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TOPIC: Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice

Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 3 days ago #88407

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I know how you feel.
As soon as I revealed the finished product to my family, they were actually surprised at how good it turned out.
I’m actually adding a different color to mine this week, best wishes for the both of us!
:cheer:
You can not hold me to the Jedi’s rules....
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 2 days ago #88446

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Ladies and gentlemen, my package has shipped! Ahhh I'm so excited! I spent all day cleaning up and getting the spare bed in my room ready to move so that I can put in a worktable, and I'll be ordering the second parts batch as soon as that blasted pommel comes in. That way, I can take inventory to ensure all the electronics are there; get the hilt all threaded, shattered and ready to rumble; and build that sucker, maybe even before the end of that modding contest!

EDIT: Or I'll pick out a slightly different pommel that matches the Apprentice' ergonomics better. I'm just so tired of waiting on it!


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Last Edit: 1 month 2 days ago by Eddlyss64.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 2 days ago #88449

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Hello Master Eddlyss,

Great to hear you are making progress. That was quite a haul of supplies and parts you got in the other day.
I am still waiting on news about a new chassis being built for my SSQy but in the meantime I have been getting in bits of wire etc all the sundry parts that I'll need. Only one BIG problem....I've already started dreaming about my next builds I could do and I haven't even done my first!

This hobby should come with medical warnings! AnywayI shall keep my eyes on your project..

For Tyeth
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 2 days ago #88451

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Hello Master Tyeth,

That was actually the middle batch of parts, with the essentials! The next batch will have considerably more parts, all the smaller bits and what have you. Then the final purchase will be the blade and blade plug.

I agree, it's only too tempting to think about the next big project. I already know my next project, a custom install Xiphos with that tricky SWTOR Yellow I've been seeking! However, as of yet I have not made any lists or plans regarding future projects so that I can spend less time dreaming and more time doing!


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Last Edit: 1 month 2 days ago by Eddlyss64.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 22 hours ago #88630

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Houston, we have parts!



I took some friendly advice and ordered the most important parts (and most expensive) parts first, so that I can spend less money overall on the next batch. Here is the Pico Crumble v2 Dark, the BBW LED with accompanying lens, thermal tape and heatsink, and the red momentary switch that I'll be using, which I hope will offer a nice contrast to the blue blade.

I am now organizing my notes on the next batch of parts, which I plan to order either next week or the week after, depending on if the 28mm speaker and MPS Pommel 8 get restocked...


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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 22 hours ago #88631

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You’re getting so close!!!
Can’t wait to see how it goes :woohoo:
You can not hold me to the Jedi’s rules....
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 21 hours ago #88647

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I got some 1/4" and 1/8" Heatshrink on my last trip to Menards. Will I be able to use the 1/8" instead of 1/16" for solder joints? I'll probably use the 1/4" for a larger 'single band' to wrap around all the wires like Shameem does.


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Last Edit: 1 month 21 hours ago by Eddlyss64.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 16 hours ago #88666

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You'll probably want 1/16" heat shrink for 28-gauge wire. I use that on 26-gauge wire, 1/8" can just barely work on wire that thin in a pinch.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 1 month 4 hours ago #88707

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scifidude79 wrote:
You'll probably want 1/16" heat shrink for 28-gauge wire. I use that on 26-gauge wire, 1/8" can just barely work on wire that thin in a pinch.

Okay, thanks. Thankfully, my next TCSS order is below $100 as of now, so another dollar or two worth of heatshrink won't break the bank.


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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 3 weeks 6 days ago #88976

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So this question is more about outer aesthetic, but I have to ask. Should I get a normal V4 blade or a Blue Day Blade? No rush since I'll be buying the blade and blade plug as the last batch of parts from SF's Etsy site, but I was wondering if anyone had any preferences.


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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 3 weeks 21 hours ago #89269

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Update on parts and other things. I plan to order the next batch of parts tomorrow or Monday. I'm not in any particular rush, but it would be nice to get the project finished by May the Fourth. That's my deadline.

In other news, I'm drawing up a diagram of how everything is going to fit inside the hilt. The switch doesn't actually fit into the recessed hole on the hilt, so I think I'll need to file it down somehow. Damn, wish I'd grabbed a round file while I was in town..

As of now, the following procedures will occur:

1: Purchase Batch 2 of parts
2: Prepare hilt by drilling LED Retention hole and widening switch port
3: Modify hilt with shattered weathering
4: Purchase Batch 3 (Blade and Plug)
5: Install hilt


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Last Edit: 3 weeks 20 hours ago by Eddlyss64.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 3 weeks 19 hours ago #89285

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Anyone know where I can order a 2w 28mm High Bass Speaker? TCSS is still sold out.


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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 3 weeks 18 hours ago #89289

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Well, you can order a speaker from SaberForge. Or, Amazon or Ebay. I’ll let you search those places yourself. I got a few 28mm “premium” (flat) speakers on Amazon recently.

If you’re trying to put a 12mm AV switch into a guarded switch hole, no it won’t work without opening the hole a bit. It’s something I have yet to try, but I know people who have done it.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 3 weeks 18 hours ago #89292

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scifidude79 wrote:
Well, you can order a speaker from SaberForge. Or, Amazon or Ebay. I’ll let you search those places yourself. I got a few 28mm “premium” (flat) speakers on Amazon recently.

If you’re trying to put a 12mm AV switch into a guarded switch hole, no it won’t work without opening the hole a bit. It’s something I have yet to try, but I know people who have done it.

Rats, guess I'm not gonna get away with making just one more purchase, unless I buy everything I need from SF's mainsite now and cross my fingers that it gets here in good order. I want to buy my blade and plug off of their Etsy site to save time, but I'm not gonna buy a speaker from one site and everything else from another. Man, do I miss our local RadioShack...


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Last Edit: 3 weeks 18 hours ago by Eddlyss64.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 2 weeks 6 days ago #89355

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Second batch of parts ordered just now. Unfortunately, the MPS Pommel 4 that I wanted sold out today, before I could order my parts, so I ultimately ended up going with Pommel 5. Not a big loss, but a little disappointing. Oh, well.

I'll be updating this later with what I believe is my wiring scheme, and critiques will be welcome if I write certain things down incorrectly.


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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 2 weeks 6 days ago #89359

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Question on wiring the LED star. Which negative solder pad corresponds to which LED? Is it the pad to the immediate left of the LED diode?

EDIT: Also, I ordered an 82ohm resistor for my lit AV switch. Where on the switch wiring am I going to solder that in?


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Last Edit: 2 weeks 6 days ago by Eddlyss64.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 2 weeks 6 days ago #89360

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The pads for each diode are the ones right next to them. So, the positive is to the left of the LED, the negative is to the right.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 2 weeks 6 days ago #89361

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scifidude79 wrote:
The pads for each diode are the ones right next to them. So, the positive is to the left of the LED, the negative is to the right.

Gotcha. So if I'm looking down on the star at one of the LEDs, then a diode's negative is on the left, and its positive is on the right.

How about that switch resistor? Am I going to want to wire both blue negatives to a single board pad and wire the switch LED to the remaining pad, or should I do something else?


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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 2 weeks 6 days ago #89372

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I don’t do lighted switches, so I have no idea.
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Overhauling my Ultrasabers Apprentice 2 weeks 6 days ago #89376

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Okay, thanks for your help.

I'm looking to have it so that the LED on the switch is illuminated while the saber is 'awake' as well as while the saber is ignited, of course. Any help would be appreciated.


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