Custom Christmas LightSaber Build

This projects Started out with a Special request from my Son JediEvan. He started out like most kids getting ready for Christmas with a "List"

Over the years this devoted Jedi has had many store bought LightSabers. But it was time for him to have Custom only for him LightSaber any Jedi would be proud of.

The Design

He Made a list of what it took to make a LightSaber so I went to work.

The Goals were as follows:

1. My own Design

2. Solid Construction

3. Sound

4. Light.

The raw material

I choose Aluminum Bar stock because I had in the shop and it turns easily. In hindsight tube with the proper wall thickness would have been better but this material worked well.

Turning

After making a drawing and cutting some material to Approximate size I began the process by rough turning the various parts. My goal was to bore a hole through the material to accommodate the electronics for sound and the LED to make the light saber come alive. This part of the build was not an exact process. Being my first light Saber it was a on the fly design build process.

After get the part on the lathe I just started turning and cam up with a Knurled Hilt design with smooth spaces in between. It started to look like something. Some ID and OD work allowed the parts to be easily joined together and Finally Internal and external threading on the Bottom of the hilt and the pommel to allow for battery changing or charging

Once all the parts were machined I started the Hilt Assembly. Holes were drilled and tapped to allow the sections to be joined together any rough spots inside the parts were honed and polished.

All the parts were put together and fitted up ready for the internal electronic to be mounted. I made two LightSabers. Because you duel with just one and Jedi Evan best friend Jedi Bryan needed one too.

being new the LightSaber building world I looked to the internet for help making the LightSabers come alive with light and sound. I also thought I could extract the sound board from an over the counter light saber so I went to Wal-Mart and bought a 12 dollar plastic light saver with light and sound. Proceeded to take it apart and wired a momentary switch to it , Cut the small LED that was attached and soldered a brighter led to it and used the existing speaker and actually got it to work. All worked well until I stared to assemble the "Economy Electronics"

While Assembling I broke the board in half beyond repair. So I decide to look for a solution. I found one on Etsy.

A company called OuterRimSabers offer a nice Sound Board, LED and light switch that were perfect. They were great to work with and now the Light Saber are alive.

With the help from the good people at OuterRimSabers This apprentice light saber builder managed to bring a smile to the face of two very happy Jedi Masters who now have a Light Saber that the force is with.

I will edit and upload a link to Video as soon as I get it done. I would be happy to answer any questions.

The Finished Sabers

The Boys are busy bashing each other in mock saber duels as any young Jedi should do. All in all a successful Saber design/build

We will se what requests are made for next year. He would really like a Racer li the one Anakin used to win his freedom. I better get busy