Real Hovering Jedi Training Remote: FINISHED!

Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

The Remote is 6" in diameter; maybe a tad more.

I called this company and as expected they stated there is a magnet within their globes that of course interacts with the stand. So I wonder if opening the resin remote to insert a smaller diameter globe might work out?

of course, it may end up being a $110 experiment in failure!
 
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Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Conscious? Depends.

I was actuall thinking of using the original globe and just adding parts instead of trying to put the magnet in a heavier remote.
Theres also another one with a 5.5 diameter globe which is closer. So by guaging the weight and balance I know it's doable.

Theres another one with an 8" diameter. If I could do a 6" remote I may have more wiggle room in terms of weight.
I also have the resources available to make a 6" globe out of different materials and different thicknesses to get the weight right.

There's no reason it can't work, it just hasn't for the 2 that have tried so far.
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Trent, I wish you the best of luck :thumbsup

With a 3" globe, you're going to need to scale down every part by 50%. Which, as far as I can tell, means sculpting all new parts and then casting them.

But, (here comes the crappy sciency part), I honestly, truly believe, that unless you have a full understanding of magnetics, or are working along with someone who does, we'll never get this to work correctly. At least not with a commercially available unit.

The problem is that the magnets they use in the globe and the base are based on the weight of the globe, the distance between the globe and the base and the IC controller that regulates the field. Any significant change in the weight of the globe (which, adding parts and paint to it, will do) will throw off the field generators calculations. At which point, the circuit will go into overdrive trying to maintain the field and burn iself out - which is what happened to my first base.

In order to get it to work, you'd need all new magnets ands an entirely new circuit designed for the parameters of the remote.

BUT, please feel free to look through my old posts on the subject and maybe you'll see something I didn't. I'd absolutely love to see one of these actually work one day.

-Fred
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

I remember that old thread - you came as close as I think anyone will... wasnt it a matter of making it the exact right weight, even down to the most microscopic measurmeant?
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

i remember the old threas as well, man that was a good read, and EVERYONE was really hoping you could pull it off, maybe one day....
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Well, the thing that got me thinking it was doable was the fact that when I was playing with it at the store, I switched out the globe with the mini cooper that also came with it. It may be exactly the same weight but it felt heavier than the globe. Also, if I was able to make one that was lighter (I'd use the 5.5" version and I think I may have even found a 6" version) than the stock globe, I'd be able to add small amounts of weight to it until it was exact.
Who knows? I know it may be hard but everyone saying it can't be done just makes me want to try harder. :lol
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Someone's gotta figure out a way to make this happen, what a great idea!
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Hecubus114 said:
I remember that old thread - you came as close as I think anyone will... wasnt it a matter of making it the exact right weight, even down to the most microscopic measurmeant?
Click to expand...


I think that was the most important part. And the part I couldn't get to work within the parameters of the training remote's dimensions.

The only feasible thing I can imagine that would even begin to work would to be to use a foam sphere.

You'd need a 6" foam sphere and the original magnet from the globe. Assuming the foam sphere is significantly lighter than the original globe, the additional parts that need to be added might bring the weight back to the weight of the original globe. But I have a feeling the variances in weight can only be fractions of an ounce. Any more than that and the circuitry's calibration is going to be out of whack.

You have to tak into account the weight of the globe, the magnet, the resin parts, glue, paint and anything else.

And that's if you can even paint a foam sphere. If you can't get a flat base to work with, it's going to end up looking like a floating nerf ball.

In all honesty, I think the one and only way to get this to work, is to get a vacuum formed casting of an MR one. But that would mean cutting one in half so you could accurately vac each side (or vac one side twice). If you could vac form one and get sharp details (you'd have to use thin styrene anyway), you'll be saving a lot of weight right from the start. Paint each half (if you use white styrene, that's one less color to paint) and constantly compare it to the weight of the original globe. Once you're close to the goal weight (assuming you're under the weight to begin with), you might be able to increase the weight with BBs or lead shot.

Heck, if someone would sell me two vac formed halves of a training remote, I'd do it myself. I'm almost positive I could get it to work that way.

-Fred
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Call 1World directly - ask them if you will ship a resin remote, will they then be willing to help work out the solution.

Or provide them with the exact weight of a painted, resin remote, and ask them if they have a bas module that may accommodate that weight.
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

PHArchivist said:
Call 1World directly - ask them if you will ship a resin remote, will they then be willing to help work out the solution.

Or provide them with the exact weight of a painted, resin remote, and ask them if they have a bas module that may accommodate that weight.
Click to expand...

I tried this tactic with the company I got my globe from. They just ignored every email I sent them. After 3, I just assumed they weren't interested in making money.

Maybe this place is different...

-Fred
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Yesterday I just picked up the phone and quite easily had a person on the line...
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Well, I could get a very light, very thin plastic globe made that would be just as light or lighter than a foam one. I held the big 8" one and know for a fact I could make a 6" remote that was lighter than this.
 
Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Resurrecting this thread as I have done some more research on it. I separated my globe and added pennies to the inside of it one at a time. I can actually add a fair bit of weight before it becomes unstable. I also found one that is 6" so I'm sure that at least I can make a full sized remote. If I can't use the original sphere, I could make or find a lighter one so that with the addition of the details, i would have some wiggle room to make the weight correct. Anyone have any remote kits available? or a source to find the correct model parts? I just need the rims and tank parts. I'll do the rest in styrene.
 
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Re: Hovering / Floating Globe

Back in July 21, 2005 (Man four years ago)

I contacted a company (their web page no longer exists) to do a custom floating object. I dropped the ball on this. I regret not staying on top of it, because the company appears to be out of business. Or changed identities. I'll called their old number and got a voice mail message so that's a good sign. I'll let you guys know what transpires.

I asked them if they can float a metal battery (aka Graflex tube) :lol. They said it was no problem. They would have to have the object and then they adapt a custom system around the object. If necessary they would adapt the object. I'm going to try to find the company again and see what I pull up. The best bet is to have the object first and then have the engineers adapt around it. I was going to do a Graflex/saber floater that would rotate too, and a seeker remote that would rotate/follow at will by tracking light coming of a Hyperblade.

Bellow is a snippet of an e-mail response from me. They told me a custom sample would be $500.00USD. I didn't have the dinero at the time, and thought there would be no interest in floating hilts and seeker remotes. I regret not staying on top of it now. I didn't have a training remote or the skills to make a good looking one. I was going to get a kit from Frank Cereny (I think) to do a quick and dirty mock up. Then I was actually going to ask PHArchivist if he would help me a slicker one when I got the mecahnics worked out. But I never brought it up. :confused From my research it would help if the training remote was hollow. But thick enough to have some weight and solid enough so it won't break. The engineers would work out the rest to equip it with the right guts/magnets and electronics in the base to make it float. Kinda forgot I was researching this crap four years ago.

Here's their reply to me:

******************************************************************************************************************
Dear Sir,

Sorry for my late response due to the unlimited access to the email during my holiday.

According to the past floating project we did for our client, basically, our client need to provide us the object, and we will rework the object for you.

Besides this, nomally, we need to charge USE500.00 for the sample cost.
*****************************************************************************************************************


My idea was to have the saber hilt or training remote have nothing underneath. That you would attach the base unit to the wall, but the remote or saber would float underneath it.

Here's a cool pic of an example of what they can do: (just imagine the beer bottle is a saber)

http://img18.imageshack.us/my.php?image=floatingbeertn5.jpg
URL%5D
my.php

my.php

I believe the beer bottle is unmodified. In other words just the metal cap is being held by the magnetic "force" in the base unit above the cap.

Don't know why they never made the bottle floater in full production. It would of been more popular than the floating globes I see. :unsure
 
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