Crapazoid FX Sabers at MN State Fair

[OB10]

I was at the Minnesota State Fair yesterday, and was looking at the 5 bluezillion cheapy toy stands. Didn't see much. (Where are the old Spy Cameras from 30 years ago?!) They had the old flashlight with a tube lightsaber knockoff; handle looked vaguely interesting from a distance.

Then, after it got dark, I saw something. Something Unusual. There was a kid with a brightly lit sabery thing, and I noticed that the blade had little slightly brighter spots every inch or so. It wasn't a flashlight with a tube after all. I knew it could only be an LED FX type blade. So I hunted down a cheapy toy stand place, plunked down my 8 bucks and walked away with a neat little bright blue toy. About 5 minutes later I saw a green one and realized that it would be about the perfect size for a Yoda saber. So I bought a greeen one. Then a red one...

They are surprisingly bright for an under 10 dollar little piece of poop. I'm sure that they won't handle much abuse, but I think I need to take them apart and see what could be done with them. At least to get further inspiration if I ever wanna build my own FX the hard way. But they'd be the perfect size to cannibalize for a padawan or Yoda saber.

SO, if you're going to a fair anytime soon, you might wanna look into it. I'm betting that the Oriental Trading Company either carries them or will at some point.

Obi-Bob

 

[wuher da brewer]

Pictures, we need pictures to know what to look for.

 

[OB10]

Your wish is my command. Tragically, I'm at work. Also tragically, the daily 3:00 in the freaking AM thunderstorm we've been having here lately knocked out my power at home, so I don't know when I'll be able to use my home computer. Last time, it was only out for 12 hours, so hopefully by the time I get home, I'll have power again. SO, with any luck, I can post some pics tonight.

Obi-Bob

Woohoo! My answering machine works now. I must have power again! Yay!

 

[OB10]

Okay, what the frak? I'm trying to use Pilot's Free Image Host, find the file, hit upload, dramatic pause, then

Error
This file's type is not allowed.
Back to previous page
I'm using a .jpg. Supposedly, it takes .jpgs. Yet it fails to recognize .jpgs.

Obi-Bob

Oh, yea. I'm home. And have power. Not doing me much good for this, just now.

 

[OB10]

OKAY, I finally got it to upload properly from work. This is sorta what they look like, surprisingly bright!. Just not so pixely. The stubby ones are the crapazoids, the longer better looking ones are MRs. The red crapazoid is so dim becaue the batteries are low, I'm guessing. I haven't tested the batteries, but it seemed to be a demo version.

Not bad for 8 clams each.

Obi-Bob

Thanks, Pilot!

 

[Cenobyte]

Are there any markings on thsese as to a manufacturer or a product name?

 

[Mechamaniac]

Hell, they look good enough for my kids to play with instead of constantly bugging me to let them play with my MR FX sabers.

 

[Hermes]

HEY! Do you think you will find another one? I don´t live in the US, and that would be perfect to give my baby daughter! If you have any news and wish to PM me or e-mail me, go right ahead - my e-mail is hermesiii@gmail.com

Thanks!!

Hermes!

 

[OB10]

Granted, I didn't scour the whole surface to see any names, but I don't think it said anything. I expect it's made in China, but I don't know if it even said that. I'll check when I get home tonight.

I also checked Oriental Trading's website; no dice. Googled a bit for "laser sword" and "toy laser sword," but didn't find anything. Well, there was a couple sites about converting a toy Qui-Gon saber and attaching a certain adult toy... :lol But I didn't see any suppliers of this particular thing.

I don't know if I'll get back to the fair this year; it only goes through Monday. :confused If there was a huge enough demand, I suppose a run could be possible. But I don't know how available they'll be, this far into the fair. Or they might have a huge stockpile somewhere....

Obi-Bob

 

[vader1974]

Cool, Now I have a reason to go the TX State Fair.

Brian

Edit: these look to be available on EBAY and at the following website (requires $50 purchase)

http://www.magiclight.net/english/products.asp?cat=20

Please post any additional information about the construction of the swords.

Is the on/off a switch or button?
Are their any screws holding it together or does it seem to be fused together?
What is the largest diameter on the handle and blade?
What is the length of the handle?

Thanks

 

[Hermes]

If anyone scores a trio of said Sabers, one red, one blue and one green, I´d gladly find a way to get them from you

Thanks!!

Hermes!

 

[jackdoud]

This place has the blue ones for $2USD: http://www.lightuptoys.com/shop/

Here's an Australian site that has the blue ones as well:
http://www.glowproductions.com.au/shop/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=185

 

[prototype7]

Those are much brighter and the light is much more even than I would've suspected! Pretty snazzy for the price!

The one site that requires a 50 minimum order... at 4 dollars a saber that shouldn't be too hard to get an order together.
The other site that has them for 2 says it's a "flashing sword" - - do the ones you bought at the fair flash or are they just solid.

Either way... I definately be into trying to canabalize some of these for some custom sabers.
I'll be interested to see how this goes.

 

[OB10]

Holy poop! Yeah, that Lightuptoys one looks just like it. And a quarter the price! But I don't quite get their discount schedule tho... If you get 1, it's $2, then if you buy up to 35, each one costs .50 more? :lol


Qty Discounts New Price 1
$2.00 1-35
$2.5036-71
$2.2572+
$2.00
And no, the ones I have don't flash... as such. But when you waive them around, the connections and/or power switch kind of... don't connect...... and it sort of flashes on and off. Not quite what I think of when I think of "flashing.":rolleyes But they're pretty slick for the price! Even if they are short and without sound.

I gotta disassemble one of those little suckers and see what they used in the blades to mount the leds between. Might just be piano wire or something.

Obi-Bob

 

[prototype7]

OOOH BOB - can you post some pics of the insides of one if you take it apart??? that would be super helpful!

 

[SFPROPS]

We just came back from the beach. They were all over the place down there. My son wanted one, until I reminded him he had a bigger, more realistic one at home. He got something else. Still, not bad at all for $8 (what they were selling for there too).

 

[OB10]

"The beach".... Which beach is that? Not that it'll be anywhere near me, just curious. Might help out others, tho.

And yeah, I'm planning on putting some pics up once I pop that little sucker open. I'm sure it's not gonna be all that exciting or high tech, but I'm still looking forward to it. It'd be nice if it was this weekend, but I'm not betting on it. We'll see.

Also, I guess another reason they might call this a "flashing" laser sword is that the LED elements do have a little bit of play in the blade, so they do get a little bit brighter and darker when played with.

Obi-Bob

 

[SFPROPS]

"The beach".... Which beach is that? Not that it'll be anywhere near me, just curious. Might help out others, tho.

Sorry. It was Myrtle Beach. Specifically, vendors at "Broadway at the Beach" were selling them. I'm sure they were selling hundreds a night. It seemed as though every other kid had one. They looked to be worth all of $8 as well. The saber effect was almost as good at the FX sabers, but the blade was pretty small and everything was made of cheap plastic.

 

[OB10]

Oh, yeah. Make no mistake. It is a cheap little piece of pooh. And too small. But it's mine! Heh, heh. Yes, it is possible to go down from an MR FX. :lol

Anywho, I finally took it apart and got some pics.

It's kinda interesting. The LEDs seem to be soldered one on top of the other and just slid in this white diffuser which isn't much bigger than the LEDs and leads. There's an LED every inch or so. Then this whole assembly is put in the blade exterior.

Kinda strange. I swapped batteries, and the red remained much dimmer than the blue and green, even using their batteries. So either they're just dimmer LEDs, they draw more power, or they put in too large of a resistor in the circuit.

It sorta reminds me of this other FX saber tutorial: http://www.instructables.com/id/E5T8SENAFMEP286RG7/?ALLSTEPS

Thanks, Wackychimp!

Obi-Bob

Another weirdness. I tried uploading the pics into Pilot's picture host, and it didn't work from home again. "File type not allowed." Riiiight. It worked okay earlier when I used my Smegintosh at work, but somehow apparently a PC jpeg isn't the same as a Mac jpeg. Interesting.....

 

[Reaper57]

DANG IT,
my wife and i were at a small festival last weekend and i saw them at a couple tables but did not pay them much mind.
got one more local festival the last weekend in Sept.
gotta get me a couple.

john :cool