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TOPIC: Question regarding crystal chamber operation

Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75585

  • Dagr
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Hey guys... just recieved my new Ares Hero Crystal Reveal. It's certainly a unique saber to say the least!

Anyway, I plan to do a real review after I've had it for a while... however, quick question:

When you open the crystal chamber is there supposed to be a "stop" to how far it opens or is it normal for the entire emitter to just slide off?

Mine seems to just come off... requiring me to use the set screw against the LED to lock it into open. Not terrible... I just want to know if that is how it is designed to work? I was under the assumption that when it wasn't locked you could open it and close it at will without needing a set screw (makes it easier to show off, etc). As it is now you need to use a set screw to properly lock it in either open or closed.

Thanks! Going to take me a while to get a good feel for this guy... it's a beast! Heavier than expected, but I like it. The grenade grip is (thankfully) a LOT smoother and more comfortable than it looks in pictures.

-Dagr
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75592

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I think I have it down now... if I just barely back out the set screw on the chamber and hten turn it, the screw stays in enough to snag when it is fully open and sort of hold it together. It doesn't seem like it was meant to do that, and it's fussy... but it works in a pinch. :) It is very nice though that you can lock it in either open or closed with the set screw. That works perfectly.
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75601

  • KelbornX
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Hmm... Looking at it on the Store page, I believe this is more of the "reveal" kind of crystal chamber, rather than the "exposed" kind. It would be nice if they made you aware of that on the listing. Ones like the Gladiator have a cutout where you can see the crystal inside the saber, while this one you need to remove part of the saber to reveal it.
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Last Edit: 1 month 1 week ago by KelbornX.
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75603

  • Dagr
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Right... and that's cool, I like that... you twist / unscrew and you reveal the crystal. What isn't apparent is that you are really removing the entire emitter during the process... it's not a "slide up" chamber that won't fall off without a set screw.

You are right though... it's hard to tell from descriptions. For me, it's more about getting used to the way it's designed (and making sure it's working as it's supposed to be working).
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75604

  • OvrcAHst
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Dagr wrote:
... it's not a "slide up" chamber that won't fall off without a set screw.
There's every possibility that the design on the CR Ares has changed. I had one back in the day and did a writeup (about 8Months ago on it too). On the underside of the hilt (180 degrees to the guarded switch plate) there should be 3 setscrews: 1 on the emitter shroud, 1 on the neck (for LED) and 1 below that for locking the unscrew/pull-to-open chamber reveal.

The one securing the chamber only (IIRC) needs about a half or full backwards turn and then you physically unscrew counter clockwise the neck of the emitter (under the guard) and then push/pull upwards slightly to reveal. The LED setscrew you don't need to touch. The one in the shroud is longer and has a dual function, holding the shroud and becomes the blade retention too.

As you write, if the entire emitter can be removed, likely a design has changed and will become clearer when you Post your Review on it ;)
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75610

  • Dagr
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Yes, your review was great, thank you! (A big reason I pulled the trigger on the CR Ares).

Hmm.. I have 3 set screws:

1) on the top emitter, seems to be a blade retention only.

2) on the choke, acts as a retention screw for the chamber... removing this allows the entire emitter to pop off. Setting it slightly screwed in causes it to "catch" on the base of the LED and prevent removal. When you remove the emitter, you see that hte LED is screwed directly on to the top of the crystal chamber. There is no LED set screw.

3) There is a set screw below these 3 that I believe is for the LED that is used for the crystal chamber / what holds the crystal chamber in to the chassis (i havn't touched this one).

Interestingly, they included 3 allen wrenches... the normal for the set screws, one for the hex on the switch guard area that is slightly larger, and one for the covertec.

Incidentally, I also got the brass accents (I think it was your review that did that too and I really liked it!).
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75612

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Actually I think I have that wrong.. the bottom set screw seems to be the one that locks the chamber, and the middle one mounts to the LED. I have been undoing the middle one not hte bottom when opening the chamber. That makes more sense... it mounts the emitter on to the led which is screwed on to the top of hte chamber. Lol... oy. It's only 3 screws, not sure why this is so complicated ot me!!!
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75614

  • Dagr
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Ok. Took it all apart and understand better now what's happening. I'll have to post pictures.

The bottom line is there is a small threaded coupler that is what screws the emitter on to the base. When I was opening / unscrewing the chamber, I had somehow unscrewed this coupler from the emitter, not the base.. which lets the entire emitter come right off. You can screw the coupler entirely in to the emitter, and then coupler prevents the emitter from lifting off the chamber. You can also leave a few threads for the bottom to screw into the base. OR... you can just tigthen the emitter to the base with the set screw. It's unclear to me what they wanted to do here (screw in half to the emitter, half to the base, or simply require the locking screw only to lock in the chamber..

Regardless, this design makes sense now, but is very easy to mess up if the threads come unscrewed from that coupler. :-P
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Question regarding crystal chamber operation 1 month 1 week ago #75625

  • Dagr
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So (after analyzing this a lot)... the main problem I have with this design is that when you unscrew the chamber, it's very easy to unscrew the emitter from the coupler vs unscrewing the coupler from the body. Vice versa, when you are tightening, it is easy to tighten the coupler entirely into the emitter, making no thread left to tighten into the body (you can still use a set screw against the teeth of the pillars).

All fairly minor really, and you can work around these... just interesting. If I REALLY was concerned, a bit of locktite or similar on the top portion of the coupler would bind it into the emitter... but then you'd never be able to get the emitter off. ;)
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