TOPIC: I modded a SF blade plug

Hey guyssss.

So..
I did a thing … and just wanted to show you so I can hear some of your opinions or thoughts/suggestions/ideas.

I took a SF dual tone blade plug and removed the outer ring with a bench grinder. I used my die grinder with a very rough sanding disc then a small file and sand paper afterwards on the outer edge to try to return it from being out of round. Then I drilled out the center and found an insert for an air line compression fitting that would fit through it and protrude out the top. Afterwards I started winding some wire through the holes. It took about 3 holes before I was able to start getting the windings to match in the remainder of them for wire direction and to become aesthetic and not sloppy. This was a first attempt.
I've blinded myself on several occasions already wanting to look directly at it. I'm not an idiot but I do have my moments lol.

Hope you dig it.

Very nice!

thank you

Very nice indeed

Well, ain't that a beauty!

Congrats mate! Very well executed! The results are beautiful!

First attempt? That's some pretty nice work there Nebosa. Impressive.

thanks a lot guys!

lol and ya, it was a first attempt but I'm a thinker, so I probably did it in my head countless times while conceptualizing the modification before that first attempt

Hi. This looks spaceship awesome. Would you please remove the plug from the Menace so that I can have a better look at the entirety of it. Thanks.

No problem at all. And to make a quick correction I put it in a Mauler not a Menace but that was just for a test. I have other plugs for the mauler that I use made by Shayne at DSE.

But here's what you asked for. The plug removed.


Here it is next to a brass one I'm working on. But ground off the outer ring a little too much and now trying to salvage it from being too far out of round and attempting to bring it back. That's what happens when you rush it. I then found a brass compression fitting insert to use for it. Not sure if the copper wire will look good in it though? Too much shiny, if you know what I mean? It might clash instead of compliment. The plugs are press fit and not glued in place so you're able to pop them out. Some are more difficult to remove than others. A few I was able to remove by hand. The more stubborn ones I used a small punch and light tap of a hammer from the back side to remove it.


Here's one where I only ground down the outer ring and didn't drill out the center. I installed it into my Vigilant for pics and a test shot.

I find I really like and prefer the look when the plug sits inside or flush with the emitter rather than on top of it.

Hi NeBosa,

I have a Disciple waiting to clear customs as I type, and have been wondering if I might be able to modify the blade plug for it. The reason is that I had read the Disciple comes with a simple plug design because of the slanted emitter and the complex designed plugs have a rim that won't fit. I was thinking of looking into creating an "inverted" plug, where the Greeblie is mounted on a disc of polycarbonate with a border around it. The tubing for the plug would then "sit" over the disc and glued onto the rim with the Greeblie inside, then for the slanted emitter I could taper the tubing (rolling off any sharp edges) to fit.

I liken the idea to turning a sock inside out! I would like to hear your opinions about this idea having seen your plug modifications.

Kind regards

For Tyeth

From what I know of the apprentice line, they do come with a bit more a of a basic plug like this.



I've removed the outer ring to a few so here's a before and after. I pretty much made an elite plug into an apprentice plug size to remove the area that acts as a shelf for it to seat itself on the emitter edge.



I'm unsure if I'm fully understanding what you're thinking of doing. But you basically want the plug to appear like it is seated further down the emitter?

So something like this is what you're after, For Tyeth?

Awesome blade plugs. Many thanks for the saber correction, explanations and photos.

Lol,
thanks man and truly no problem at all. Hope I was a help and an inspiration for others to try a few things. I can't take full credit for them though. I'm only doing some slight mods to an already awesome design =)

Hi NeBosa,

I'll try and clarify..

Yes I wanted to seat the Greeblie on a disc then sit the plug tube on top.
I hope this diagram will help, the grey is the polycarbonate tube and disc, the red is the Greeblie. The black lines represent the saber emitter with the plug inserted.




I know the diagram isn't the best sorry I'll work on it for the future.

For Tyeth

EDIT: Yes that's what I meant and I would taper/chamfer the end to match the shape of the emitter! Sorry I'm just getting slow at typing posts!

For Tyeth wrote:
The diagram is perfect! And exactly what I was thinking that you were attempting to describe. But I know how words can be, and pictures always do help clarify.

My personal opinion would believe that angling the polycarbonate near the emitter tip to match the slanted edge may be a bit more difficult than thought and could ruin it pending the materials you use to trim it.

If I may make a suggestion? You can always just cut the plug down to a shorter size? That way it falls into the emitter further down the blade socket and the walls will still give you a similar desired effect.

Like this?

NeBosa You Are a Magician!

I hadn't thought of just cutting the plug so it fitted below the slot that forms the Disciple fork. With your background with engineering I knew I had approached the right guy.

So now my redesign looks something like this,




Many thanks.

For Tyeth

For Tyeth wrote:
HAHAHA. It's funny you say that as a nickname of mine is actually Magic as it is a play on my last name.
Also, I have no background in engineering, lol. Only a background in fine art and design although for the past 6 years I've worked as a heavy equipment mechanic =)

Here are the two size differences I have, For Tyeth so you can see.


However, I think you may be happier with the effect of just installing the plug as is instead of with polycarb around it. As you can see, it still requires a bit of a lip for it to sit on the polycarb otherwise the it will fall right in to the tube.



I think it will take away from the plug if you try that. I've flipped the shorter one upside down which basically achieves the affect you're after and it truly isn't that aesthetic as now you have the polycarbonate as the focus instead of a nicely machined plug which will be hidden way at the bottom.