FX-Sabers.com
FX-Sabers Discussion - Including a Gallery of custom sabers. => LED SABERS => Topic started by: QUI-GON JINN on October 12, 2008, 08:36:09 AM
-
I needed to make a blade for CS-7, so I thought this time, why not snap a few pictures while I was doing for a simple tutorial! This should give custom saber buyers an idea of what goes into making up a blade, and for those that would like to try it themselves, as well!
So, here we go:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/632/6Mev7Y.jpg)
The first thing you'll need is a polycarbonate tube. In this case, we have a 36" long, 1" o.d. (outside diameter) thin-walled piece. (It has an inside diameter of 7/8"). We also have a 9 foot long, 30" wide roll of polypropylene (cellophane gift wrap). I use my kitchen counter, as it's about the easiest to clean surface in my house. You want to do this in as clean of a room as possible, and with out any air movement. (Try not to do it near a heat duct when your A/C or furnace is running, or you'll get a lot of dust and hair contamination in the blade.) Since the polyp film is full of static, any particle of dust or pet hair will stick to it, so clean the work surface prior to starting.
Make sure your blade tube is clean as well, especially if you had to cut it to length. I use a 3/8 dowel rod and a small piece of tack cloth to clean the interior of the tube. The tack cloth will pick up the dust particles that might be inside. Stuff the cloth into one end of the tube, and then push it through to the other end using the dowel rod. Repeat as necessary!
Because this roll of film is only 30" wide (see here to get a 40" x 100':
Clear Cello Rolls (http://www.papermart.com/clear-cello-rolls/id=11979#11979), we'll have to cut our film along the length of the film, rather than across the width:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/2212/LL25vf.jpg)
Lay the blade across the film and give yourself enough film to trim some off later if you must. I usually cut it to about the same length of the blade just for that reason. You'll see why in a few moments. Cut the film:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/9771/gMJz4u.jpg)
I have to use a pair of fabric shears, as they are the sharpest pair we have. If you do it right, you can cut the film just like you would regular paper gift wrap....just hold down the film and shear as straight of a line through the film as possible.
When you have it cut, get a 3/4" dowel rod. Make sure you have a straight one! Lay the dowel rod across the film like so:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/922/jmNOrV.jpg)
Roll the film up on the dowel rod:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/5uDjBu.jpg)
Make sure the film is fairly tight, but not so tight that it doesn't move on the dowel. It also helps to roll it as straight across the dowel as possible, to keep the ends of the film in line. You really only need to make sure that one end is straight. That end will go into the tube first, to butt up against the blade tip. When it's rolled up, it will look like this:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/921/pPs4Eh.jpg)
It'll look a little bit like a chrome rod!
Slide it into the blade tube:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/922/A9esXC.jpg)
Repeat this step as necessary, to add more film. I used another roll, cut the exact same way, but rolled up on a slightly smaller dowel rod...I used a 5/8" for this second roll, and install that roll inside the first one.
With the film inside the blade, I added the blade tip to check the film:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/8633/WkTogR.jpg)
Your blade film on the tip end needs to be straight to properly sit against the bottom of the blade tip. If it's not, slide the film out of the blade about 3 inches, and trim the edge with the scissors. This is why you want a little bit extra length on your film roll!
The other end of the film should be about 1/4" - 1/8"short of the end of the polyc tube. You may have to trim this as well.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/9427/c17Pvo.jpg)
Now's a good time to test it and check for dirt/hairs:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img921/3690/NCQF2a.jpg)
If your blade isn't evenly lit enough for you, add another roll of film. Or, if you have a wider film roll, use a longer roll. When I have a roll wide enough to roll the film across the width, I'll roll up anywhere from 4-6 feet of polyp film for a 32"-36" long blade. 5 feet usually works well enough for me.
Once you have the film to your liking, you can now glue the blade tip to the polyc tube:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/1659/qfCl89.jpg)
I use Weld-On #16, as it's an acrylic welder, not really a glue. It chemically bonds the two pieces of polyc to each other for a tight fit. This is probably the best thing for the do-it-yourselfer to use. Get it at TAP Plastics. (http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=132&) Another option is Weld-On #3, but that is liquid, and can make a mess if you aren't careful. Weld-On #16 is a gel, and is easier to apply.
Apply a small bead* to the edge of the blade tip:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6518/p2Ujpo.jpg)
*I actually put on a little too much here! :-[
When you install the tip into the blade, give it a slight twist, to even the coverage of the cement. You might get some squeeze-out if you apply too much like I did:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/6271/VThKvf.jpg)
Just clean it off with your thumb nail or razor blade, exacto knife, etc.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/4392/3sDruW.jpg)
All cleaned! Be sure to allow 24 hours for the Weld-On to fully cure.
This next step is optional depending on your preference.
The next thing to do is to glue in the blade film. This is why you want to have the film be a bit shorter than the tube. We're going to use some hot-glue to help keep the film from falling out when you remove your blade:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/2540/HOJgqm.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5188/EuTdeg.jpg)
Apply a bead large enough to cover the edge of the film rolls, and also the polyc tube.
The final step? Install the blade in your saber, and have fun!
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5558/fe9gMB.jpg)
-
Thank you Master Qui-Gon! Sticky applied!
-
Great tutorial! This is pretty much the same way I make blades as well. I usually use acetate, available from a craft shop in my area. I did a tutorial awhile back on the old NYJedi forums, but not as thorough..... :)
-
Qui-Gon-Jinn, nobody can tell this more clearly than you did here with those pics.
Now this saves a lot of time for the SABER-SMIDS out there.
Now they have only to send the parts and this topic to the costumers, in the future. :D ;D ;D
-
Thats a really good tutorial! I just so happen to have a spare blade here. Looks like im gonna practice it myself.
-
I tried this for the first time today, and am blown away at the evenness in light it creates. I added one 50cm wide sheet to a blade that contained only a Corbin double-wrap, compared it with another blade with just the Corbin film, and was amazed. I added another, and got double the effect. The hardest part is the struggle with debris. The film is a veritable static-charged vacuum cleaner. :-\ My only disappointment was the reduction in the "Corbin effect," which I'm rather fond of. Still, I don't think I'll ever make another blade without it. Thanks for the tutorial, Qui-Gon! :)
-
I'm not even a padawan yet, but i humbly ask: to get diffused light within the saber could you sand it? A fine grit sand paper on the end of the "loading rod" (the 3/4" dowel) then run up and down the "barrel" could make the tube cloudy. Or am I missing the point? Is the film used to absorb and disburse the light? Is the sanding idea too clumsy and random or demand a high degree of skill/luck?
thanks in advance for suffering the ignorance of my question.
-
It's not an ignorant question, Jag. That being said, it's a topic that has been covered many times if you use the search button ;)
In short, some people have sanded either the inner or outer wall of their PolyC blades. The idea is to catch the light and push it outwards towards the eye, and not all just forward towards the point. Sanding can sometimes come out unevenly though, which can be an eyesore.
The new UltraEdge blades, made by Ultrasabers (see his section in this forum) take the human error out of this concept. PolyC blades are extruded in white, so the light is "drawn" out to the outer edge of the blade. Because it isn't manually sanded, the effect is perfectly even.
Also, as a new member, be sure to go to the Padawan section and sign the Rules post.
Welcome :)
-
I'm not even a padawan yet, but i humbly ask: to get diffused light within the saber could you sand it? A fine grit sand paper on the end of the "loading rod" (the 3/4" dowel) then run up and down the "barrel" could make the tube cloudy. Or am I missing the point? Is the film used to absorb and disburse the light? Is the sanding idea too clumsy and random or demand a high degree of skill/luck?
thanks in advance for suffering the ignorance of my question.
Well, someone figured out my secret....that's how I make my "Dual-Core Diffusion" blades....I have a 3/8 dowel with a 3/4" dowel piece on the end that I attach a piece of sandpaper to. I then insert that into my cordless drill and using a slow steady motion, sand the interior of the polycarbonate tube until I get the desired look. It doesn't take much to do it....I use a 400 grit sandpaper. It does take a lot of practice to get it to be evenly sanded, however. Your first attempt may not be pretty.
After you have it sanded, you'll want to clean the tube with another dowel rod and a piece of tack cloth to remove thesanding dust. then follow the above steps to install your diffuser film.
-
where would i find these polycarbonate tubes?
-
where would i find these polycarbonate tubes?
There are several places to get them online....use your favorite internet search engine....but for the most part, I get them from TCSS when I get saber parts.
-
www.thecustomsabershop.com TCSS sells them in the thick and thinwalled version and they also sell tips and Corbin film. Look under LED specific.
-
Thanks very much for this. Being a newbie can be daunting and you just took some of the difficulty away. =)
-
A great insight thank you this will be very helpfull for me :)
-
Thanks!! So if i wanted to make a UltraEdge i would buy the white poly carbonate tube from them and do the same thing? Instead of gift wrap im thinking about using the film TCSS has, how many wraps do i use? i'm not sure the about the difference
-
The film TCSS carries is "corbin film" not "gift wrap", it doesn't do the same thing. To my knowledge, I haven't seen Corbin film used in an Ultraedge and I don't think the effect for which it is created would work so well in a UE.
-
The film TCSS carries is "corbin film" not "gift wrap", it doesn't do the same thing. To my knowledge, I haven't seen Corbin film used in an Ultraedge and I don't think the effect for which it is created would work so well in a UE.
Correct... it wouldn't give a core. Not that it wouldn't help, just not by itself. I never use any film alone though.
-
Corbin film does nothing for an UltaEdge....I tried it to see what would happen...it wasn't worth the trouble, honestly. For an Ultraedge, all you need is about 4 feet of the clear gift wrap or other clear plastic film. If you don't use any film at all, the blade appears somewhat....splotchy.
-
What was the measurement on the wall on the poly tubes?
-
The wall thickness on the polycarbonate blade tube used in this tutorial was 1/16". This was a thin-walled blade, but the same process works for the 1/8" (thick-walled) blades as well.
-
The wall thickness on the polycarbonate blade tube used in this tutorial was 1/16". This was a thin-walled blade, but the same process works for the 1/8" (thick-walled) blades as well.
Is there visual difference when used on 1/16th and 1/8th inch walls? Would you be able to tell? And which would be "better"?
-
Is there visual difference when used on 1/16th and 1/8th inch walls?
Yes
Would you be able to tell?
Yes
And which would be "better"?
Better for what? Dueling? The thick walled.
or better for "brighter"? The thin walled
-
I always hear a lot about corbin film and sanding and polypropylene. But I wonder, will I get a bright, even blade by just getting a polyc tube and adding some rolled-up polypropylene, beacause that seemed to be all qui-gon did in the tutorial. Or does a good blade need other crazy stuff like corbin film, tcss diffuser or sanding?
-
Those things will get you the laser like core/corbin film or light carried to the edge of the blade/sanding.
The corbin laser core look is cool but you get a flare at the bottom and teh lightbulb effect at the tip. IMO the standard Ultrablade is the most evenly lit blade. I have yet to try my new ultraedge.
-
My corbin quad blade doesn't have the lightbulb effect. The mirrored disks get rid of that. ;) ;D ;D (I read your post on my conversion Luke, thanks for the advice)
Sanding the blade needs to be done with high grit sandpaper. I forget what most people suggest... :P The ultraedge has the sanded effect, but it is just white Poly-c. The stock ultrablades are by far to me, the most evenly lit I've had.
-
I always hear a lot about corbin film and sanding and polypropylene. But I wonder, will I get a bright, even blade by just getting a polyc tube and adding some rolled-up polypropylene, beacause that seemed to be all qui-gon did in the tutorial. Or does a good blade need other crazy stuff like corbin film, tcss diffuser or sanding?
to answer your first question, yes you will get an evenly lit blade with just polypropylene by itself, as long as you use the blade tips from either Ultrasabers or The Custom Saber shop.
To answer your second question, a good blade is subjective....meaning, what I think is a "good" blade may not appeal to you. My personal favorite is sanding the inside of a clear blade and then inserting a roll of polyp....but that's me. ;)
-
I have searched in some shops online for polypropylene film. And I wonder, should it be fully transparent, and should it be shiny or dull? I have also seen some different thicknesses of the films. Does that matter or do I just roll up less film if it's thicker?
-
We use clear film, and depending on thickness, wrap 3-6ft of it.
I use a wooden dowel that has markings on them and I stop rolling when certain markings disappear, (depending on what "look" Im goin for).
Walmart, dollar stores, and many other places sell "clear" gift wrap.
-
I get mine online here:
http://www.papermart.com/Product%20Pages/Product.aspx?GroupID=11978&SubGroupID=11979&ParentGroupID=19003#11979
Use the 40" x 100' roll. I'll add this to the first post as well.
-
how do you install the blade into the hilt? screws or glue or ?
-
how do you install the blade into the hilt? screws or glue or ?
The blade sits in the blade holder, a retention screw keeps it secure.
-
I think this is still relevant to the thread: say you wanted to modify a blade's length after construction. Could you simply remove the blade tip, cut the desired length off and then re-stick the top back on or would this wreck the film?
-
The film at the top has to be a certain length away from the tip, in order not to be bunched up. I would recommend cutting from the bottom of the blade, then trimming the excess film before you re-glue...
-
The film at the top has to be a certain length away from the tip, in order not to be bunched up. I would recommend cutting from the bottom of the blade, then trimming the excess film before you re-glue...
This is excellent advice, and actually how I do it myself when I need to shorten a finished blade.
-
The film at the top has to be a certain length away from the tip, in order not to be bunched up. I would recommend cutting from the bottom of the blade, then trimming the excess film before you re-glue...
Thanks for the replies ;)
OK, so you mean you would cut around the circumference of the blade and remove the polycarbonate tube, leaving the film rolled (ie extending past the bottom of your newly cut blade) and then cut this separately? What tool would you recommend for each of those tasks?
Something less complicated than you would find in a serious sabersmith's workshop but less rudimentary than sharpened bones is probably what I'll have ready access to :D
-
Halp?! ::)
-
Halp?! ::)
I use a pvc pipe cutter to cut my blades... I got it from Lowes a few years ago...
-
Pipe /tubing cutter for the polycarbonate tube, and then really sharp scissors to cut off the excess film.....it's not rocket science, dude. ::)
-
Pipe /tubing cutter for the polycarbonate tube, and then really sharp scissors to cut off the excess film.....it's not rocket science, dude. ::)
Hah! Thanks guys. :P I think my new motto might be: "Dammit man, this isn't rocket science, it's saber construction!" ;D
-
Great tutorial!!! I used this the other day... Another great thing to use (if you are doing a longer blade, like I did) is an old 3/4" El blade... ;D
-
I have a question, I have a TCSS show blade 32". If I remove the diffuser, will it be a similiar nice effect?
-
Are you adding any cellophane? If so than it will diffuse the light in place of the diffuser.
-
excellent tutorial Jay. I've just ordered some weldon #16 (virtually impossible to source in France).
To avoid dust and electro static issues I proceed like that :
- I'm lucky to have a 40" wide roll
- I marked a 1 m / 40" long distance on my bench. 1m is the length I wrap in my blades.
- I place the roll on one side of the marking and I start wrapping around the dowel (or a 3/4" blade tubbing) *as the PP film is unwrap from the main gift wrap roll*
- the roll rolls to the other mark. I stop there & cut.
- shove it in the blade tube.
- done
- :)
I'm so happy we now have translucent / white PC blades. No more PITBack with double film wrapping.
-
excellent tutorial Jay. I've just ordered some weldon #16 (virtually impossible to source in France).
To avoid dust and electro static issues I proceed like that :
- I'm lucky to have a 40" wide roll
- I marked a 1 m / 40" long distance on my bench. 1m is the length I wrap in my blades.
- I place the roll on one side of the marking and I start wrapping around the dowel (or a 3/4" blade tubbing) *as the PP film is unwrap from the main gift wrap roll*
- the roll rolls to the other mark. I stop there & cut.
- shove it in the blade tube.
- done
- :)
I'm so happy we now have translucent / white PC blades. No more PITBack with double film wrapping.
Thanks, erv! I've pretty much taken to doing a similar method on my kitchen counter. I also have 40" rolls of the gift wrap as well now, since doing this tutorial, and it makes it much easier. rolling the 3/4" tube and the full roll of gift wrap right next to each other, and along a marked off distance really reduces the possibility of dirt/hair getting in the roll for your blade.
-
I started doing something similar as well... I hang my tape measure from a hook on the wall, then measure the roll in the "air".... I then make a mark, then reroll the film... After that it pretty much what Erv and Jay do now.. Just roll directly onto the dowel.... Much less contaminents this way, and saves time as well... ;D
-
Will be trying this out in about an hour ;D
-
Good luck than.
I'm sure it will be great.
-
I did it and it worked amazing! ;D
Thankyou very much..
(https://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi148.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fs7%2Fbaskwith%2Fa82c25ee.jpg&hash=4ddef5416284b9999065beaf9906771a25507bd4) (http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/baskwith/a82c25ee.jpg)
-
Wow that blade is incredibly even, and the pointing tip is very nice lit.
-
Nice tutorial!
-
Great tutorial for us newbies gang! Ok, I know these questions have been asked and answered before but here we go:
I understand the Corbin film produces the inner laser core effect - I don't want that.
I understand the pp film and/or a TCSS diffuser and/or sanding helps to disperse the light. I've been told to use a TCSS trans-white thin-walled blade for max brightness with the pp film w/o diffuser or sanding. Which is better pp film or TCSS diffuser or both? I think sanding would just create a mess.
Which process (of the 4 options underlined above) helps with the beloved scrolling effect the most?
Any advice w/b most appreciated.
BTW I may be a newbie but I'm still a Jedi Master.
-
Thanks to Qui-Gon and everyone else for their excellent advice. I just did my very first blades, and I'm very pleased with the results. I bought a 40-inch roll of clear cellophane and hung it with string from the ceiling in my basement. I rolled ~ 2 meters onto a dowel, cut it free, and shoved it onto a new white blade from TCSS. I had to reverse-roll the dowel a little to get the cellophane to "let go" of the dowel, then it slid right out. I trimmed the excess off the bottom and it's ready to use... much more evenly illuminated than the same blade empty.
Thanks, all!
-
Thank you so much for this useful thread. I'm trying this with my blade very soon. =)
-
is on my next blade for sure!
any advice on sanding the inside of the blade?
-
is on my next blade for sure!
any advice on sanding the inside of the blade?
Yup...take your time and be careful to make sure you sand it in an even, steady motion.
-
This helped a lot!
-
If you count them, how many rolls of cellophane do you usually use to get a nice look?
-
Fixed the pics! Finally!