[Some upgrade - 15/10/2009 ]
now the lab is fully operational again... I though it was time to upgrade that one a bit. The FACTS convention is always a good excuse to bring something new.
I hear you guys... it's like "what ? You st00pid touching UP AGAIN a Master Yoda hilt ???". Whoooopppss ;D
First point : the batteries. I know yoda has to provide a system allowing the user to remove the batteries but I got tired of inserting a piece of paper on the back spring of the batt holder to prevent the batteries from depleting and I'm not a big fan of removing batteries. I though about adding a recharge port hidden inside without modifying the existing battery setup and finally decided to make a battery pack and completely remove the holder. The 2 ultrafire (16340) were then assembled as a pack.
then, once you get a battery pack you need a recharge port. I didn't want to touch the pommel, drill a hole in the back of it.
Using this time a 1.3 mm recharge port hidden in the hole of the headless screw that was retaining the 3 pommel parts.
First of all, some machining was required for the port and the wires.
Since the headless screw is gone, I needed another one to retain the pommel parts. I used a smaller, black M3 one. Well actually, I have one (you can't see) securing the batt pack, the pommel center part and the cube ring, then another one (black) securing the rounded top to the cube ring.
Then I made a simple adapter for my 2.1mm plug
Then time for a little killkey made of a piece of plastic (an airsoft barrel cleaning rod I think), I decorated the top of it with the dome of a bullet shaped red LED and some epoxy.
Another problematic point was accessing the tangible crystal chamber without the risk of having the pommel falling apart since when you remove the covertec, the sleeve and the pommel come loose.
Hence : a thin piece of thermal tape on the pommel area that goes in the hilt so that it's partially stuck and won't go away by itself. Second, I JBWELDed the screw and the spacer in the covertec so that it's like a thumb screw. Now demonstrating the crystal chamber is as easy as removing the covertec and you're done.
Show time. I also wanted to have a nice emitter plug. Since you want the light to shine thru, I couldn't get an accurate look. Well, if you look carefully you'll see this is a TPM saber... with an AOTC cube ring (I do have the TMP part too). I wanted this UFO to be something in between ep I and II even if it's not accurate.
For the blade emitter I used a piece of the diffusing rod that went with the light umbrella I got off ebay. Then I machined little part and epoxied the rod inside. Simple but it looks good IMO.
now that's a saber I'm not afraid to show / demonstrate etc !
~from Chewbacca