Taking a break for lightsabers...yeah...

[Silvertiger]

Took a break from working on wheel designs. (I'll talk about that in Design Status Update.) So, I got a new job working at Berry Plastics which is keeping me quite busy. Lots of walking...and stairs. Anyways, while on hiatus I have decided to revisit an old hobby: building a real lightsaber. I worked on a design - well, two designs; one is a revision - on and off between 2002 and 2009; and am fairly sure I have a viable solution for a working device. Aside from that, I've also been making prop sabers with LED's, another hobby of mine.

If anyone here is interested in that kind of stuff, let me know. I'm into mostly hardware and plumbwork sabers right now; so also let me know if you guys have any ideas for new materials I could utilize. So far, my favorite materials are popup drains, chrome tube extensions, pipe adapters, brass push-connect reducer couplings, rubber-lined clamps, SharkBite 3/4" clamps, transmission filter seals, thrust needle bearings, PVC (water pump or closest equivalent), various engine belts (for grips), and of course rubber grommets and o-rings (also for grips and cosmetics). I saw someone on youtube use large black zip ties for grips. I think I might try that at some point.

Attached are some pics of my most recent build.

On a side note, I put in an application for an apprenticeship in plumbing and steamfitting. Don't know if I'll get it or not lol.

[Furcurequs]

Hey Silvertiger,

Interesting looking gadgets. I've been known to fabricate prototype devices from plumbing supplies myself.

You mentioned LEDs. I recently received a few cheap laser diodes from China at about $1 a piece. They are 405 nm purple and are, I think, the same ones used in blue-ray devices.

I've been playing with some and they are really neat. The ones I have don't have a focused beam, so the purple light is spread out enough that it's probably not too dangerous.

The light is of such short wavelength that it is barely inside the visible spectrum which means it is also close enough to ultraviolet that it makes fluorescent materials fluoresce.

I've found that when I shine the purple light into the fluorescent caps of some fluorescent markers that I have, that they will each glow brilliantly in their respective colors. It's really cool to see. Even ordinary white paper fluoresces enough that the color you see when the laser light shines on it is blue rather than the actual purple put out by the diode itself. I found that the white label on the package from China didn't fluoresce, however, and so I use it to see the reflection of the actual laser light.

Anyway, I thought of my glowing marker caps when you mentioned your light saber.

[Zhyyra]

Looks great Silvertiger. You've given me another idea on what to do with a lot of the old brass and ali parts for my many previous non-runners. I'm a turner by trade, and these and spinning tops would be fun.
Of course I would need to take a break from wheel building in order to do that, so I've no intention of doing it just yet.

Anyway, looking good.

[MrTim]

IIRC the original lightsaber grips in the movies were modified flashbulb handles from 1940's/50's cameras. Not sure of the specific models, but some of the SW fan sites might know... ;-)

[Silvertiger]

I tell you what though...plumbwork hilts are NOT cheap. A good build can run you up over $80, to as low as $40. I'd like to sell them but I only know maybe a handful of people who are into that sort of thing. (Actually, I don't REALLY want to sell them. I'd keep them all if I could because each one is unique and looks the way I want it to look.) But I have six builds (I needed something to occupy my time while I was out of work). Any more and I'll need to put up some shelves or get rid of some lol.

Yeah, these days the grips are cast into a mold for the graflex sabers. I did have a thought the other day though: I wonder what it would look like to add little drawer handles as grips; the ones that have a nice curvature and either a bronze or brass or brushed metal finish. I can make the grenade grip out of a ribbed engine belt though; put up some pics of that. Just not too sure about about the drawer handle thing yet. The screws would take up needed space so I would have to give it more thought.

[Silvertiger]

Would anyone be interested in assisting me in building a real lightsaber prototype? As I mentioned, I have the concept down on how to do it. I think I just need some help from someone who is more electronically adept than I lol. And yes, you would get to play with lasers. PM me if you know stuff! :D

P.S.: I drew the circuit diagrams in Multisim back in '09 or '10 when I was at USI, but I lost the original files and don't have Multisim, but I DO still have the diagrams...but I intentionally left off the values of each component and can't remember what they were.

In essence, I know how to make bubbles with gum, but not necessarily the best way to make the gum itself.

[Silvertiger]

Photonic Molecules: The beginning of the light-saber?

Seeing light in a new light: Scientists create never-before-seen form of matter

[agor95]

You read my mind :-)

So What length would you like the light bean to be?
Also do you want the bean too warm coffee or cut and cauterized objects?

Ho; How many AA batteries do you have?

All the Best

[Silvertiger]

Actually I'm not doing it that way at all. Room temp Rydberg photon pairing is decades away imo.

[agor95]

I was thinking anyone in the 'land of the free' will need a buy for a permit for this work and get ready for a visit from the Free Be Investigators.

One can look at using your purple LEDs and split the photos using a crystal into two photon of lower energies that are entangled.

Then use a meta-material thin wire mesh too focus them using their magnetic fields.

All at room temperature.

Of cause you will need to fire radio waves too cause their disassociate at the required length.

P.S. You do not need a permit for science fiction.

Good Luck [watch out for the ones in black] :)

[Silvertiger]

I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it lol. I'm guessing optimistically after I get my schematics done on 6 to 8 months for a successful test build. Could take longer tho...