How to build a light saber to become a Jedi Knight

With Halloween gone, we may be a tad bit late to the scene. But since we will be talking about the epitome of super-coolness - that is an exalted light saber, I think we might be forgiven for our lack of punctuality. This fascinating project was actually conceived by a creative community & summer camp for children - Parts and Crafts. So, those looking for for an introductory step into the world of electronics (even kids) and those who are looking some fun time with props, this How to Build session may be just for you. Without further ado, let us check out the very basic steps of making a full fledged light saber.

lightsaber

Difficulty Level: Moderately EasyTime required: It varies person to person

Estimated cost: N/A

Resources required:

Tools

PVC cutter, Hacksaw, Drill, Soldering set up (optional)

Materials

For the Hilt (handle) part - 1.25" diameter PVC or larger (with length up to 12 inches), an on/off switch, batteries (up to 4 AA ones).

For the Blade

Opaque polycarbonate tube (with its dia being at least 0.75 inches, but of course lesser than that of the PVC handle, and length ranging up to 2.5 ft), 25 to 35 LEDs (color depends on whether you would like to be Jedi or a Sith), solid wire (22 gauge).

Instructions:

1. The first step is to cut the required length of the PVC pipe with a PVC cutter, for the basic hilt. Now, the length can be according to your preference ranging from 8 inches to 12 inches. And if you want to have that extra bit of Jedi flair, you can always spray paint the handle and even make grips (by cutting inner tubes and wrapping them around the handle).

2. The next step deals with making a slot in the handle for the batteries and on/off switch. For the switch button, the hole has to be big enough to fit the component, while the hole for the battery pack can be drilled at the bottom of the handle. The users can use both PVC cutters and hacksaws for cutting the slits.

3. Next comes the construction of the blade part. We can furnish a polycarbonate tube (which is preferably opaque or at least translucent, for better diffusion of light) into a length of around 2.5 ft. We can use hacksaw for the cutting the component. As for the effect of translucency, we can apply sandpaper over the tubular blade surface, or directly follow the next step.

4. Now, to fix the blade into the hilt, we can wrap layers of duct tape, until the blade gets thick enough to be wedged (inside the handle). This wrapping procedure needs to be done at least 0.25 inches from the bottom part of the blade.

5. The next important step deals with basic electronics, for the 'light' part of the light saber. And for that, we have to make our own LED string. We can start by stripping off the wires (completely). Then we take one such sample and attach the positive side of the LED to the top of the wire (the positive side is the longer one).

Continuing on with this process, we have will have an attachment of LEDs (connected to each other at their tails). Now, we can attach the negative sides of the LEDs for a complete LED string. The top part of the string in turn can be fixed to the blade with an inner crossbar. We can now hang down the string through the blade up till the bottom.

6. The next step deals with the paraphernalia of wires and switch. We have to make sure that the wire lengths are sufficiently long, along with big enough hole-width (on the handle) for the switch. Then we have to solder the wires to the switch and thread through hole. The next part of the step is to attach the blade (with the LED string) on to the handle, while the string can 'poke' through the handle. Finally, all the loads are to be soldered in parallel across the battery pack with the switch in between, and this connected component is to be fixed back into the handle.

Frequently asked question:

1. Can the light saber make the appropriate sound effects?

A. Yes, but for that we have to use a motor and make some alterations to the above connection procedure. You can check the above provided link.

Quick tips:

1. For that desired illuminating effect, one can also wrap tin foil around the blade tip for additional reflectance of the light.

2. For making the blade more opaque, we can continue on with the tape wrapping technique around the tubular surface (as mentioned in step 4).

Things to watch out for:

1. A single short circuit can totally hamper the lighting effect.

2. It's better to use hacksaws than soldering iron to melt through the PVC. That can result in inhalation of toxic fumes.