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Author Topic: This will make a fine addition to my collection - Master Cram-Fu build log!  (Read 2063 times)

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Offline Master Cram-Fu

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I finished my first lightsaber in the summer of 2017 and am now suffering from a cripplingly intense desire to keep building more of them. So, here you will find some documentation on the first one and my plans for my next builds, and so on and so forth.


Build 1 - Corem  :sith:
The name "Corem" is loosely derived from some latin words that mean bright death. Corem has an un-named twin. I was inspired by a more sith like design for this build, but had to keep things real since I had never machined anything before.

Demonstration Video: Custom Built Lightsaber Sound Demonstration - YouTube

Image Gallery: This will make a fine addition to my collection. - Album on Imgur

Images from during build: First Lightsaber Build Construction Photos - Album on Imgur

Hilt Specs:
- machined 6061-T6 aluminum through and through
- used 4-40 cap screws to hold the thing together
Electronics Specs:
- uses fixed 950 mah lipo battery with 45 amp discharge capability (remind me to just use some 18650's next time)
- arduino pro micro 16 MHz
- mpu 6050 gyro/accelerometer
- class D amplifier
- basic low pass filter
- 3v to 5v step up for pro micro
- TCSS 2.1mm jack
- TCSS 8 ohm bass speaker
- sound generated from two sin waves and a square wave (nothing new here, but I did get some help from this guy to learn how the timers work in arduino: How to Build the Brightest LED Saber in the World)
Blade Specs:
- back to back neopixel rgbw strips, 144 led/m, white pcb, 120ish leds, 30-32 in
- approximately 20-30 watts (5-6 amps at around 3.7v)
- translucent red polycarbonate (or acrylic, not sure) blade
- jst and xt60 connectors
Planned upgrades:
I originally used an arduino nano and DFplayer mini to play some basic sounds, but that just wasn't enough of an improvement on my master replicas so I decided to upgrade to the pro micro. Unfortunately it is a pain to assemble and repair when anything goes wrong.
- teensy 3.6 based electronics (really fantastic built in audio library with polyphonic audio support)
- crystal chamber!
- smaller gauge wiring (14 gauge is way too thick and doesn't leave room for the crystal chamber I had planned)
- additional shims or loctite or something to prevent the parts from coming loose over time
- acid etching! (my first attempt resulted in a completely dissolved part lol!)
- leather grips? Maybe on one of them.
- easily removable 18650 batteries; possibly get rid of the charging jack for a second button
- easily removable blade with custom connectors
- blade plugs
- make quick disconnect double bladed attachment


Build 2 - Illium [WIP]  :jediblue:
The name comes loosely from a latin word for "point" (noticing my lack of creativity yet?). With a jedi-warrior inspired appearance, this lightsaber will be cast aluminum with brass to emulate electrum accents. The battery holder/heat sink seen in the album above is meant to be twisted without disassembly so the battery can be popped out and replaced quickly.

This was actually my first design, but the machinists at my school sorta laughed when I came in and asked if I could learn how to make it. There are just too many curves and ellipses; even CNC would be a royal pain. So, I built my own 4kW electric furnace to melt and cast metal. The molds are being made by 3D printing it, setting them in plaster/silica sand, melting out the plastic, and pouring the metal in the void.

Demonstration Video: Coming as soon as possible.

Image Gallery: 3D Printed Lightsaber Parts - Album on Imgur

Hilt Specs:
- cast and polished aluminum handle
- cast and polished brass pommel and handguard
- cast and polished copper or bronze battery holder/heat sink
Electronics Specs:
- teensy 3.6
- teensy prop shield
- LG HB6 1500 mah, 30A 18650 battery
- pololu 3v to 5v step up
- TCSS 8 ohm bass speaker
- keyco 18650 battery holder
- will have some sort of magnetic activation
Blade Specs:
- back to back neopixel rgbw strips, 144 led/m, white pcb, 120ish leds, 30-32 in
- approximately 20-30 watts (5-6 amps at around 3.7v)
- translucent white polycarbonate blade
- custom pcb/perf connector
« Last Edit: January 26, 2018, 08:53:59 PM by Master Cram-Fu »

Offline Master Cram-Fu

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Just finished the electronics for the second lightsaber, only to find out that my RGBW strips weren't going to work with the teensy 3.6 because audio interrupts interfere with all of the libraries that currently support RGBW strips... SO! Here's some pics anyway, plus some connectors that I made for the blade.

I'm not sure how well the speaker-in-hilt is going to work but it was fairly loud in plastic, I suspect the resonance will be better in aluminum.

Pololu makes some fantastic and absolutely tiny step up and step down regulators if anyone needs one, I'd recommend checking them out. Pololu - Step-Up Voltage Regulators

Second Saber Teensy Electronics V1 - Album on Imgur

PS, casting is slated for mid march during sprang breaaaak.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2018, 12:43:26 AM by Master Cram-Fu »

Offline Master Cram-Fu

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Casting was a fail! I basically put the 3d printed pla part in a plaster mold, burned it out, and poured the metal in. Turns out, PLA is not so easy to burn out, especially when you have complex shapes with thin portions. Also, my furnace became too hot and started to burn the zinc out of the brass I was melting... it was very messy and smelled terrible.

Next I'm going to try making a permanent mold out of silicone so that I can make wax prototypes, then using the same method with plaster again. The wax should run out easily without having to heat the mold up so much. This will also help prevent mold cracking.

Failed casting pics.

More casting pics.
« Last Edit: April 07, 2018, 03:04:47 PM by Master Cram-Fu »

Offline Master Cram-Fu

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Finally! I had some success casting into silicone molds using pewter. Wax didn't work because it was too fragile to pull out due to the complex shape.

Now, I will attempt to melt the pewter out of a plaster mold (since it gets nice and runny around 300-400 degrees F)... then I can finally cast brass.

Here's pics:
cast pieces:  Imgur: The magic of the Internet
pommel and handguard molds outside:  Imgur: The magic of the Internet
handguard mold inside view:  Imgur: The magic of the Internet
handle/hilt mold inside:  Imgur: The magic of the Internet  (not yet casted)
handle/hilt mold outside:  Imgur: The magic of the Internet  (not yet casted)



Offline Seth Skywalker

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  • That lightsaber... is mine!
Fun watching all this come together. Looking forward to seeing it finished!

Offline Master Cram-Fu

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Thanks dude! Here's some more of the handle, cast in pewter (50% tin, 50% bismuth, so no lead). I cleaned it up best I could, so its not great but I think this is the best I'm gonna get with a crappy FDM print and no vacuum chamber to cast in.

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

 

retrousse