I'd started this build back when the Force FX hilt was near-impossible to find at MSRP and the US Flamberge was the only ready-to-ship crossguard design. Figured I'd knock out a PVC crossguard for MegaCon.
Aaand then life hit.
Only a little over a week to go, so knocking this build out while I wait for my replacement Graflex grips to arrive.
Here's where things started. A single piece of 1" conduit running from bottom, through the coupler, through to the emitter end. Didn't want to split the pipe - I wanted at least the main blade to be duel ready. Here the thinner side blades were taken from a cheap knockoff Crossguard saber.
Knock-off Electronics Test [Instagram Video Link]
Testing the KO saber board with a P4 Red main blade and DX RGB side blades with just the red wired.
Have a lit-up selfie
Slowly been making time to detail the hilt. Carving a thick shroud for most of the emitter detailing. A thinner piece of shroud for the handle. Some machined bits for the pommel.
After a fair bit of back and forth, I've sorted out a design that sacrifices some hilt strength to make room for a Hasbro Blade Builder Kylo Ren board and a quick-change 18650 battery. Main blade will be a Tri-Cree Red with Single Cree Red side blades.
Bottom shroud slid off. Bottom window will *just* fit the BladeBuilder board. Darn thing's going to run the full-width of the pipe, so it'll be screwed in place. For anyone else wanting to use the board, I'd steer clear, since the only metal hilts it'll fit into are the larger 1 3/8" ID Force FX hilts. Bit of red bladestock's just to represent the in-pommel detailing I'll be working on later.
Top window will house the 18650 battery holder. No recharge port in this setup, since I want to be able to swap batteries quickly if the saber dies half-way through the day.
I'll be modifiying the design of the hilt with a Covertec thumbscrew that will secure the handle-shroud in place, covering the electronics.
And here's where the build sits now. Machined a few bits to detail up the handle. Going to clean up the emitter shroud and prep some screws and a switch hole. Tri-Cree Red's already wired up. Single Crees arriving Thursday. Hoping to get this thing lit up again over the weekend.