Rat-Mod lightsaber primer.

CrazyCraig

Member
I got inspired by the lightsaber threads here to try and make my own. The other threads were helpful in getting an idea of how to actually start making something. At first it was a bit daunting and I had trouble conceptualising how to join parts together. From the examples in this forum I eventually figured out that the easiest way to join unrelated parts was with a threaded rod. So to help others I decided to put up this simple primer.
Its not a step by step guide, but something to highlight how simple it is once you start with the right method. That being the threaded-rod method. With that you can join almost any disparate parts you like into a saber.

This type of build: a rat-mod build, is made up of parts from something old, something new, something borrowed and something true (hand made). This type of build will find you searching though sheds and garages, junk piles, old cupboards, pulling all sorts of objects apart (any tool or machine will do) like a mad-man and visiting the favourite shop in the world - the local hardware store! Though it will be fun.
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After PhotoBucket's money-grab and the loss of 3rd party hosting I had to re-upload the images and re-post.
For me imgbox works best as imgur doesn't allow uploading from Google-drive via Chrome. Also at the time of posting Photobucket still has 3 images up here. I'll change them when needed.
 
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Intended to post this photo first with some of the parts in picture, but I intended to add more photos any way.
Not all the parts used are in this photo but most. The egg-beater in the top left is not exactly the same as the one on the saber but is quite similar. It is there just to show where it came from. Parts missing from the pic are things like 3 nuts, 4 washers, 6 screws (one can be seen), tape (red, green, chrome) and some blue plastic from a scraper tag used on the control-box.

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Took a bunch of similar photos but not from interesting enough angles by the looks of it and forgot to use the zoom. I'll post some of them to give you a better idea of the saber.

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What did I do with the egg-beater you may ask?
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That thing looks sweet. I've been staring too long at "custom" sabers that are little more than a metal tube. All the detail and visual interest is really a breath of fresh air.

-Rog
 
That thing looks sweet. I've been staring too long at "custom" sabers that are little more than a metal tube. All the detail and visual interest is really a breath of fresh air.

-Rog

I agree Rog. That was part of the inspiration for doing it that way. Always liked Obi-Wan style sabers that have a variety of dimentions and elements. Even the commercial ones too often look more like a turned aluminium tube rather than a real-world working tool of a Jedi.
 
The day after I took the above photos I added a d-ring. Got a bit over excited that it was finished and started taking pictures first.
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Before I forget. This sabre wasn't made with the threaded-rod method of the first. I wanted to try a more advanced build by making all the pieces fit individually. Essentially it is an aluminium rod inside a PVC pipe with the other parts pres-fit and screwed onto that.

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The trusty poly-couplet from the first build, but this one a reducer.

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Hey CrazyCraig ! Your posts' 10-12 RPF attachment links are busted. And your last 3 Photobucket images are dead now too. :(

I still get a kick out of your "Eg-baetar O'raang-Joosair" lightsaber. It's a crazy found parts smash-up lightsaber if I ever saw one and it holds its own very well!
 
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Hey @CrazyCraig ! Your posts' 10-12 RPF attachment links are busted. And your last 3 Photobucket images are dead now too. :(

I still get a kick out of your "Eg-baetar O'raang-Joosair" lightsaber. It's a crazy found parts smash-up lightsaber if I ever saw one and it holds its own very well!
Thanks Ridire. Not sure yet what's going on with the Faubi Wan pics. Replaced the Photobucket D-ring pic and its up but the others are still missing. Go into edit the post and the images are in the edit! Two other of the photos are still up in other threads like this one I'll try again.

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What a fun hilt! Very unique. Really liked the all those greebles and the emitter. Very unique indeed! Congrats
Thanks dlambert, enjoyed making them.
 
Notice for people who might switch to imgbox; it looks like the problem with the broken links might be due to me switching from clicking on OK in the RPF image-link box to using the Enter key instead. I remember after linking the first Old Republic style sabre pics I switched to Enter due to laziness and it being after midnight at the time and the need to go to bed.
 
I decided to make another with similar parts to the Faubi-Wan sabre. This, the Sithulation, has a female poly-connector instead of male, another hosetail fitting, a different style of door-nob and the larger diameter aluminium tube in common with Faubi. I wanted to use similar parts and manufacture style to see how different they could be.

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Here is a photo of the sabre in parts while making.
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In the image you can see that the female poly-connector is joined to a garden-hose connector (yellow part). The second yellow part is actually the cap (whistle part) of a kettle, that is held in place by screwing the hose-connector to a PVC pipe connector (white part). Those parts are joined to the upper half of the sabre (alu tube) via the aluminium rings on the body with a tight press-fit.
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This photo shows what inspired the emitter spout, a brass dome-washer and a piece of pipe. Instead of using the washer I decided to make a similar looking part. One of the reasons I started making these things was to learn how to use my father's hobby mini-lathe. So I discovered that the 30/40 year-old thing still works and used it. The turned emitter spout ended up looking a lot like the washer setup and worked well. Also turned the aluminium joining-rings to connect the body parts instead of using the PVC tube and screws of the Faubi-Wan.
 
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Hey CrazyCraig ! I really love some of the parts you're finding. This one's Female Poly-Connector is the best one yet!

Too bad that this one isn't smaller....
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... the built-in, fold-out 'D-Rings' are an AWESOME idea!!!
 
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Hey @CrazyCraig ! I really love some of the parts you're finding. This one's Female Poly-Connector is the best one yet!

Too bad that this one isn't smaller....


... the built-in, fold-out 'D-Rings' are an AWESOME idea!!!
That's a useful one Ridire Firedan! It looks about six inches long by your photo. By the size it would be for rural or commercial use as we'd say down here. I did do a little checking online after making these things and found some of that larger size. The ones I've used should be classified as domestic I'd guess, so they're smaller. Mine come from the local Bunnings Warehouse shop. I haven't even investigated any local plumbing supplies or commercial stuff yet - too busy making sabres! The ones I've used are Philmac 20s (by the stamp 20mm) if you want to do some finger searching online.
 
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