Hi all
In response to several emails, I thought I'd post a bit of a tutorial on how to best insert the blade film into the polycarb tube on the Luxeon based sabers. It's easy to just say "roll it up and slide it in", but I've found certain techniques save time and frustration. Having the film kink while trying to insert it leads to a visable crease that's exagerated when lit. So here it goes...
Cut the polycarb to whatever length you need. Make sure the ends are nice and square. Take the acrylic rounded tips and attach the reflective film on the bottom. The film I use is self adhesive. Just cut it out and stick it on. Make sure it's centered.
Then set the tip onto the end of the tube and get it as centered as you can. Get some Pro Weld made by Ambroid from a hobby store or a model/RC store (or something similar). It's a clear, watery bonding agent. There's a brush applicator attached to the lid. While holding the tip in place. Touch the applicator to the seam where the tube and tip meet. Capillary action will draw it into the seam and bond the two pieces together. Do this all the way around the blade. I prefer to hold the blade horizontally so that if there's any runs, it just goes around the seam rather than down the blade. Press the tip on for about 30 seconds then let it sit for an hour or so to cure. Thin walled blades might require longer cure time since there's not as much surface to surface contact. The new shouldered tips will alleviate this problem to a large degree. More on that later.
In the meantime, you can either make more blades or cut your blade film to length. I like to make the film about an inch shorter than the length of the tube. I'll tell you why in a second. Once you're ready to put the blade film in, take a 1/2" dowel rod about as long as your blade. Roll the blade film around it and try to keep it tight. A little tape here and there helps. Make sure you wash your hands before handling the film too much, as any oils will show up when you light it. Once the blade film is on the dowel rod, insert the rod into the tube. If you used tape, you'll have to remove it as the film is slid into the tube. If it gets about half way and starts to get harder to push in, start twisting the rod to take up the slack. This will cause a spiral in the seam though. Don't worry about it right now. Don't force it..
Once you have the film in the blade, remove the rod and insert your finger into the base of the tube and rotate the film back to where the seam is straight. Slide the film up until it butts up against the bottom of the tip. If you cut the film an inch short like I suggested, you can take a small strip of Scotch tape and secure the bottom of the film to the inside of the tube. You won't see this when the blade is inside the hilt.
I hope this helps.
Corbin Das
Corbin@CorbinsComponents.com
