TOPIC: ASP "Interceptor"

jonnys95s10 wrote:
That's a nice resource; thanks for sharing!
JeffVader wrote:
There's room for the port, but it might be a bit tight for quick connects and enough wire to still be able to pull the battery holder out. I could cut the wires from the board to the LED down to free up some space and access the battery by unscrewing the body from the switch section instead of pulling it out the bottom, but since I plan on getting a Spark 2 for this saber I think I'll wait on installing a recharge port for now.

I do have a spare wired 18650 battery and a bass speaker from TCSS, so I have toyed with the idea of taking the board off the battery holder and do a regular Champion install in another SF hilt.

And speaking of space, here's those measurements I promised:


^Full hilt

^What the electronics roughly look like inside the hilt

^Pommel

^Body

^Switch Section

^Emitter

And that emitter closeup for =Otto= :

Heeey I know that little thumbscrew at the end I got those recently.

Unscrewed the LED, and was surprised to find this:



It looks like it has 3 amber dies and 1 green die (instead of 2 of each).

The newer heatsink module was a pain to get unscrewed (it was so tight I initially thought it was glued), and ended up having to use some pliers for leverage (and took some anodizing off.

Here's what the top portion and the optic looks like. There's two sets of threading in the top part, which looks to be like it is for screwing into thin neck sections (like some TN ASP owners have pointed out), and the tab on the optic prevents it from screwing into that section:

Maybe they wanted 3 Amber with just a bit of green to get the right color. Interesting. I'm just glad the wiring on this one makes sense instead of seeing unsoldered negative pads.

I sent SF an email for clarification (that way OvrcAHst can update his LED die thread) as to whether Phil misspoke in their 12w Color video on YouTube, the die ratio changed, or if I somehow received a unique one.

I could see that they went from 2 ambers and 2 higher resistored greens to 3 amber and 1 lesser resistored green. The blade color definitely matches up with other examples of yellow, but I haven't noticed as much of the "greenish full charge hue" that others have reported. Maybe it was changed in response to that. I did notice that when I shined the LED at a wall the green light wasn't quite as prominent, but since there was a bit of it everywhere (instead of a hard line between the colors like with the old SF optics) I figured the improved optic was doing its job and mixing both colors really well.

In any case I'll have to do a tiny bit of resoldering if I use it with a Spark 2 so I can have 2 die per channel (though it'll probably be a while before anything happens; I may end up waiting to see the Sabercore 3.0's specs when it eventually releases). I'm still very happy with the color (I made sure that was clear in the email).

It's very possible that changes have been made and die ratio's now are permanent (until the next). This was written as a noted disclaimer when the List was created. Official announcements are rarely made or ever seen and like most updates that occur, the collective feedback from Owner reports can hopefully sway that. Let me know if what you received wasn't a Lucky Accident, which also happens. Updating the descriptions for die ratios (in referenced Thread) is easy. To clarify, your email sent to SFCS, was that just specific to Yellow or to the entire range of available colours?

It was just for yellow LED (it wasn't the only thing I asked about it the email, and I didn't want to pile too much on at once).

When I noticed this, my first thought was that if I do use it with a NEC board and split the 4 die evenly across two channels (as is recommended), I wouldn't have a 6w green blade profile, in addition to the 6w amber and 12w combined color ones. So I figured I should ask to see if this is the way it's being done from now on (or for how long it has been this way) in case anyone else was looking into using the SF yellow for this application.

The color is still great; I want to make sure that's clear to anybody reading this in the future.

In other "Jaden's ASP saber News," seeing people receive their saber stands who ordered after I received SF's email saying they were out has me hoping my missing items package is just waiting on the belt clip and then it will be on its way (if it isn't already).

Understood. Makes sense about the portion controlled enquiry. I personally would have Listed everything only because of the exchanges I've had, with an average of 3Days turnaround for each return email, would take a while for all queries to be answered. Good observation. Hadn't thought of it from a rewire perspective. From my limited grasp of it all, if the die ratio for Yellow is now 3Amber/1Green, the second 6W would be Yellow right (in a 6/6/12 setup)? I'm actually interested in a comparison between (former) Yellow, Jaden Korr Yellow and Amber. Yes, just like The Jaden Korr Patented Identity Protection System, regardless of by Lucky Accident or it's the new ratio, it's the JKYellow. Think it'll stick?

Just a learning questions for a noob.

So you can't run 3 die on one channel and 1 on the other? I saw where you said it was not recommended, but I was thinking if an RGBA LED was hooked up, wouldn't it have 1 die per channel. Or are you worried about running 3 die on one channel. Sorry, just trying to learn from your expertise.

HotRod wrote:
I wouldn't call it expertise; just excessive manual reading.

There's no reason you couldn't have just 1 die on a channel, since the "basic" diagram shows a single die LED being used in the circuit. You could have 3 on a channel, but there is an issue of heat if you are running them at full power. Plus I'd want the two single colors to have equal brightness.

On the RGB(A) note, you are correct in that each die would have its own channel, though the Spark 2 only uses C1 and C2 pads for the main blade; C3 and C4 are just for a crossguard setup (and thus the wiring to the Tru Drive is a bit different). The Spark Color 2 and Igniter boards have C3 and C4 available for the main blade. I think all the NEC boards have the same base, and then have different bits added to them, instead of Plector Labs boards where each board's base is completely different.

On the topic of the SF yellow LED, I got Melissa's email a little bit ago:

Didn't say that it was a change or not, but at least we have an answer.

I also wonder if this means the 6w yellow is 1 of each and has the green more heavily resistored and the lime green not as much. Lime green is a (relatively) newer color to the SF lineup, so perhaps if there was a change to the yellow LED it happened when lime was released.

Jaden Korr wrote: An interesting query on the 6W Yellow. I don't have 2cents to contribute constructively though (only a pocket of lint, a button and a gum wrapper) so will follow with interest instead.

So to conclude your SFCS response on the two referenced dye ratio's, JKYellow=3A/1G, not 2A/2G and Lime Green=2A/2G, not 3G/1A?

Roger Roger!

Jaden Korr wrote:
Thank you so much. That makes sense. And I definitely understand what you are saying about the Spark 2 vs Spark Color 2. Thanks for the clarity.

Blade plug update:

Cut a little over half the blade material off so it'll sit flush in the emitter (and now I have some spare material to make another plug with). I also sanded some of the anodizing off to give it some depth and match the hilt a bit better.



It seems that the cast aluminum ASP blade plugs have a thicker (or at least more durable) anodizing layer. A few quick passes with a nail file took the anodizing off of the main hilt when I was taking down some sharp edges, but it took quite a bit of sanding to get any off the plug. I'll also have to take a bit off of the hilt's emitter lip to make the transition a bit smoother.




I will say that after doing these mods I have flipped my stance a bit on the ASP plugs. I initially wasn't a fan; I didn't like the single solid color of them that almost hid their extra level of detail (though I understood why they had to be at this price point), and especially didn't like how much they stuck up past the emitter, which only highlighted their raw castings against the extra machine work of the rest of the hilt.

Though after cutting it down so it sits flush and adding some weathering to highlight the details of the plug, I now like it very much. It adds a bit of (literal) depth to the emitter, and does look like a beam made of super heated plasma restrained within a magnetic field (aka a lightsaber) could come out of it, which is one of my main criteria when selecting a blade plug (and why I only like a couple of the new LazerForge plugs).

So it seems the SF line of blade plugs cover the gamut: you have the flat machined aluminum Elite plugs (whose design is actually inspired by physicist Michio Kaku's thoughts on how a real lightsaber would work) from the main site, the larger cast aluminum (which may require some extra DIY finishing) ASP plugs, and the new intricate laser cut ones from LazerForge.

And on the subject of LazerForge blade plugs, when I sent SF the email about my yellow LED I also asked about whether or not I could request LF plugs with hilts from the main site, since some people had received them with their orders by surprise, and since they were equal in price or even cheaper (depending on the finish) than the Elite ones. I was told that LF products can only be bought from the LF site, and the reason a few hilts had been shipped with them was that there was a shortage of SF plugs at the time.

Nice finish on that blade plug! I also sent an email to CS to find out why I have to order through a different vendor and pay extra shipping for their parts being scattered all over.

That looks amazing Jaden! I might have to work on weathering mine!

I agree with you on the blade plugs. I have that same plug and it looks funky sitting over the top of the emitter. However, it's a great looking blade plug. I'm going to figure out how to cut mine down as well. Things keep looking better and better on that saber of yours!

jonnys95s10 wrote:
For the top most ring, short quick circles on some high grit sand paper followed by some disposable tiny nail file touchups did the trick (work a little bit at a time; you can always take more off but not put some back on!). For the inside it gets a bit trickier, especially if you have fingers like mine. For the bottom layer I ended up ripping off a corner off the sand paper, folding it a bit for strength, then using the tiny nail file to get some leverage shoved it around.
HotRod wrote:
I'd recommend getting a handheld pipe cutter that goes up to at least a 1" diameter, similar to what I got to cut my Graflex 2.0's chassis spacers. I wish I had gotten one that sized, but at the time I was like "when am I going to need one that big?" and stuck to the tiny one. What I had to do for this (as well as the 7/8" plug I got for the Graflex) was to use the dullest hand saw known to man and a yellow plastic miter box, using my free hand to hold the plug still.

Took quite a bit of time (and created a ton of yellow and frosted white dust), and in the end I got better progress without the miter box (the plug kept wanting to spin). I couldn't get the plug snug enough in a vice to keep it from moving without worrying about it shattering, and I'd heard that a dremel cutoff wheel's speed and heat could melt the tube material.

Thank you. Up next is taking the LED retention screw down a bit more (it sticks up enough that I hit it with my hand when handling the saber, causing it to loosen) and shaping it to have better grip. I also need to add a quick connect to the other switch I planned on using (though I'm also looking into some other colored ones at the moment).
=Ottomatix= wrote:
I imagine there's some sort of reason on the business side of things for this. You don't spend the money for another website domain (that also uses a different checkout/money handling company) just because, especially since the new ones sells stuff that goes with what your old one sells.

Perhaps it's the first steps toward a revamped and integrated main site, and adding new things to the old one would just slow it down. Maybe it has to do with separation of (wo)man power and resources. Back in December I asked the custom shop if I could request something done to an ASP part, and was told that since they were located in a different facility than where the ASP stuff was made, it would have to be sent to me first then sent to them. Perhaps Phil sees his laser cutting business branching out far beyond lightsaber accessories, and wants it to stand on its own.

Whatever the case may be, I'm sure a bit of thought went into it and makes the most sense financially for the company as a whole, even if it seems a bit strange and inconvenient to us customers; especially since a few of the LF items (SF logo kill key and Phoenix/Imperial stands) are being sold on the main site. I'm interested in hearing what CS replies to your email with (or are allowed to say).

After I put the saber back together today (after installing the new brass switch), I noticed that when I turned it on the blade was amber at the bottom, but mostly green along the whole blade. Worried something was amiss I checked the LED unit only to find that the optic wasn't entirely level when I put it back together (one end had started threading itself up the upper threading). So FYI: make sure your optics are level when putting the LED back together!

Now for some warranty grey area modifications!

I sanded down anodizing on the emitter lip (so the blade plug flowed a bit better):


I also did some work on the claws so they didn't have such a stark black top when the sides are nice and weathered:


And for the curious, here's the emitter with differing amounts of claws on it:
Plain

Dooku style

Malgus style

TIE Interceptor style


Venom style


Interestingly enough, I feel the more claws I take off (until there's none left) the more "sinister" it becomes. With all of them on it feels like they fill the role of a handguard, while with one it feels like it's supposed to stab someone (especially with the barbed tip).