Custom light saber?

soilman

New Member
I recently found an old camera flash which is like a graflex in many ways, but it is much longer. I would like to make it into a custom light saber like I have seen so many of on the forums. I think I will do a luxeon setup with the super bright led and a white blade with a white light. And I would like to have the regular saber sounds and reactions. I don't need flicker or effects or extra sounds if anyone can give me advice or links to sites where I can find supplies for this project I would appreciate it
 
There are a few options depending on the features you'd like, budget, and now DIY you want to make it.

If all you want is a basic, easy to install sound card, then the Nano Biscotti could be right for you. It's relatively cheap and *tiny*, though it doesn't have some of the features of it's bigger brothers. It allows you to customize your sounds, but can only store one sound font at a time (would need to swap cards or rewrite if you wanted additional sound fonts). It does have flicker (even if you didn't need it), swing, clash, ignition, and retraction. You'd have to resistor the LED since it doesn't have a constant current driver. It also doesn't have an aux button for blaster reflection or force effects.

If you get into the Petit Crouton or Crystal Focus lines you get lots of additional features (constant current LED drivers, ability to work with RGB LEDs, additional sound effects, multiple sound fonts, orientation specific sounds, etc), but it sounds like you don't need those.

On the more DIY route, you can harvest a sound card from a toy saber (ultimate FX line I believe) and reuse that sound card, but that'd be much more of a project than just an off the shelf solution.

Overall, it sounds like the Nano Biscotti would meet your needs. They're available though Erv or on The Custom Saber Shop's site.
 
The Custom Saber Shop

I would look for a graflex conversion kit..

You can also look at the lower entry board below the PC board.. its called the NB (Nano Biscotte)

still a more quality board then you'll get from gutting a toy saber.
 
By all means post pictures of your flash so we could better help you out. If it is indeed a Graflex (with a 4 cell bottom perhaps) the Conversion kit you are looking for can be found on either of these sites...

LED Graflex adapter

or

The Graflex Shop - Blade Socket Adapters

Tutorials can be found on many sites out there..

The Custom Saber Shop Forums - Home

http://www.imperialroyalarms.com/

FX-Sabers.com - Index

These sites are a great resource for the lightsaber enthusiast. Lots to learn there is.
 
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It isn't a graflex but an amiglo it is much longer which I like to make it a two handed saber I will try to post picture
 
Oh wow, that's a nice looking flash. Good find. Looks a lot like a Heiland. It would make a great "******* Sword" style saber. Can't wait to see where you go with this. :cool
 
Thanks I really thought it would make a great saber I was thinking I would add it to my custom Mando I'm planning. I'm going to use lots of white and an all bright white blade would be perfect kinda the opposite of the dark saber.
 
That is one beast of a hilt. Is it all one piece or can it be broken down? It's looks almost like it can, between the clamp and the pommel there looks like a threaded area where an extension was added? hard to tell it is.
It's looks like a D cell to me so you should have more then plenty of room on the inside, You can most definitely turn it into a working lightsaber hilt.
 
I love that removable extra cell case at the bottom. :love That gives it the option of going back and forth from regular to long. I have a bottom like that for my Graflex, makes it a 5 cell flash.

I would track down a 45 degree top in silver and do a long Anakin style hilt. :thumbsup

As for the electronics, the fact that it is a Heiland will make it easy to mod.

Avolow.
 
Wow thanks a lot guys for the encouragement I can't wait for it to arrive in the mail shortly it will be a cool project to do.
 
with the new "nano" board fro plecterlabs it's really easy now.
It works with only one Li-ion cell,no useless functions,just the main sounds,like a real lightsaber.
It's small,quite cheap,and really interesting if you want to make the complete internal structure of you saber.
It can drive to 2A,but seems it's possible to ask him to modify to 3 A
 
the NB is a direct drive type of board.. (ie: no current regulation)..
like some of the other boards plecter offers..

If you are going for (heck any board).. plecter labs makes some really quality products.

Actually if you get 'either' the PC or NB from The Custom Saber Shop you can get 'pre-wired' modules now.. (MWS)..and simply plug-n-play.. all components come with pre-soldered JST connectors.. :)


On a side note.. anyone can use their MHS Builder app (flash based) to mock-up their parts (and coloring) for custom builds:

The Custom Saber Shop Forums - MHS Builder
 
I saw you can get the nano Pre wired for speaker battery led and switch. Then in addition I will need the 2amp speaker. I also saw that the same web site had a speaker that was wired with battery holder is that battery for the speaker only or the whole unit. As far as a switch what does most use for a heiland? Also, is there an led set up for the heiland like I've seen for the graflex? And with such a long hilt should I use the 40" blade or go for a shorter one? I saw one guy on YouTube has a 30" blade and it looked plenty long. Especially with the Long hilt. And what external greeblies do you suggest for a saber. If I can figure it out I'm thinking of leather hand grips one low and one high. Thanks for the input I can't wait to have the flash in hand to begin work on it.
 
the battery holder & speaker 'combo' are for the 'whole board'...

it powers the board...boards powers speakers..etc..etc.

being that your hilt is already long.. I would go t a shorted blade.. 40 is too long for MY tatstes..

usually end up arund 32-36 depending on the hilt..

nost TCSS balde holders take up to around 2 inches of blade in the blade holder.


Id look around at the other conversion kits.. see if there one for the vader MPP/Heiland..

or surf around the TCSS forums.. or FX+sabers forum.. many (many) convesions done.. Im sure you can get some great info!

really the choice is yours.. its your personal saber.. and since you are NOT doing a replica (per se`).. its up to you!..

you can get extra shroud materials.. buttons, switches, accent leds,, bar graphs.. dress it up any way YOU like!..

do yourself a favor.. look through the archives/galleries at both forums. get some inspiration!
 
I'd suggest getting the 40" tube (along with tips) and then trim them to what you want after you've finished the hilt/electronics. I used a hacksaw to gradually trim mine down until I got something my wife liked. I ended up with 30" of exposed blade on each end with a hilt that was a hair under 25".

Here's a random pic (hadn't realized that in most of my shots the ends don't show...) showing the total length. For reference, I'm holding a MR Mace Windu saber right next to her.

 
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