Lightsaber Knitting Needles

by Random_Canadian in Circuits > LEDs

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Lightsaber Knitting Needles

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An Epic Battle With Every Stitch...

I will not embarrass you with my poor knitting but maybe someone out there can "give me a hand! Right?"

I will however show a cast on at night in a darkened room with the lights off!

I made a second set at 8 inches length for the pocket size contest!

And a third with smaller diameter rods for tighter stitches!!!!!

these have 1000 uses... can you guess them all?

Gather the Supplies

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3/8 Lucite rod
several key-chain LED flashlights(princess auto 2.99)
Red LED
Green LED
2 X 10 Ohm resistor
heat shrink tubing
120 Sand paper
Scotch-bright pad
resistor (10 Ohm)

TOOLS
Soldering iron
Dermel
Torch
drill
Bastard file

The Light Is Wrong!!!

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This flashlight uses a white LED light and has no resistor!

This flashlight has a small circuit board with LED  on the non-trace side. De-Solder the white light!

Change  the colour to super bright Red/Green as shown and add the resistor as shown. Good/Evil will have to Wait!!!!

Before assembly cut off the top of the new LED with a Dermel cut off disk as shown, and leave it cloudy.

You will need to add a stable base and current limiting resistor, mount the resistor as shown.

To support the resistor add heat shrink as shown. in the trace side of the small circuit board.

The heat shrink will add stability and support to the circuit.

Make the Light Pipe!

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Cut an appropriate diameter Lucite rod to length as below.

The Lucite rod needs to first be scored and shaped with a file, then with sand paper then with scotch-brite pad to eliminate snags.

A standard hack saw can be used to cut the rod to length but this creates an uneven edge that will take a while to file flat.

The rod can be scored with a file or knife, but I find that a tubing cutter makes a clean break point.

The rod is then secured in a drill  for finishing.

With the rod turning at a slower speed ( to prevent friction burning your hand or the rod), pull it against the file to remove unwanted rod bits...

continue shaping until you have the desired look. In this case a needle point.

You will have to reposition the rod in the drill chuck and work on the base. it will need to be shaped to fit into the head of the flashlight and flat against the cut LED. This is determined by the repositioning of the updated LED circuit board into the flashlight head.

Make two the same with different lighting colour, since I'm old, red and green work nicely for me!


PERSONALIZE!

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As with any saber, you will have to personalize it for you liking. I used copper an aluminum foil tape for minimalist decoration.

Have fun and may the knitting be with you!