makes sense lol.  The chances of totally destroying the board is very low though but anything is possible. 


 

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