Dear Hasbro, Do This!

[Tan Djarka]

A while ago I picked up a Disney Store Yoda saber. Basically an Ultimate FX saber with a clear green plastic blade rather than a clear tube white diffuser and colored LEDs. Anyway, I got it cheap at a thrift shop, so I wasn't too disappointed that the blade didn't work.

Yesterday I took it apart to discover one wire and two LEDs had broken off completely. Since it was unlikely I would get it back together and fully functional, I decided to just yank the plugs on the blade and reassemble the saber as a sound only display piece. That's essentially what I'd done by yanking off the collapsible blade of an older Yoda electronic saber (copyright 2009, pre-Blade Builder).

I removed the LED strip, inner diffuser, and outer green diffuser from the Disney Store saber's blade, leaving a transparent green tube. I attached that to 2009 saber, ending up with something that resembled the FX sabers, but functioned like the basic electronic sabers, only without that stupid collapsible blade.

While it's not as cool functionally as an FX saber and I don't know how much more it would cost in packaging, I think this would be a cool option at the $25-30 price point. If they put out a line of sabers like this, I'd definitely be interested.

 

[JoeG]

Pictures! This post needs pictures! Video would be even better.

 

[Tan Djarka]

Unfortunately I didn't document the build process and I can't upload pics/videos anyway. Just use your imagination (that's still a thing, right?). Picture how the collapsible blades look, only it's a solid piece of plastic instead.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Just making sure I understand, instead of utilizing a collapsible, they should just use a single colored tube illuminated with a single source LED light source?

 

[Tan Djarka]

Yes. While it does provide for an extendable blade, I always felt like the collapsible segmented blade was too much of a compromise. Personally, I'd rather have a single piece fixed or removable blade.

Oh, I was dealing with another shortcoming of the collapsible blade (actually, blades in general with a single light source): the light doesn't really carry well into the blade. But then I remembered to put some cellophane wrap into the blade, and it cleared that right up. You can't do that with a collapsible blade.

 

[Tan Djarka]

The Yoda saber saber features the outer green tube of a Disney store kids FX saber and clear cellophane wrap as detailed above.

The Luke ESB (it's marketed as a Rey saber, but we know better) features a 1 1/8" polycarbonate tube with blue transparent cellophane (in the pic it looks black, but it's actually about the same color as a blue collapsible blade). The tube was originally 36" long, but it just seemed way too long, so I cut it back to 30". I had a Hasbro Black Series FX, which presumably was the same length, but didn't seem so long as I recall.

As they rely on the original LEDs for illumination, obviously they aren't very bright. Even so, I much prefer a solid continuous blade to the segmented extendable versions.

 

[Tan Djarka]

Bump for up dated pic, coming soon...

 

[Tan Djarka]

Here's the blades lit. I've substituted clear cellophane for the blue in the ESB hilt as it was too dim. Also pictured is a TROS Rey saber.

 

[Tan Djarka]

Well, last night I picked up a surprisingly well proportioned Qui Gon Jinn saber at a thrift shop, and did a similar conversion. In fact I've now converted about half a dozen sabers. If you want a cheap but moderately good looking saber, this definitely the way to go. You can source a blade from any of the online vendors or roll your own. I make them with a polycarbonate(?) tube, dollar store cellophane wrap, and a small candy machine container for the rounded tip.

Just a heads up: Five Below is currently selling this type of saber (Luke ROTJ, Mace Windu AOTC, Vader ANH) for $5, but you DO NOT want them. For whatever reason, the colored LEDs have been replaced with anemic white LEDs. I had to swap out the one in the Luke for a comparable green one. The best bet is just wait for one to turn up in a thrift shop.

I know these won't be the best sabers ever, but it might just be something fun fool around with. I'd be interested to see if anyone will try this or already has.

 

[Tan Djarka]

 

[Tan Djarka]

Just to be clear, the first pic above illustrates the use of a "candy machine container" for the tip of the blade. Although, "gum ball machine" might've been clearer. You know... The ones that are at the exits of grocery stores and K-Marts.

 

[Tan Djarka]

Here's the bulk of the sabers I've converted. I guess this is enough for now. Next up is a DIY Graflex style with the innards from a 2005 Anakin electronic saber (with blue to red color change).