Obi Wan Kenobi Lightsaber

Hello Everyone.

Today we are heading into that part of ourselves in which we dream of future sci fi worlds and galaxies far far away.

In this instructables we are going to ask the following questions which is in everyone's mind and with a pocket full of coins . . . not high mighty dollars in the tens of hundreds.

Can I Afford A High Prize Collectible?

Can I Make A High Prize Collectible ?

Would friends experience the "Wow factor" when they see my home made collectible ?

Would they order one from me ?

The answer as Bob Dylan would say (congrats Mr. Dylan on this year Nobel Prize in Literature 2016) is not "blowing in the wind" but in your workshop or studio. Yes, your friends would be amazed at your tentitive skills and the simplicity behind it all.

Let's jump to hyperdrive in the Millenium Falcon with Han and Chewie at the helm and go to the Jedi Temple's workshop in the Corruscant system where Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn is crafting the apprentice young padawan Obi Wan Kenobi's lightsaber.

The idea for this instructable came around Christmas of 2015 when the highly anticipated film, "Star Wars, The Force Awaken" hit theaters with a massive hurricane force beyond category 5.

Every fan in the world wanted to be connected in some way or form to the film. But how ? Which way ? I don't have friends connected in high places.

But you reading this instructable have a secret. A place beyond that workweek which we call weekends. And you, you alone are going to craft the energy pulsating weapon that all stormtroppers in the galaxy fear. All of it for the prize of an admission ticket and a bag of popcorn !

The Lightsaber is constructed with various materials ranging from different species of woods, metals including aluminum, chrome polished steel, glass, steel wires and screws, acrylic glue and marine master varnish No nails or stain nowhere whatsoever.

This is my personal lightsaber. You are making your own personal lightsaber. No dimensions anywhere. I'm 6'-2", my weight is 200 pounds lean. I wanted a saber with some "meat" on it. It weighs almost 3/4 of a pound.

But I will provide you with an all star starring cast materials list at the end of the instructable . I'm dead sure you have about 90% of the materials on this list in your workshop.

Since this is a fine collectible, I don't want the lightsaber lying around on the table, on the counter (any) or worst yet, on the sofa ! In my case, I want to see it up on the wall. Yours might be in the curio cabinet,or on the car console as your personal low tech security against ruffians. Hah !

This saber is 13.5 inches long. The main wood shaft is an inch and a half in diameter. The wood is from Australia and you can get it at that exotic place and hangout we in the USA called Home Depot in the northern part of the states. In the southern part of the states you might know it by a another franchise called Lowe's. Easily, you can also locate this materials at your local home hardware store. The glass ball is 2.5 inches in diameter. It contains the energy that powers the light sable.
At the other end you have a Husky chrome polished1 inch diameter socket. This is where the light saber comes out humming with that super bad a** sound.

In order to provide the simplicity in creating a fine collectable, not all instructable makers have power tools and not all have hand tools.

The only power tool used here is the eternal favorite, the mighty mule that delivers a strong roundhouse kick to the jaw and takes you anywhere anytime . . . the Dremel rotary tool. And this is the end of sophistation in tools for great achievement in any arts and crafts endeavor(s).

The carved rings around the shaft is made with a Nicholson long shaft round file. Draw the line at your given preference of distance apart, engraved a line with 1/8" round bit attached to the dremel and then file away with the nicholson file. I use the width of the file to determine the depth of the engrave grip handle. I fool proof method to have all rings identical.

The Australian wood is the Eucalyptus saligna and you will find it at the wood dowel section up in racks. It comes in 8 foot length which you can cut there at any given length size. Down here in PR, it's about $1.75 a foot. Not bad at all. Your collectible is on its way to a great start.

Remember; you want your lightsaber to be unique. Dont copy the props you see in films, video games, illustration novels, or the worse sin of all . . . copy someone's else design. Take your sweet time in designing yours.

Ideas are everywhere. For example, the cupola you see here on top of the towers are kitchen drawers pulls from H.D. They have a fabulous selections to choose from. Or keep something unique from your workshop. They are attached with 1/8" threaded rods and acrylic glue.

This will be the first base of two for the lightsaber. Why two bases ? I'll explain that in step #16.

The square dowels you will find them across the aisle where you got the Australian wood dowel. Here in the states or territories we have american pine to work with. They are 1inch square in comes in 3 feet length. The grooves were done the same way as in the lightsaber. Use the round file to trim the edges, if need be, and trim the top part with a hobby knife.

If you have a clinical and eagle eye, you'll noticed a dovetail saw cut groove right in the middle of that round half groove in the coming steps in the instructable. That fine detail cut is what I tell my friends is the observation deck where the Jedi Masters come out from their meetings to ease their minds. That dovetail cut represent a 50 foot height from floor to ceiling.

Sometimes bragging makes you feel good inside . Hah !

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act. In Europe its called the EU-OCHA) requirements and safety regulations are there for a very good reason. This rules will dictate how safe you will be when executing a project or in any industry of work or recreation as simple as an arts & craft assignment.

This step here shows that I glued the drawer pulls to the dowels with acrylic glue or as it is known worldwide as crazy glue.

Some instructables makers might be allergic to such substance and need to try other attaching methods. Fumes from this types of glue are hazardous.
Not to mention in the least if your fingers get attach to the materials you are working with. Humorously, you'll need a cold chisel to separate them. Hah !

Know your weakness and strength in handling of materials like woods, metals, glues, solvents, thinners. Something as dish detergents could be lethal. Have first aids kits at arm's reach, your cell phone reachable, safety goggle a super must.

For my lightsaber, clamps are a must have items. The Jedi Temple have five towers. I couldn't glue all five towers at once. That's calling for a disaster. I glued two at a time.

Since the central tower is the fifth one, I attached the two opposite to line up with observation deck of the fifth tower. The outer towers also have their observation decks. If the four outer towers are not line up to that central you might as well throw away the towers and start again. It's impossible to align them once the glue is super dry. Todays modern day glue technology is stronger than wood itself.

Take your sweet time. There's no hurry. Remember, one of the jedi master virtues is patience. Let the midi-chlorians work themselves thru the project.

An embellishment is a beautiful thing in an instructable. It helps to create a style; a way to see a design from an interesting angle of perspective.

Here I'm adding "volume" to the temple by making it a little "fatter" Those four corners were too harsh and squarish at 90 degrees angles. I soften them by adding 1/2" round pine dowels at those corners. Making sure they didn't obstruct the panoramic view of the observation deck, I place them below the decks. What's their function ? Who knows ? Maybe they are dormitories. Or offices for visiting ambassadors.

It's your bragging rights!
Put it to good use !

If you go back to step #5, you'll see that the five towers are all level on one plane . The center tower was too high. Didn't like the look. Didn't like cutting the center tower either. So, I left the center tower just a bit higher than its other siblings.

At this stage, I started applying the marine master varnish. And . . . but wait : no sanding ?, No sanding at all ? This dowels comes from the wood mills super sanded. If you need to sand them some more - go ahead. Remember this is your baby you are creating. Just like Ms.Leeloo Dallas from The Fifth Element. Now that's a prop I'll try to make one day her famous "multi-pass". I think I might have seen an instructable maker made one before. I'll check it out later.

The Jedi Temple has 3 coats of varnish applied to it. One day for each coat. The varnish solution was 50/50 varnish mixed with lacquer thinner. Dont apply the varnish concentrated on the temple. For sure that's a quick way for blotches and depression from your part. You want it to be liquidy to filter thru the dovetail saw cuts which is the observation decks and behind each of the towers.

Remember a Jedi does not seek fame . It comes to him or her thru time and patience. The same apply to us instructables makers.

Ok. This the phase in the project where things start to look magical. Just like what Harry Potter experience when he went thru the magical tent with his follow student friends. "I just love magic".

The Husky 1 inch socket is one heavy socket and I love it. You'll need to trim or shave the end of the wood shaft to fit snugly into the socket. Once it fit comfortly into the socket, attach it permanently with epoxy glue. Any brand will do. Once the glue cures really well start thinking how you are going to erase the Husky logo along with the numbers it comes with.

Humm ???

Don't despair. Since these sockets are chrome plated it will be an "easy walk thru the park" with your Dremel rotary tool. Attach an arrow point grinding stone or any other abrasive point bit to the rotary tool. Notice you are engraving better with the socket attached to the main shaft than if you were engraving the socket by itself. Very little room to hold the socket with one hand and the rotary tool on the other.

What I engraved on this socket was "Obi Wan Kenobi" with some vertical motifs.

This is a close up photo on how you can make your lightsaber baton a littler fancier. I added a steel wire pattern throughout the baton. I used the rotary tool to drill the holes for the brads. Then use a miniature metal cutting saw. You can also use the cutting wheel disk that comes with your rotary tool kit.

Notice the beautiful terra cotta color the liquidy 50/50 varnish solution brings out from the wood.

This step is a two part process:
The on/off button and the crystal ball where the energy is kept for the lightsaber.

The on/off button was drilled with 3/8" drill bit into the wood. A 3/8" knob of aluminum rod was cut with a cutting wheel and inserted into the slot and seal with acrylic glue.

A couple months ago, I had a hard time looking around for an "energy pack" for Obi's lightsaber. I went to the local mall. Nothing. I went to the hobby shop. Nothing. I went to Walmart. Nothing. Walgreens and CVS. Nothing. One day I get a call from my 80 years old mom saying if I could drive her to a nearby department store called Capri so she can buy some curtains for her living room. Sure I'll go. Haven't been there in a while. She heads for the curtains displays and I headed where the curtain rods were shown in the store. And BAM ! There it was on the wall ! The energy pack most feared in the Galactic Empire by sith lords and stormtroopers throughout the galaxy . . . a simple $14.99 aluminum rod with crystal balls at both ends. My mom said to me if I was changing curtains in my house. I said no, I need the balls as energy packs. Energy what ? Balls for what ? Forget it mom. She had that dumb look on her face worth a million dollars.
Super funny.

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts." And yes, she made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs.

The curtain rod glass ball came with a solid aluminum base painted in black. It had a little screw on the side to tighten the base ends to the adjustable rod. I widen that hole and added three mores holes to make it congruent on four sides with the addition of four metal screws. Wood was also shaved cautiously to connect this end with the glass ball. Whatever you do, dont drop this ball. It's also epoxy and can loosen itself with a strong inpact on the ground. It was epoxy to death into the wood shaft.

The matted black paint was removed with an abrasive grinding point bit attached to the rotary tool.

I wanted a beaten up industrial look in that area. I whirl the abrasive stone in all directions to develop an "old republic" look to it.

3 coats of marine master varnish was apply making it look mistical and misterious.

"Mos Eisley Spaceport: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villiany."

Well, the lightsaber is almost finish but it needs a little extra assurance . . .

The keychain quick release holder.
It's the essential key item in a jedi master's garment.

Attach it to the baton with the rotary tool and a solid eye screw. Don't be stingy in this step. For you serious cosplay players out there, you can't leave this baton lying anywhere unattended. It will vanish in an instant. The photos in this instructable doesn't even begin to give it justice when seeing it in real time.

You have in your hands a very serious major league sci fi collectible and a highly personal defensive baton to protect yourself against ruffians, neighborhood aggressive dogs and other animals, and when the time comes . . . against apocalyptic zombies! Hah ! ! !

"That's no moon.
It's a space station."

Okay. Here we have it up on the wall in all its glory. Ready for field trials, like that future battle on the peaceful planet Naboo against the sith lord, Darth Maul.

Sorry,but this lightsaber is not going anywhere soon.

What ? Why ? What's up ? . . .

What this photo dont show is that the baton keeps falling off its base. Here in the caribbean we go thru everyday earth tremors. Damn !, last week we had a 4.1 on the richter scale around 9:30 pm.

No way man ! Remember step #5 ?

Looking at the photo, we see that the baton is push forward tremendously by the Jedi Temple. Sometimes (I say always !), gravity doesn't play a fair game. Because the lightsaber is quite heavy it kept tilting forward, possibly ending on the floor. This is a no no in Jedi canon law.

What's attaching the baton to the jedi temple is a stiff coat hanger wire 1 inch long : half an inch into the baton and the other half inch in the jedi temple. Because the pine dowels are super super light in weight, there wasn't enough counterbalance weight to balance the heavy glass ball; the wood shaft is heavy indeed and the Husky socket heavier still .

So, lets go to the next step #17.

"I felt a great disturbance in the force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced."

Here's the counter measures against step #16. I had to add a wider and taller background base made out of walnut to act as a force against the weight inbalance of the jedi temple and the lightsaber.

When clients see this fine collectable up on the wall , they can't help but admire the counterpoints in design in wood, glass, metal working beautifully with each other.

As an Instructable Maker, you are nothing unless you give credit to your support crew : My lovely wife Mary and our 3 canine daughters : Katniss Everdeen, Juno Kempi and Aranis Bayou and . . .

* Nicholson long round file
* Craftsman dovetail saw
* Eucalyptus saligna wood shaft
* American pine dowels
* Husky 1" diameter socket
* 18 gauge steel brads
* 3/8" power drill
* Solid 3/8" aluminum rod
* Cabinet drawer pulls
* Cristal glass ball curtain rod
* Lanco marine master varnish
* Lanco lacquer thinner
* 3" Pressure clamps
* Utility hobby knife
* Acrylic glue
* Epoxy glue
* Star Wars quotes all rights reserved

For an added bonus, please view the video in Youtube titled :

Bastones Boricuas 115 - Obi Wan Kenobi's lightsaber.

Thank you Instructables Maker for your time and attention.