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Author Topic: Lighting Quartz CCs  (Read 2509 times)

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Offline scott

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Lighting Quartz CCs
« on: January 18, 2020, 05:45:32 PM »
Apologies if this has been addressed recently but not finding a ton on the forums around lighting quartz crystals. Web searches are trash as you get pages of healing crystal posts. I have done lots of CCs with the TCSS rgb crystals and most look good. I just gutted my TGS ANH in hilt led/prism...it was my second build over a year ago...doing it better with neo and CFX. I also wanted to do a quartz crystal so I picked up a bag online for a few bucks. Testing lighting it with a 5mm rgb and not loving the results. I dulled the exterior to trap more light. I don’t think it would make sense to try to bore out a spot to get the 5mm I to the crystal. Just looking for thoughts. I ordered some fiber optic to try out, but not sure what the tiny metal tubes Yoda uses to get them into his crystals is. Any tips that have worked for you would be appreciated! I will post a pic of my latest test, although it’s showing up way better I’m the picture than In person.  One thought was to but the fiber against, or inside the cap on the led and run it up into a small hole in the crystal to have some light emanating from within the crystal.

6-CD487-C1-787-B-4-AA3-B5-E5-11-F0-D9-EE4-B72 ? imgbb.com
C002044-D-3-D40-4974-9821-FB3-E8-C845-CBD ? imgbb.com

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2020, 10:15:19 AM »
Okay,so, having had a look at your pictures, the "problem" there is that you've just got a really too well polished crystal, more than anything. It's okay, but it doesn't look that interesting. or natural.

One of my tried and tested go-tos to make a chunk of quartz look more interesting is frying a crystal, aka cracking it by thermal shock, as detailed in this thread from a while back: Just how do you go about "cracking" a crystal, anyway? it produces plenty of nice internal cracks and fractures within the quartz that diffuse light very nicely.

Something I've found that works nicely is sanding the rear facing facets of your crystal down with some wet and dry sandpaper, and polishing the front facing facets. That way, when you light it, the front facets shine crystal clear, and the rear facets glow because they're diffused.

And if that fails, you can shape quartz by roughing it up with a dremmel-type tool and a diamond coated wheel.

Better late than never.

Offline scott

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2020, 06:16:18 PM »
Thanks man...read through that entire experiment thread and disk hear of any exploded or even cracked crystals. I am going to give it a shot tomorrow.!

Offline jbkuma

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2020, 09:46:23 PM »
Wear breathing protection when cutting or sanding. Working wet can help reduce dust.

Offline Onli-Won Kanomi

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2020, 02:50:58 AM »


Something I've found that works nicely is sanding the rear facing facets of your crystal down with some wet and dry sandpaper, and polishing the front facing facets. That way, when you light it, the front facets shine crystal clear, and the rear facets glow because they're diffused.

And if that fails, you can shape quartz by roughing it up with a dremmel-type tool and a diamond coated wheel.


That is also the method I found for using large faceted gemstones instead of the more usual quartz. It 'ruins' them as 'gems' of course but fine for cheap synthetic gems from EvilBay eh? And kinda necessary with those since they are meant for cheap 'costume' jewelry so mostly VS or higher clarity which doesnt light up well in crystal chambers unless you rough up/ruin the back (side you wouldnt see, depending on chamber design). Sanding is ok with 'softer' stones but be aware that for large rubies and the many beautiful saber coloured sapphires (both corundum @ Mohs hardness 9) you will have to use diamond abrasives, care and a bit of Jedi patience. Using the more typical quartz point crystals in saber crystal chambers is indeed much easier and generally more practical.

Oh and yes indeed always use breathing and eye protection; crystal shard is a nice name for a soundboard lol but not something you want in an eye or lung eh?
« Last Edit: January 20, 2020, 03:03:53 AM by Onli-Won Kanomi »
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Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2020, 04:36:10 AM »
Wear breathing protection when cutting or sanding. Working wet can help reduce dust.

I would say this can't be overstated, but I failed to state it in my post, so...

Hey, Scott? Wear breathing and eye protection if you're going to try this. And keep your quartz wet. Watch a few youtube videos on shaping quartz, they'll explain things a lot better than I can.
Better late than never.

Offline scott

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2020, 07:26:34 AM »
Appreciate all of the guidance. I did a little bit of shaping, and always have eye pro on, but didn’t think about the mask...will for sure do that going forward!  Hopefully spending a few minutes on one stone didn’t do too much damage  :rolleyes: !

Offline scott

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2020, 06:03:50 PM »
So I dropped the quartz in boiling water for a bit and quickly transferred to ice water...the resulting illumination is much better, and the crystal is still fully intact. Didn’t quite get the inclusions that I was hoping for, but I am happy enough with the result to not push my luck further.  Thanks for the advice, and for the safety tips!  The second shot is with my bench lights off, and looks better than it does in person.  Certainly willing to trade a bit of brightness for a legit looking crystal...first of many so will continue to research what has worked for others and try lots more...retrofitting my star killer is next!

https://i.imgur.com/UvMQLhx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TefPM8z.jpg

Offline scott

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2020, 06:08:43 PM »
Almost forgot...I drilled (with respirator this time) about 1/8” 1mm diameter hole in the base of the crystal and the rgb led to run the light into the crystal, and fit a1mm fiber optic into the two holes. It looks marginally better with, than without. Again, first time, so will improve from here. You can see the fiber optic in the first pic above.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2020, 04:08:20 AM »
So I dropped the quartz in boiling water for a bit and quickly transferred to ice water...the resulting illumination is much better, and the crystal is still fully intact. Didn’t quite get the inclusions that I was hoping for, but I am happy enough with the result to not push my luck further.  Thanks for the advice, and for the safety tips!  The second shot is with my bench lights off, and looks better than it does in person.  Certainly willing to trade a bit of brightness for a legit looking crystal...first of many so will continue to research what has worked for others and try lots more...retrofitting my star killer is next!

http://i.imgur.com/UvMQLhx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TefPM8z.jpg

Good job, man.  :smiley: I found that cooking the crystal in an oven rather than boiling water had better results, but your mileage may vary. Still, first of many, you'll have plenty of tries to refine your technique.
Better late than never.

Offline scott

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2020, 09:44:49 AM »
Thanks!  How long and at what temp do you bake yours?

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2020, 09:49:28 AM »
As high as my oven goes (Gas mark 9, 245C/475F) for about 20 minutes.

Blanch in ice water.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on a bed of shaped brass and LEDs  :wink:
Better late than never.

Offline scott

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2020, 02:53:06 PM »
Wow...I will try that next time...I only did a few minutes in the boiling water. I am liking the results more and more. Think the clarity looks cool, and the few cracks that popped up are definitely catching and reflecting the light!

Thanks again!

Offline jbkuma

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2020, 07:40:16 PM »
As high as my oven goes (Gas mark 9, 245C/475F) for about 20 minutes.

Blanch in ice water.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on a bed of shaped brass and LEDs  :wink:
Garnish with a bit of aluminum filings!

Offline scott

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Re: Lighting Quartz CCs
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2020, 06:41:09 PM »
Sharing the final result...I am sure I will find lots of ways to make it better...primarily from the creativity of the community!  This was a tear down and rebuild of my second saber over a year ago (scary, but around 20 builds ago!), TGS replica with a goth chassis. Swapped resin crystal for quartz and added some detail. Also switched from clamp act/aux to slide and red button switches (used Khal’s slide switch.)  the chassis is fully removable and operational on its own.  When I initially did it, I was happy that it turned on...found that with the switches in the clamp, the TGS clamp wouldn’t really lock things in without messing with the switches. Now it really locks down solid. Video of the CC below...criticism welcomed.

January 23, 2020 - YouTube

 

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