This time I did all the machine work myself since the throat of my lathe is so large (can slide the entire saber in with the pommel off).
This was a different type than my last one and the same type as the one that Gill converted.
Since I like a 7/8th blade and think it matches this and the other sabers I have better that is what I went for.
This time I tried something for the very first time and threaded on my lathe.
What I did was take a solid 1" tube and machine it with a heatsink built in (like I did on the Trid Ani). Then I hollowed out the other end to take the battery (or batteries depending on what board I use). Then I threaded both ends of the rod and threaded the body of the saber and the emitter. I am pretty proud of it since I have never done any threading before and it actually worked perfectly (not pretty and I learned what I did wrong while doing it). The body screws on straight, its extremely sturdy and best of all there are no set screws or JBweld needed to hold it all together.
More than likely I am going with a CS and single 18650 because it will just be a display piece but I will see if I change my mind later and go with a CF.
Here are the pics I took. I tried not to damage anything but I will have to repaint (PC) the neck and blade holder section as well as the emitter piece if I decide not to go bare AL on it because of some scrapes.
Click for larger pics
Opening up the emitter:
Emitter opened up to 7/8th:
7/8th blade section test fit...nice and snug:
Opening up the tube on the emitter side for the blade and LED:
Threading the tube:
Using an end mill to flatten the backside of the body section I drilled out:
All screwed together nice and tight and no gaps:
Looking into the emitter with the tube screwed in. You can see a step down at the bottom. That is the blade stop to protect the LED module:
Starting to take it apart. This is with the shroud off so you can see where the tube comes in:
Blade holder unscrewed:
Disassembled with the tube sitting there to show all the threaded sections:
Closer view of the same thing:
This shows the blade stop better:
This is the back side of the heatsink and where the battery will go:
Well that is it for now. Once I decide on what I will be doing for sound I will start the install (more than likely a CS). I want it to look just like the LE prop with the exception of the blade hole so the speaker is going to fit in the tube for the battery (machined it out and used a small TCSS speaker). I am going to have the recharge port under the screw in pommel. I also want to make the red button the activation and not add any on the bottom like I did the last on (another reason for wanting it to be a CS).