TOPIC: First Build - Pretty Intimidated by Electronics

I'm designing a double-bladed lightsaber on a 500$ budget. Looking to use 1 single sound board, charging port, a high-bass speaker towards the middle, 2 smaller speakers (1 in each end).

The hilt is going to be perfectly symmetrical, which means 2 switch sections and 4 round openings for electronics:
1 for the switch
1 for the charging port
1 for the micro-USB port for the soundboard
1 for... kill switch? Would that be a suitable location?

I've been reading around a little bit on the forums and it seems some people are saying it's better to use a different kind of LED system than the Saberforge 12w+ LED. Can I get some more information on that?

Also, what about sound boards? Is the Soundboard Champion SaberCore 3.0 from Saberforge the best choice for this, assuming I don't want to go over 100$?

I'd really like to have a wiring diagram done for this before I buy everything; what would be involved in making one of those? Especially where the soundboard is concerned. I have no idea where to start on that or which leads do what, etc.

EDIT: For clarity, plug-and-play isn't compatible with this project as I'm doing a double-bladed build with the electronics in the center of the hilt for balance, and I'll therefore be needing connections for multiple LEDs and speakers. Not only that, but plug-and-play is outside of my price range.

You COULD buy a set of plug and plax electronics if the wiring scares you.

Not sure if you read my OP but plug-and-play isn't compatible with my build, and it's also really expensive.

You've got your switch hole count all wrong.

Has a lot to do with the board you plan on using of course, but at the moment, only the Sabercore 3.0 and Obsidian boards use a USB port for soundboard control. Other boards use an SD card you have to remove. A kill switch (or key or whatever) is typically something you slot into the charge port to cut power.

So just going off of that, you really only need holes period if you're using the Sabercore 3.0. If you went with a different board that had two-button use, you could fill out more, but you'll still have some open holes.


Your speaker count is off too. You can have just one speaker. These boards aren't really designed to power more than that, otherwise you lose out significantly on volume. NEC boards have an option for two speakers, but requires more wiring and a satellite board.


Wiring diagrams are typically specific towards the board you plan on using. That's not something you can just draw up without more information.


Here's a realistic breakdown on a standard double-bladed lightsaber (not two lightsabers with a coupler):

-LED modules x 2 - $50
-Battery - $10
-Soundboard - $40-120
-Switch - $10
-Recharge port - $5
-Chassis - $15

Add that to whatever your hilt costs and that'll give you a materials cost.

to elaborate on the install and issues you'd have with what you proposed:

-- driving two seperate LEDs form the same soundboard is certainly possible, but you'll want some higher drain batteries (10amp) and likely two of them wired in parallel so your run time isn't horrible.
-- multiple speakers won't work well with the single soundboard

Honestly, If I were you, I'd look at doing this install with two separate boards, treating each end of the saber as if they were two separate hilts. the install will be easier and more straightforward.

I actually have built a Mauler staff with a single sound card, it was strategically challenging. To give you idea, I'm running a 10 amp hi drain battery, and I had planned on running 2 speakers, but once you start trying to run wires from 1 end to the next it becomes a pain in the butt crossing over or under speakers etc.. add switches and recharge ports wiring, plus I ran a latching switch on top of that so I could do a manual delayed ignition it fills up and got complicated fast, it was worth it but it would of taken less time to just do 2 cards lol

So how does SaberForge manage to run 3 LED’s on their crossguards?

I've been afraid to look down the barrel of my crossguard, but if I had to guess full power 12w for the main LED and 6w for the sides, its a lot of power to manage for certain. I don't own a hero version so cant say on that.

Side LEDs aren't running full power.

Not sure if SF uses a full 4up in the sides, but they should be resisting the leds.

Do you think they use a 3 way splitter for LED's? or how do they connect the LED's to the Board?
I'm curious cause it'll be interesting to see how they are going to setup the ASP sound kits to work for the new ASP crossguards, it'll have to be a simple Plug-and-Play option.

Khang wrote: I am using the SaberCore 3.0, a latching switch, and a charging port. That's 3 holes, by my count.

Khang wrote: What would be involved in boosting the power output of the board in order to power more speakers?

Khang wrote:
I've been managing a list of parts and costs on this spreadsheet (link below, picture code isn't working for some reason). Overlooking the extra speakers, how does it look?

https://i.imgur.com/OHmMYOd.png

With extra speaker comes additional parts, usually a single sound card can not drive multiple speakers correctly, so you get either awful sound or none, NEC has a little extra board you can buy for their cards that are designed to power and drive the extra speaker, in reality you don't need more than 1 speaker, if you use a hi bass speaker, and place it on 1 side, the resonation down that side of the hilt to the mid point and out of the coupler vents will be plenty loud in my experience.

Vechaljian wrote:
I'm not using a vented coupler, BUT if I decide to use two sound cards then I might change that. My original plan was just to stuff all the electronics into the very center of the hilt, to reduce the stress on them when in use and to maintain perfect 1:1 weight balance between the sides. I honestly might still do this, even with two cards.

Edit: Wouldn't it be possible to make a supplemental circuit to increase the power FROM (not to) the board in its path to the speakers, in order to power more speakers?

Edit2: Assuming I'm using 2 3500mah batteries and 2x soundboards and 2x LEDs and 2x high-bass 2x regular speakers (1 of each for each card) at this point.

haku wrote:
Im confused as to why you would need multiple speakers. The only reason to use different speakers is to have different sound coming from different directions. In lightsaber use, all sound is coming from one source, the hilt. 2 sounds coming from one place are interpreted by the ear as a single complex waveform, which can be reproduced by a single speaker. As for not using a vented coupler, you will need vents to somehwere on the hilt, otherwise you are trying to move the air with the speaker, use the air to move the metal saber, which will then move the air to your ears... you will lose most if not all volume and the quality will be tinny.

If it were me, though i am far from an expert, and i wanted a well balanced dedicated double bladed saber, the internal layout from left to right would be:
LED module + 18650 battery + speaker + soundcard + rumble motor + 18650 battery + LED module
All of this would be contained in a skeletal 3d printed chassis allowing good air movement, and i would cram the batteries and speaker and rumble motor as much as possible to each side to allow the middle to act as an echo chamber, aplifying and deepening the sound. I'd have the soundcard in the middle for accessibility and loosen the LED retention before unscrewing anything, to avoid twisting wires. I'd vent it either in the center or towards the rumble motor. As user Vechaljian pointed out wiring would be a pain, but its a one-time pain and i know for the perfect saber id do it.

I would defiantly vent somewhere, I had a saber along time ago I use a drimel with a very narrow grind disc and made vent along different grooves and notches to hide them, worked fine, but I've found SF smallest vent coupler is pretty nice, and not too noticeable.

Thank you all for your help.

I don't know anything about rumble motors, but I'll look into it.

My revised design will be:
2 LED modules
2 soundcards (SaberCore 3.0)
2 batteries + battery holders
1 switch
1 charging port

Save your self some hassle and plan on two switches and two charge ports. Treat each end of the saber as if they were completely separate.

Jas-Ot wrote: What he said.