Lightsabers ABLAZE

[nachtinis]

I am undertaking a DIY project to convert my Darth maul sabers to removeable blades using instructions and parts from thecustomsabershop.com.

I will be replaceing the Master Replicas Light source (a strip of LEDs that run the length of the blade) with a Luxeon III LED embedded in the hilt. I am keeping this conversion relatively simple.

So far i have parts on order and have sucessfully and non destructively gutted one of my sabers, ill be makeing vids and pics of the proccess and posting here.

Additionally at that website, there are other tutorials and parts for other conversions such as Mace, Vader, Obi-wan, etc...

[nachtinis]

This is a preliminary set, a more thourough set to follow will come soon.
descriptions are on the images when you follow their links.

[nachtinis]

New pictures and stuffs sometime soon (tonight prolly).

Blades are supposed to arrive today.

BLADES?!?! you ask?

Well For the informed modder, the stock blades that come with the MR sabers are a little over 1" in dia, so they dont fit quite into the exactly 1" lux adapter that is available, so the options are to sand the original blades down or get replacement blades.

The replacement blades arent so bad pricewise so i decided to save my hands and go for that option.

For those who are wondering, here is a list of things you would need if you were going to perform your own conversion.

Conversion kit: contains the new blade holder that fits into your current saber and a mounting peice for you to mount your LED to.
LED: Im using a LuxIII read/orange for my conversion which works well with the MR sound boards.
LED optic lense(collimator) this will focus the LED into a "beam"
Lense holder These fit loosley on the LED itself but tightly hold the lense, lense, LED and lens holder are thusly mounted to the mount in the conversion kit and screwed gently into place.
Thermal paste Put this inbetween your LED and the LED mount
Superglue Im using superglue to hold my lense holder to the LED itself right on its potitioning legs and nowhere else, if you get one of these, you will see 4 "legs" that fit directly into notches on the LED.
Blade/parts The blade can be built in parts or in a whole unit, but the basics of the blade are a diffuser, mirrored tip, and the outer clear tube.
Blade retention Screw This will need to go THROUGH some sturdy part of your saber and INTO your blade, some folks use inset screws that are barely visible and need a special allen wrench to manupulate, while others are happy with a thumbscrew or knurled thumbscrew.
Saber to convert LOL
INstructions These are online and useful.
Drill/Tap you will have to drill a hole and tap it in order to use a blade retention screw, be sure to use a tap and buit that match your screw.
Screwdrivers A computer repair kit should have both the smaller but not tiny flat and phillips head drivers you will need.
Knife There is a plastic tube that is in the battery compartment, you don tneed it but it is often glued in so the knife is used to get in between the plastic and the body, loosen it up enough and it pulls right out, but you will need to be thorough and patient.
Punchkit There are a few pins that hold everything together and they will need to be removed by using force on them but not to brek but to move them out of their positions.
Wires/soldering gun/wirecutters You WILL have to do some minor soldering and wirecutting.

[nachtinis]

Whoops!
The new blades cam in yesterday and they are quite nice.

I cut them down to proper length and began to drill the hole for the tap, i had to go through about 1/2cm of aluminum to get to the blade. I get the hold drilled and proceed to tap the hole.

The tap breaks at the edge of the hole and i have no tools to remove it, so I begin drilling around the tap to try to remove the smallest area areound it possible, generating ALOT of heat in the process, by which i broke 2 more drill bits doing.

So its off to the store to buy more drillbits and having learned my lesson to be more gentle with the tap.

Meanwhile i have a blade stuck in the holder and am back to where i began essentially with a non-removeable blade...lol

At least its only 1 of my 2 conversions i am working on.

[Jaina Solo]

Pictures? I must wants to see pictures! ;D I'm eager to see how the progress has come along!