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Author Topic: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.  (Read 35696 times)

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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 #45 on: January 13, 2012, 12:22:29 PM »
Yeah, i was thinking along the lines of a pcb trace being lifted free by an iron that was too hot. 


Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #46 on: March 05, 2012, 12:37:26 PM »
#48 (I think)

When soldering ledengins, you must have lots of patience.  personally, it takes me no less than 45 seconds to do 1 joint on an ledengin from room temperature.  Most people would say that number is pretty high, but I don't turn my iron up that much.  The key is to heat the underside of the pcb star with your iron for a bit (I've heard 10 seconds thrown around, but that's never enough for me) before you start to solder the pads.  If your iron sticks to the solder on the ledengin, you didn't heat up the bottom of the pcb star enough.

#49 (might be in there already, pertains to #48 though)

Don't ever, ever, ever try to solder an ledengin while it is on the heatsink.  This is true with any led, but especially with the ledengins.  you will not get a proper solder joint that way period. 



I was having a discussion with someone who asked for some tips and as I was about to point them here, I realized these two weren't on there.  Figured better add them since they come up a lot. 

Anyone who wants to add to the ledengin one with how long it usually takes them to heat up the pcb star please feel free.  I said 45 seconds per joint for me, but I didn't mean 45 seconds on the underside of the pcb star.  I meant 45 seconds from touching the iron to the bottom of the board to the end of the pull test. 
« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 12:42:05 PM by Alex Gordon »


Offline PhoenixJedi

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #47 on: March 05, 2012, 12:57:31 PM »
#50: If you're testing an LED, don't test it OFF the heatsink if you're using its full forward voltage. Quick way to burn out the LED (So many have done this before).

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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 #48 on: March 05, 2012, 12:58:17 PM »
#50: If you're testing an LED, don't test it OFF the heatsink if you're using its full forward voltage. Quick way to burn out the LED (So many have done this before).

ooo, good one.  Added and credited.  Boy that poor lux V green.  It never even had a chance.   :'(  ah memories. 


Offline PhoenixJedi

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #49 on: March 05, 2012, 01:29:55 PM »
Lol I sent you a PM with one.

I'm the only saber smith ever mentioned in the NY Times: http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=35163
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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 #50 on: March 05, 2012, 01:34:10 PM »
I'm pretty sure I'm gonna ask someone if I can post that.  that is true 100%. 


Offline PhoenixJedi

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #51 on: March 05, 2012, 01:40:54 PM »
51: Use a proper heatsink (generally made out of a block of aluminum or copper) to radiate the heat away from the LED.
52: Fasten the heatsink to the LED properly using thermal goop (the same type usable on computers), or thermal tape. Hot Glue is NOT proper, and will cause problems. The accepted methods for fastening down the LED are a screw-in device and nylon screws.
53: Use a focusing device made for the LEDs (IE Lens and Lens Holder.), not a reflector that needs to be glued down to the LED
54: Use a proper material for the LED assembly. A piece of blade for an LED Holder will not allow heat to conduct to the outer part of the hilt, and will cause early failure.
55: Do not use an underwattage resistor just to save costs. You are asking for failure.
56: Screw in your switches!
57: If you have a battery pack that is too thin for the hilt, wrap it in bubble wrap so that it doesn't rattle and shatter.
58: TOO MUCH extra wiring slack is bad. You want just enough to pull the battery pack out, and possibly the soundboard for SD Changes or anything on a quick connector.

I'm the only saber smith ever mentioned in the NY Times: http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=35163
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Offline RoHan Solo

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #52 on: April 22, 2012, 10:13:25 PM »
Thank you Alex, awesome post. I shall bookmark it, read it at least 5 times through and then refer to it often before I begin making my first saber! :)




Offline Concept

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #53 on: April 23, 2012, 02:37:58 AM »
 

#14: Do not work on sabers if you are feeling
 
         Hungry
         Angry
         Lonely
         Tired


In regards to #14 possibly being amorous would also not lead to high reliability hand soldering!
Aussie Star Wars fan

Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #54 on: July 02, 2012, 10:16:50 AM »
bumping this for Darthvix.   ;)


Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #55 on: July 16, 2012, 03:54:03 AM »
#59: Don't underestimate the power of a dying battery pack.  Just this weekend I was installing a CF (well, reinstalling actually) and I got some really weird behavior.  It was something I had never seen before, so I assumed the CF was borked.  Well, I swapped CFs and got the same behavior.  Charged up my batteries overnight, and everything is fine now. 

EDIT:  Thinking about it, this goes double for a pack made of protected cells (because of the theory of it and because I haven't had stuff like this happen on a pack made of unprotected cells with a single pcb). 
« Last Edit: July 16, 2012, 03:58:03 AM by Alex Gordon »


Offline LUMINARA UNDULI

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #56 on: July 16, 2012, 06:13:09 AM »
EDIT:  Thinking about it, this goes double for a pack made of protected cells (because of the theory of it and because I haven't had stuff like this happen on a pack made of unprotected cells with a single pcb). 

Just because you haven't had it happen doesn't really qualify this statement ;).  We've had both types of packs go bad, although fairly infrequently. 



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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 #57 on: July 16, 2012, 06:13:58 AM »
No, i wasn't saying the pack was going bad, just that it was running out of juice.   ;)


Offline ANAKIN SKYWALKER

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #58 on: February 18, 2014, 06:04:08 PM »
Bumping this thread so I can find it to sticky it.  I totally forgot about this thread since it was sooo long ago, but there's definitely some useful tips in here. 



Offline Machinimax

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Re: Some not so obvious (at first) do's and don'ts to wiring up sabers.
« Reply #59 on: February 18, 2014, 07:13:57 PM »
I forgot about this thread. Heed these words folks. These tips are from our best here! I'd like to add in my two cents if I may.

If you are working on a more complex saber (or your very first even), drawings and sketches can be helpful in planing your build. This is especially true if you are creating something like a crystal chassis/chamber. Review your sketches carefully, ask for critiques and opinions here on the forum, and revise them as needed. When making revisions, it's best to start a whole new drawing rather than fix your old one. This helps you keep record of your design ideas. You don't have to be an artist but your sketches should have some level of detail to them and labels are never a bad idea.



Welcome to saber building. You've taken your first step into a larger world!

"Don't get the idea that your [lightsaber] is a quick little project to be slapped together." - Luke Skywalker

 

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