SDCC Anakin has light-up lightsaber?!

[captain sack]

Hey Captain so did you have to splice the wires? if so what did you use? im going to go look for some tubes today and want to know everything i need to do this. what size tube did you get and what else do i need besides the cold cathode? thanks

yea, i had to splice the wires to allow me to hook up a nine volt battery.

here is what i got....

1. 3 inch leads for a nine volt battery.(this is the thing that plugs into a nine volt battery)
2. 6 inch cold cathode fluorescent light kit.
3. nine volt battery.

i spliced the power wires to the nine volt battery lead.

 

[bronco1855]

where did you get it all at? like a compusa or bestbuy?

 

[captain sack]

where did you get it all at? like a compusa or bestbuy?

a place called "fry's". they are a huge electronics store. https://www.frys.com/

best buy had nothing, and compUSA only had 12 inch neon black lights.

you'll need to find a store that sells all kinds of do-it-yourself electronic stuff.:chew

 

[Darren Carnall]

I love the idea of using these tubes as sabers, but not having seem them up close, I'm worried about how they look at the ends. Is there some kind of plastic cap at the end that would really stand out and make it look odd?

If anyone has any pics showing it that'd be great

 

[captain sack]

I love the idea of using these tubes as sabers, but not having seem them up close, I'm worried about how they look at the ends. Is there some kind of plastic cap at the end that would really stand out and make it look odd?

the tubes have a rubber tip at the end, but that can be removed. what's revealed is the clear end of the glass tube with a little wire sticking out of the top.

 

[Alice Adrenochrome]

Damn that Hasblo Anakin head sucks bad. And people are ripping SS for theirs

You're so right. It's a shame we do that! Goes to show how spoiled we are. I won't start singing the "We love Sideshow" song again, but I guess they know how to take our criticism. SSC rocks. Full stop.

 

[Alice Adrenochrome]

did you have to splice the wire for the 9 volt battery? do you have a problem with the tubes breaking? i bought two today, one i broke, the other is defective.

Heh, at least you got to buy the tubes! First shop I asked, they said they stoped selling them, because the adapter box blew up several times, setting peoples CPU's on fire!! But I guess this will not happen if you feed it only with a battery, will it?

 

[Mookeylama]

so can these tubes be made to run on something smaller than a 9Volt batt? like watch batteries so it can be stuck in the chest cavity?

yea, i had to splice the wires to allow me to hook up a nine volt battery.

here is what i got....

1. 3 inch leads for a nine volt battery.(this is the thing that plugs into a nine volt battery)
2. 6 inch cold cathode fluorescent light kit.
3. nine volt battery.

i spliced the power wires to the nine volt battery lead.

 

[captain sack]

so can these tubes be made to run on something smaller than a 9Volt batt? like watch batteries so it can be stuck in the chest cavity?

i don't know about that, but you've also got that blue box that's twice as big as a 9 volt battery.

i think the best way to hide the battery and the box would be to make a stand that housed this stuff.

 

[bronco1855]

so any more pics of your progress there captain

 

[captain sack]

so any more pics of your progress there captain

i hollowed out a hasbro saber hilt and put it on the light's base. no way i'm gonna destroy the sideshow hilts.

when i was drilling out the hilt, it got real hot and part of it started to melt, so i wasn't able to completely drill it out. i had to cut the hilt in half, split the end with the grips and put it on the wires that way. but once assembeled it looks cool. :chew

 

[Darklord Dave]

That looks great, but those wires look big. Would a properly sized hilt (like SSCs) even accomodate something like that?

 

[bronco1855]

Thanks Capt. that looks great. i am with you on not wanting to touch my sideshow anakins saber but i got plenty of hasbro ones lying around i plan on using for this. i found a store online that sells the 6" tubes and ordered some from them. so soon i too will have some light up sabers! :chew

 

[captain sack]

That looks great, but those wires look big. Would a properly sized hilt (like SSCs) even accomodate something like that?

the hasbro and sideshow luke/anakin graflex type hilts are the same size, as are most of the hasbro/medicom vader saber hilts.

the only ones that are really oversized are the hasbro ROTJ luke, ANH obi wan and the two sabers that came with the female jedi.

check out the first page photos. that guy from the chinese forum used the sideshow anakin hilt.

 

[nash]

wow that looks awesome!

 

[bronco1855]

hey capt. how hard was it to remove the ends off of the cold cathode?

 

[captain sack]

hey capt. how hard was it to remove the ends off of the cold cathode?

easy. they are rubber. i just carefully cut them with an exacto pen knife.

just be careful because the tubes are glass and make sure you don't pull any wires out.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

can you post some pictures of you taking apart the lightsaber please?? i plan on doing this to my anakin and luke once i see how its done from start to finish. and before i start this project i want to see how its done so i dont ruin any sabers.

 

[DCFett]

Forgot about this. I believe the florescents can be purchased at Murray's Auto Parts, Meijer's, or Walmart. Ill have to go check.
I think painting the wires black will also help disguise them.
Couple passes with the ole air brush about 3" up the wire should do it. Just a suggestion. I still gotta try this myself.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

does anyone know what the 9V battery cable is called?? the one that is plugged into the battery and the inverter. im gonna stop by radio shak but i dont have a clue on what it is named.