How to Make Lightsabers -- LED & Basic Sink Tube

[VRslashrocks]

Lol 48 years later real lightsaber!!! :D

[DEADICEPICK]

Thanks 4 the help. I need this 4 school.

[NateLawrence1]

One day(or more like 48 years I will get that free led!)

[greytale]

@NateLawrence1 heheheheh

[XEliteArchangelX]

YO!! HEY GUY IN THE VIDEO!! My led thingo died o.O can i just get a free lightsaber :O (no setup needed) o.o

[arielleandresevil]

What kind of charger do you have to buy and whats the name?

[fsfgpowerrangers]

i have question where do you get the plastic tube for the blade 4 cheap pleas answer

[bjalovick]

With a sink tube is it possible to use an AV style switch? Or do I have to use tactile switch?

[greytale]

@bjalovick Surely! As long as it is a latching switch if you're going to go with "no circuit board" (such as in this video here.

Reason being... a latching switch is literally a "hard cut" to one of the power lines. A momentary will do that too, but... you'd have to HOLD IT DOWN to keep the saber on, lol.

In general, tactile switches by nature are usually (usually)... momentary. So you probably do NOT want to use those for this type of simplistic saber build.

--Nova

[ryanumass]

Very inspiring tutorial video. I'm trying to cut down on spending to get all the materials gathered up for my own saber-esque project. Who do you recommend to buy these supplies from, other than customsabershop because i"m not seeing everything I need there such as a 3.6v lithium pack and polycarbonate tubing thicker than 1"

[greytale]

@ryanumass You can get 3.6 / 3.7v Li-Ion cells/packs online... maybe $8 to $20 depending on what you want, etc.

Also... trust me... you will not want poly-c tubing thicker than 1" OD. At least... not much.

[brendan2926]

Nice vid!

[crunchycereal10]

Does it work when it's light out?

[greytale]

@crunchycereal10 That's actually a pretty good question--not many ask it these days... :)

In general, no light of any kind can compete with the sun. It seems obvious when I put it that way, but you'd be surprised how many folks seek to create an LED saber that can be "seen in direct sunlight".

Sadly, it is not possible. It's not a "defeatist" thing... it's just physics and photonics. :) Even road stoplights must be "housed" in circular guards that block the sunlight in order to be seen.

[evilottojr]

Good tutorial. I hope to star building my own lightsabers soon and this tutorial has shown me that it's not all that difficult to do! :) Wish me luck!

P.S. About how much does it cost to build something of this caliber?

[greytale]

@evilottojr You're welcome! Hmm, cost depends on what you use. You could do it for around $50 or less, all depending on several factors, such as LED type and battery type.

[evilottojr]

@greytale Thanks for the quick reply. That price sounds very doable, though what I'm thinking of possibly doing might be a bit more pricey (RGBA LED with rotary switch). I'm hoping at some point in the not-too-distant future to become a sabersmith as a hobby, so if I want to do that I should probably learn to start building these...

Also, does anyone else notice the "How To See Through Clothes" video in the related videos?

[greytale]

@evilottojr Exactly, the RGBA LED (I'm guessing from LEDEngin) is about 4x or 5x more expensive than your "standard" Luxeon III or what not. Rotary switch adds more time and wiring complication + a little cost, and otherwise everything can still be low cost.

I'd still recommend getting parts from thecustomsabershop for your project--especially for the blade holder and heatsink solutions, and even the "blade" itself. :)

[evilottojr]

@greytale I had planned on it. TCSS is a really well set up shop.

[CheeryChub]

where can u get polycarbonate? thanks!

[shadow7945]

also sumone wanna fill me in on where and how u put the LED on the heatsink and where to i put the LED and heat sink at in the sinktube or handle or lightsaber wut ever pleez comment back

[shadow7945]

can u tell me were to get all ov this stuff

[keenja96]

what about a dual bladed saber?

[greytale]

@keenja96 Yup, it's certainly possible... you can see examples of these in other videos.

[tattoodfreeek]

what do you use for the blade??

[greytale]

@tattoodfreeek polycarbonate.

[SandDeath24]

say off the custom saber shop, should the 1.25 inch set and the 1.5 adapter or what. because the hilt I made is 1.5 inch, What should i do. please help

[SandDeath24]

i have a question

i made a lightsaber hilt according to a website called the big yellow box, and it was style 4.

I have like 4 inches of clearance with my home made emitter and like two inches in the emitter before it gets blocked and i wanted to know if i could do this, and if i have enough room and how i would convert my emitter to hold my blade. again i got these plans from Thebigyellowbox. just look it up in google with lightsaber plans included in the search and look at style four.

[Movmaker2009]

hi, i m new to soldering so could u somehow explain it o me how to put all that together or can you recommend another video that shows it being done? i am looking forward for making my own lightsaber and thanks for the video it really helped. good job

[Trickert12]

Hi! I'd like to make one, but i dont know where i can buy some polycarbonate..

[burner5679]

where did u by the tubes

[teamblue333]

hiw can you get it to make the sounds

[greytale]

@teamblue333... you add a sound board into the circuit, such as one from a store-bought / "toy" saber that can be found in stores (generally Hasbro items).

More advanced/custom LED + sound driver boards such as Crystal Focus (plecterlabs) are shown in detail in my other videos.

[corbin580]

@greytale Can you make the sabers different colors?

[greytale]

@corbin580 Sure!

[corbin580]

@greytale thanks

[teamblue333]

so exactly where are the parts and how much is the total amount of money is it

[TheMrSequilhos]

Hey Nova, How can I attach the LED Mount to the Blade holder ??? Thanks

[farazathul]

what is that black thing you first mount to the sink tube?im a girl so i am bad with hardware but im learning.thank you.

[greytale]

@farazathul hi... no problem... it's basically a rubber gasket--mainly made for vehicles! :) Try looking for them in a general hardware store, or more "car-specific" hardware store.

[farazathul]

@greytale hohoho thank you!im so excited to build this! :D

[greytale]

@farazathul You're most welcome. I often feel pretty "honored" (if that is the right word) to be able to inspire anyone out here on Y-tube. :)

Whether to trick, to train, to build, to solder... or simply to entertain--it's a good thing to spark imagination & creation.

--Novastar

[TheMrSequilhos]

Is it possible to do it using a LED Flashlight instead the batery and the LEDS ??? I mean ...if the flashlight fits on the Sink Tube ...

[greytale]

@TheMrSequilhos ... Yes.

However... to a certain extent, the optics with any particular LED flashlight may not be ideal... and (too often) even the LED(s) may not be ideal as well. Mounting the polycarbonate tube ("blade") could become a problem as well.

If you're not concerned with excellent brightness... a basic LED flashlight ~could~ be made to work. I would still recommend a properly-powered Luxeon III, Seoul P4 or LEDEngin setup though.

[messyflame86]

so u can fight with them right?

[greytale]

@messyflame86 ... absolutely. Almost to an extreme. :) Not joking.

Watch my performances such as "Balance of Power" (both episodes) or many of my other videos if you wish to see more about that. :)

--Novastar

[jaybeesworld]

im sorry, i havent read TOO extensively about your channel.

WHERE do you BUY all these parts?

specifically, the batteries, LED lights and lenses?

also, maybe even a location to get the tubing for the blade?

[greytale]

@jaybeesworld & everyone asking this...

PLEASE read "more info" section. THAT is the section to the RIGHT. A ~little~ research goes a long way...

[diphablo4037]

What do you recommend as far as diffusing film goes? Such as transparency, haze, gloss, and refraction?

[greytale]

@diphablo -- polypropylene... (a.k.a. "gift wrap").

[trexrulesworld]

Could you do this with a 4AAA battery pack without using a resistor? PLEASE respond, I am doing this VERY soon. ;) Thanks Nova

[greytale]

Hmm... you might actually be ok using 4AAA without a resistor... because the AAA cells are unlikely to be able to deliver >900mA or >1000mA at a time.

You might simply use a 1ohm or even 0.5 resistor or something like this. Nothing special. Test with both ways to see what happens.

In general, the key is--match the LED's fwd voltage with the battery solution's voltage.

[XFira80X]

mister i bought everything except the li-xion thingy were can i get it?

[XFira80X]

is There red colour for the ligth saber?and at 04:14 wats the diff between max,aver,min li-ion cell?

[greytale]

Yes, red is a color that can be used. It is demonstrated in many of my videos, although not for a "direct drive" at present (in my vids).

Max, Avg. and Min. are simply about the way a battery (in this case, Li-Ion) will lose voltage over a charge cycle.

In this case, it matches quite perfectly with the Luxeon III's forward voltage specifications as well. :)

[XFira80X]

Ok Thx For The Help And im Onlyv 14 ;DD

[greytale]

No worries... age means nothing when it comes to learning new things!

[XFira80X]

Ok If I Need more help i tell u

[j03tv]

Hilarious, but uh... can i get my free LED 48 years in advance? cause by then you might be dead, so i wanna collect!

[greytale]

hahahhahah! HEY!! I'm not THAT old, dang it... :D

When 900 years YOU reach, look as good YOU will not... heheheheehrrhrhhrpm!!

[j03tv]

HAHA, for you have mistaken your dentures, LED you choke on and die.

Can save you, only Chuck Norris can.

LOL

[Studio2bn]

I cannot seem to find any diffused polycarbonate tubes to use as the blades....where have you found them ? All help would be appreciated !!!

[irvinplecter]

yeah, overdrive rules !

well, I'll sue you in 52 years when my $5 luxeon will die of course !

[greytale]

hahahahha! I'm sure EVERYONE will be trying to collect, but I'll have a sign up at my doorstep + doorbell will trigger sound:

"Sorry... we're dead!"

:) hahahah

--Novastar

[stephaniedee41]

does the end screw cap come with a ink tube?

[greytale]

I'm not trying to be harsh, but... this is something you can easily discover by visiting a hardware store of most any kind. Or... just by using logic & doing some easy research.

[tacoonadio]

if moneys no limit what is the best powersource to put in any saber?

[greytale]

The correct one given the space concerns, LED, and "job" the saber will have.

I'm not trying to be harsh, but... this is a very vague and "ineffective" question. Money is ALWAYS a concern, and even more importantly--space. You cannot fit a bloody Lead Acid vehicle battery into a silly little 1.5" OD x 8" (or whatever) tube.

[tacoonadio]

I would assume you would understand a car battery wouldnt fit in the hilt. To be specific i want to make one with an overdriven lux v with a ultrasound 2.5 and i want it to be louder than a master replica. Ive been looking at radio shack since that comment and saw some rc car batteries Ni-MH with 3300mAh and 7.2 volts. They are affordable but does that sound good for my setup?

[greytale]

7.2v would probably be alright. At least you're being more specific. Still... you could probably figure this out for yourself:

7.2v Ni-Mh = ~8v "actual"

Ultrasound needs ~0.5v let's say (IDK4sure)

Loud 4 speaker ~1v let's say (depends on spk)

Lux V definitely needs ~7.2v to get *MAX* lumens

0.5 + 1.0 + 7.2 = 8.7v...

...and this would be at MAXIMUM charge for the batteries. Once under load (and once discharged a bit)... the voltage would drop closer to the rated "7.2v".

[tacoonadio]

appreciate it

[irvinplecter]

I think I know that carpet ! Great video nova, definitly ! Great Sabers ! Direct drive are so handy for practicing and for kids too :-)

[vaath1]

whats the thing that comes out of the light saber?

[greytale]

Light.

[samfisherrules]

I thought it was bananas and crackers that come out of a Lightsaber.

[robodragonsdf1]

!00% gravy

[nailbunny375]

In the really real world Light, which exists in tiny "packets" called photons or in Star Wars 'verse a blade of pure plasma energy suspended in a force containment field that kept individuals from feeling the plasma's heat.

:-D

[greytale]

So... in lamens terms: "Gravy".

Right? :D

[jfreak22496]

so can you buy all of this stuff from tcss

if you can how much will it cost

[greytale]

Yes... most of what you see here you can purchase from TCSS.

As to the cost... you can certainly discover this on your own by visiting the site. Additionally, there are "fancier" parts to buy... or you can go more simplistic. It's up to you.

--Nova

[jfreak22496]

thhanks dude

[DragonKid562]

thanks man

[DragonKid562]

how many colors are there for LED light

[greytale]

Many. It's basically a wide range of the spectrum of visible light, from Royal Blue (deep blue, almost violet from UV wavelengths) to a nice Red.

So, you'd get several blues, cyan, teal, green, white, amber, red-orange and red.

To create "missing" colors--using an RGB LED helps to "mix" the color you're specifically looking for. Such as yellow.

[wowfreak141]

lol meaning its about to explode

[greytale]

heheheh... well... TECHNICALLY, you *could* screw things up and cause some issues.

Any kind of battery cells CAN be "exploded" if you treat them wrong. Not to mention, my charger has 4 settings: 3.6v, 7.2v, 11.1v, and 14.4v...

Set the chargers to 7.2v or higher... and to quote Dr. Emmett Brown: "Yer gonna see some serious shit."

[SaberFreeeek]

Can you tell me the best place online to get luxeon LEDs??

[obiehotcool]

thanks man that is very helpful

[BFCZ8NAP]

can you take out the blade

[greytale]

Yes.

[armagibson]

omg thank you for uploading =D...

Its a verry useful video you spend much time for that. thank you again.

[sniko66]

Can you do a tut on how to make the blade???

[greytale]

Edwin (Eandori) has already made one. It's a bummer you can't make a vid response a response to MORE than one video, heheh.

[Bubbles123295]

so we can use any type of battery?

[greytale]

To a certain extent. For what I show in the video--it's best to have about exactly 3.7v... which a single Li-Ion provides.

However, if you know what you're doing, you can use 4.5v (3 x 1.5v Alkaline) or 3.6v Ni-Mh (3 x 1.2v)... and configure things differently.

In the end--voltage is voltage, and (direct) current is current. Cell type doesn't matter all that much--again... IF YOU KNOW what you're doing... :)

[Zykrozek]

do you have to use a Lux III +

[greytale]

Yes and no.

For what I show... you need an LED which has a forward voltage of around 3.6v. Could be 3.9v fwd voltage... could even be 4v fwd voltage.

If you choose to use a different LED with a different forward voltage--you'd have a different story.

[Bubbles123295]

i just got the luxeon 3 led thing for the light saber but does it need 2 because i saw you use 2????

[greytale]

No, you do not need 2. I only showed two there because I had one hand + it made it easier for me to show the optics going on.

[Zykrozek]

also where can i get (and how much is it)

Polycarbonate tubes and diffusion film?

[Warlordemonslayer]

Can we make our own blades?

[greytale]

You could if you like, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you know what you're doing... otherwise it won't pick up the light well.

[blue3378]

cant you buy a kit of the led weiring kit on the costom saber shop, becouse i am 12 and it is faster for me?

[greytale]

Absolutely! For those who watch my vids, they will note how often I mention TCSS, hehehh.

Without TCSS, creating my sabers would be a lot tougher in that--I'd need to try to "hand build" certain parts (like the blade holder / LED mount + heatsink). So... bravo to you for paying attention and doing a little homework! It goes a long way whenever you're planning a DIY project.

[Justaballer94]

Where do you buy this stuff  and how much does this all cost??? I'm 14 with no job lol

[greytale]

Hi... I mention some of these things in another video regarding basic sabers, and also in my FAQ video. :) Hope it helps!

[greytale]

A resistor is not needed when using Crystal Focus because the board does all the work in terms of providing current to the LED.

All you would need to set (in the configuration file that goes on the SD card) is the current value, which directs CF to feed a certain maximum current to the LED, and no more.

[ReaperofEvil60]

yo man i got a question?...where can you buy the polycarbonate tube...and is it strong enough that i can withstand hits...? thank you

[greytale]

A polycarbonate tube (for the "blade") is very durable, and should withstand all but the most insane hits/strikes.

[ShepherdNeo]

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

Amazing!!!!!

hehe ehe heeeh ehheh...

[trombonewizard6]

ummm i have a question. is the polycarbonate blade very durible? could it be used in a mock fight without breaking?

[greytale]

A polycarbonate tube (for the "blade") is very durable, and should withstand all but the most insane hits/strikes.

[trombonewizard6]

and another thing, every kid at once had that little plastic saber. im tearing the sound and movement system out to put into mine after its made. is that a smart and possible idea?

[greytale]

It is possible. There are tutorials online for disassembly and re-wiring of most of the store-bought sound/light boards out there. Just look for thecustomsabershop ... ... + "dot "you know what.

[trombonewizard6]

wats the exact URL for that tutorial?

[trombonewizard6]

and umm if u buy the polycarbonate from a different shop then how do u get the end to be rounded off or does it come that way?

[mejoe73]

Screw it man!!! If I give you cash will you just build me one? Seriously..

[starjedimaster]

dude where do you buy this plz answer need it.

[azmilan]

oh newer mind polycarbonate blade...i am blind...sry :)

[greytale]

You are not blind... I added that annotation b/c you mentioned it... and I have heard this ? many times from several others. :)

So... THANKS. And oops, sorry I didn't cover the blade material very much. Hell, I didn't really even mention the diffusion material either... d'ohhhh. :D

[azmilan]

you newer say WHATS the "blade" from ....what is it? plz answer i will go crazy

[greytale]

The blade is made from polycarbonate. It's 1" in outer diameter, and can be various thicknesses for the inner wall.

Granted, some people use 3/4" OD blades... some use nylon blades, etc.

Do NOT use acrylic if you do not want it to break. :)

[ravenshield56]

hey can u help me, im 13 and from england.. i dunno if some of those things u have on there are in england, like the lux 3 or anything, also for a blade (a makeshift) bcos i dont wanna buy from america how can i do it? also can u use differant LED's rather than lux 3.. like a lux 5 or something

[tylerc99999]

hi im 12 year old do u no where i can

by a

RED LED lightsaber plz

[LagunaAltis]

Can you use batteries instead of Li-ion?

[greytale]

Li-Ion cells _are_ batteries. :)

[LagunaAltis]

Um... I meant Alkaline Batteries... Like Duracell or sth...

[greytale]

Voltage is voltage is voltage is voltage... and...

Current is current is current is current.

It does not matter what chemistry of battery you choose, as long as you provide the correct voltage and current for your LED.

However, you cannot get "3.6v" or "3.8v" from Alkalines without using a resistor to burn off some current. Or a driver to regulate such current.

[silverelite66]

lol im gonna make my own and i think this is where im gonna start.....

[pabloers]

where do u get the blade? or how is it called?

[Dandura]

48 years, real sabers of course!

[Dandura]

00:07 Unlimited Power!!!lol Novastar...

[greytale]

hahhaha... and unlimited blinding of both my eyes!!!

Totally kidding, I'm fine...

...*BUMPS* into an R2 unit. ;)

[duxfootball11]

im with muffen 18

[TheMuffin18]

Dude, in 48 years we'd better have real freaking lightsabers. Cutting down trees would be sooooo much easier.... And this reminded me I still need to send my CF board to Erv. He's probably wondering where the ef it is.

[SGDEVIL666]

Hi NOVA, sup? another kick ass video. So, could you tell me if the MR board can handle 7.4v (Li.ion 3.7v) or if it works with only one Li-ion 3.7v? I got a MR Vader that uses 3AAA.

SGDEVIL

[SGDEVIL666]

oops I mean 3 AA.

[greytale]

The MR board cannot handle 7.2v--it will fry with that much voltage... :)

The single Li-Ion 3.7v cell should be adequate to run an MR board, as it starts off around 4.2v and averages to 3.7v as it goes. It's enough to run an MR Vader just fine... and it's plenty bright.

[stevegel]

Dude! Your f*cking funny...awesome video!

[SoulRythm]

Whooohooo!! victory is in my grasp! lol but seriously, this is great. :D it's one thing to start something, another to understand what your doing. so with this vid, it makes it much easier to freakin finish my little lightsaber project.

[greytale]

Glad to help Soul! If I'm able to help even one person out, I'm glad.

Remember, a Crystal Focus wiring video will be coming soon too...

All questions welcomed.

[wolfgang7445]

Sounds like a harpsichord at the end

[greytale]

It's actually my re-mix of an OLLLLDDDD video game called "Phantasy Star II" from the Sega Genesis. ;)

[ShadeValryn]

Very informative, thanks for the easy instruction, it's nice to have this basic "making" tutorial in video form finally. Great job!

[ImperialSith]

Nice vid Matt... good starter video for well .. saber noobs...lol ;)

[greytale]

Exactly, this isn't meant to be the complicated video... that one is coming up...

An in-depth Crystal Focus wiring video with every solder shown... coming soon. :)

[ImperialSith]

Thats great... maybe then we will have more saber builders from across the would... :)

[Ram21s]

Great video. It is good to see all that is required for an inexpensive lightsaber.

[GoGoV8504]

free led oh really now lol

[greytale]

Yup. 48 years from now, if you are still using the same LED, I'll replace it with one for free.

Uh... if I'm still ALIVE... :) heheh

[DarthMorbius1977]

Good stuff Nova! Good stuff!

[toryling]

nice. vid.

just a bit dark.

[darthmaniac]

Haha, great flash effects in the beginning =D