fiduciary

Author Topic: Extendable/Retractable blade?  (Read 22283 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Silkvein

  • Junkyard Sabersmith
  • Experienced Force User
  • ****
  • Posts: 331
Re: Extendable/Retractable blade?
« Reply #15 on: September 30, 2009, 09:41:59 PM »
I can't believe I'm giving this away, but heck.... you could google it if you wanted to.
Magicians have a popular trick called the "appearing cane". 
It involves tough, yet tightly spiraled thin metal that expands rapidly from its container.  Thus creating a cane out of thin air.  If one could get a polycarbonate manufacturer to fabricate such a device, you have a winner.  I am quite positive that it is possible because a magic company named fantasio has recently begun making less expensive plastic appearing canes for the budget magician.  This tech combined w/ the proper sanding methods would yield an impressive effect.  The device for an entire cane is about the size of a small cigarette lighter, so space is not an issue.  It's more or less finding a manufacturer with the capabilities and willingness to undertake such a task.
retraction is an issue, but the power up effect would be simply stunning.

Check it out, and good luck. 

Peace,
Silkvein

P.S.  Magic is cool, so if you learn something by researching this, don't be a jerk and give the secret away to all of your friends in order to seem clever.  Let illusion be illusion, and take comfort in the fact that I trust you all with this.

Offline Firedrops

  • Force User
  • ***
  • Posts: 163
Re: Extendable/Retractable blade?
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2009, 01:50:51 AM »
yes i just saw it, it looks pretty cool.
the extension effect looks neat and it can compress incredibly much.
but the retraction really does seem to be tedious and frankly i think
the normal toy saber would probably work better for it, and the fact that its hollow would allow us space to add in our own mechanics and stuff.
credits to Paul Lanski(for making these models)

Offline Darth Inferis

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 919
  • UK sabersmith
Re: Extendable/Retractable blade?
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2009, 04:10:00 AM »
maybe i'll pick up one of those toy sabers and see if i can figure something out in the holidays
for now if anyone wants to please work on this.
and thanks for all the info you 2 provided, inferis and nerdold
No problem amigo, glad I was able to help. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.  ;)
Beware the Mark of the Gungan! :o





Offline Darth Centorus

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 810
  • Formerly known as Kel-Qui
    • My "crazybrittishninja" YouTube Channel
Re: Extendable/Retractable blade?
« Reply #18 on: October 01, 2009, 03:10:28 PM »
I had a thought after Silkvein's post about the cane, he mentioned that it was spiraled (I'm guessing it is like a realy fine type of screw thread) But I was using my electric screw driver and I was wondering if somehow the 2 could be combined. So the motor screwing clockwise would say screw the blade out using the spiral/thread and counter clockwise would screw the blade in.

Just an idea I'd love to be able to investigate it myself but I just don't have the tools, time, money or even skill to know where to even start  ???

My Sabers
Spirit - Custom build by JQ Sabers
MR Luke ESB
MR Anakin ROTS <signed by Dave Prowse
Stunt saber no electronics
1 Half of the Twin Dragon - MHS custom build by me

Offline Silkvein

  • Junkyard Sabersmith
  • Experienced Force User
  • ****
  • Posts: 331
Re: Extendable/Retractable blade?
« Reply #19 on: October 04, 2009, 07:35:24 PM »
Penguinmagic.com sells the plastic appearing canes as well as disappearing canes if anyone wants to get one and experiment.  The drill idea sounds like it has merit, but I'm stumped as to how you would get it to work.  In a nutshell, these things are basically giant ribbon springs arranged with the tension toward extension or retraction.  Currently, it is impossible to combine the two into one unit as far as I know.  A small motor may be able to wind the spring the opposite direction thus making it easier for the blade to "fall" into a retraction, but I don't know.  experimentation is in order, and I trashed my last appearing cane and am low on funds. 
It most certainly wouldn't be suitable for anything more than extremely LIGHT dueling.  By that, I mean if you put any force into a swing, you might as well knock two slinkys together.  You'll spend the next three hours untangling them.  For a concept prop, it's an interesting idea, but not for dueling.  Polycarb may be a bit stronger, but I trashed my last cane just by leaning on it lightly, so that should give you an idea.  And that was a METAL cane.  The plastic versions are more forgiving when bent, but equally unstable.

Hope this helps.

Peace,
Silkvein

Offline TheXgamer30

  • No Force
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Um...Hello?
Re: Extendable/Retractable blade?
« Reply #20 on: February 03, 2018, 12:31:05 PM »
I'd start by making the handle on the lightsaber. I'd make sure to make it empty (or at least as empty as possible), and then cut the bottom part from the lightsaber handle (to make space for the sound card). Also I'd make the handle a little longer than the movie lightsabers to make space for a retractable blade, without the need for too many blade parts. As for the blade, I'd use glass,but, considering the lightsaber would be used for dueling, including transparent plastic would be more ingenious. As for the LED's, I'd use RGB LED strips for a bright glow, and in case a different color is wanted. I'd connect it to a standard AA batery (disguised as a pack like the little rectangles in Vader's lightsaber.

Offline Chiko Visage

  • No Force
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Um...Hello?
Re: Extendable/Retractable blade?
« Reply #21 on: March 10, 2021, 05:34:36 AM »
I doubt this forum is still being used but I figured I'd mention a short piece of information, I noticed in some designs of Anakin's lightsaber there was mention of a lever, I wonder if it's possible to use something such as a release lever and a button for extension and retraction in some way.

 

retrousse