The PERFECT Obi-Wan TPM Lightsaber

[aoifrost]

This is a BEAUTIFUL piece of work! I was amazed at the craftsmanship...

...then I scrolled down to when you added the luxeon III and my brain exploded. This saber is incredibly clean and perfectly done. I am jealous of your talent!

What type of blade do you have on this saber?

 

[Darth Lars]

It looks like it was well worth waiting for. Very well done!

 

[tripoli]

Stunning work, well done! I definitely would be in for one of they were offered up.

 

[Hez]

You've done a really good job on that one mate. I remember your original post about this, and I've got to say I'm impressed you've followed through on it so well. If I didn't have one that was very nearly as nice, I'd be asking for a price.

 

[Dann]

I always wondered what happened to this project. I remember the old thread and was so excited to see all the details finally addressed. My biggest peeve with all the older ones was the way the three "tines" meet the flare section of the emitter. Looks like you nailed it.

Whole saber looks great, and pretty sweet that you guys figured out how to cram the electronics in there, too.

 

[Saberz]

Thanks for the kind words, Hez. I really appreciate it.

It's tough to align comparison shots perfectly, account for lens distortion differences, etc. But here's my effort to show a VD comparison. I think it makes the case for the Z-Saber pretty well.

 

[motivealloy]

Shoot I'd give up my Larbel for one of those. Frakking amazing work! :cheers

 

[defyitall]

I need some alone time with these pictures. Beautiful, simply beautiful.

Not to delve too far into the secret inner workings but how is the Luxeon driven? Is it a buckpuck type on-off or does it have a driver with ramping or anything? MR? Corbin? UltraSound? Crystal Foucs? Is that a 3/4" or 1" blade? Recharge port goes to Li-ION? NiMH?

But, anyway it works, yes: SELL THEM! I'll gladly toss my Plecter Labs/Luxeon Rebel converted Parks in the river for this.

 

[darthgoat]

Very very well done! Reminds me of the olden days of prop collecting!

 

[acerocket]

I need some alone time with these pictures. Beautiful, simply beautiful.

Not to delve too far into the secret inner workings but how is the Luxeon driven? Is it a buckpuck type on-off or does it have a driver with ramping or anything? MR? Corbin? UltraSound? Crystal Foucs? Is that a 3/4" or 1" blade? Recharge port goes to Li-ION? NiMH?

But, anyway it works, yes: SELL THEM! I'll gladly toss my Plecter Labs/Luxeon Rebel converted Parks in the river for this.

Well I can answer those questions. There was just no room inside for any type of special drivers. There is barely room for a single 17600 li-ion cell. So it carries a .4 ohm resistor to keep the current at 1000ma. The blade is 7/8" od 1/16 wall nylon with a dual wrap of Corbin blade film and 28" of polypropylene wrap to diffuse the LED. To keep the dimensions of the saber as accurate as possible, the blade size needed to be reduced to 7/8".

To answer an earlier question, the washer plug is a removeable piece that is held in place with the red button. It slides out to allow the blade to be inserted. The blade has a seperate ring to fill the gap where the washer plug sits so it looks just like the washer plug is still in place.

 

[defyitall]

Ahh, gotcha. Nice work. Was that why you used the covertec as a activator instead of the red button; which is the "activation switch" in the VD?

 

[Crimsonnaire]

I'm usually public enemy #1 in these threads, but I have to give props where they're due, and I have to say your Obi TPM is THE most accurate I have ever seen; possibly will see.

As I said earlier, it has been almost a decade since people started working on this saber, and you/Erik are the first one(s) nail it in the true sense of the words. Consequently, you should be remembered for it like how JediVic was remembered for his, along with the valves and whatnot. However, I think Vic was also remembered for the first ever to have a saber made from stainless steel. But concerning accuracy, this is irrelevant, and no other saber I've seen topped his Obi TPM in all these years except yours.

You have my sincere congratulations.

I'm sure I'll have a bunch of questions to ask, but for now, the only detail I'm curious about is the 3/8" rod/plate. You say that this is actually a rod that runs down throughout the entire hilt, holding everything together? This is new to me, as I have never come across this in my reference, though I also haven't come across anything of the contrary either.

I had recently flirted with the idea of one day making a definitive Obi TPM, but with the presentation of yours, this has become quite discouraging. :lol

 

[bcstanding]

Very nice work! I'd be tempted to sell my MR EE to get one of these if you did a run of them.

 

[defyitall]

Heck I'd take a non-electric-ified version.

 

[Saberz]

I'm usually public enemy #1 in these threads, but I have to give props where they're due, and I have to say your Obi TPM is THE most accurate I have ever seen; possibly will see.

Consequently, you should be remembered for it like how JediVic was remembered for his ... no other saber I've seen topped his Obi TPM in all these years except yours.

:eek
Wow! Those are some seriously kind words. Vic was definitely a pioneer regarding this saber, and to be put into his league is an honor. Thanks very much for the support.

You say that this is actually a rod that runs down throughout the entire hilt, holding everything together?

That's what I was told. Whether it actually runs throughout the whole thing, I obviously can't verify without being to disassemble the original prop. But it's really irrelevant for my purposes. What I do know for sure is that's what the original prop's emitter face looks like, so that's how we made ours look.

 

[MML]

Wow. That's the second most beautiful thing I've ever seen. :eek

 

[teecrooz]

Very Nice!

I watched the beginning of the design phase and I'm so happy to see the final product. If there is any way to get a closer look at a non electronic final product, I would love to hear about it. :cool

Keep up the good work and I'm looking forward to seeing your future projects.

 

[vader71]

I am impressed! Very sweet saber:cool

 

[jd pilot]

Very nice work sir!

 

[AnubisGuard]

Thanks for the kind words, Hez. I really appreciate it.

It's tough to align comparison shots perfectly, account for lens distortion differences, etc. But here's my effort to show a VD comparison. I think it makes the case for the Z-Saber pretty well.

I hate to get pedantic with such a beautiful piece, but do the grip slots look just a hair too wide in the Z-Saber to anyone else?