Creating Crystal Chambers build/Input thread/material ideas/sources

[Ninja-Jedi]

quick question Cooper or maybe it would be better if I PM the details, but ill just run it by ya.
I have been on some of the 3D printing sites and I am not worried about cost. But the main thing is
designing the chamber in 3D is their a simple way of doing this. I am actually have some professional 3D tools
like maya 3d, 3d Studiomax the problem is i am not very good at them yet. Is there an easier program to design these
chambers to actual dimensions, or is there someone who takes commisions on this sort of thing.

[DarthCooper88]

 To tell truth I have no experience with making 3-d files. I have been going to a website that has alot of saber parts, and many other oddball things. Everything they sell is art-work by people that know how to 3-d model that up=load their designs.  (they have like 10+ material choices for parts. The last Igniter saber I built for Nico had 3-d printed tray/disc combo designed by Owen Lars done in black flexible material for the battery and board

This is all MHS parts

[Ninja-Jedi]

yeah I just checked it out and there are some seriously sick blade blugs out there,
I always wondered how force relics made their blade blugs now I know lol

[Deadcow]

Just a question, what do you guys use for crystals?  I have a build coming up that I plan to do some experimenting.

[Ninja-Jedi]

i shape mine out of acrylic which works for my building methods to date, as I can design the crystal chamber first then shape then crystal to my liking, also i have plenty of acrylic sheets so used what I had on hand.  Sand it and and seal it with glaze clear coat. also did some heating up on acryllic for weathering.    Most builders who build high end crystal chambers use quartz and other similar crystals.  U can also look in aquarium accessories for acrylic rocks of odd shapes and sizes.

[Thonolan]

most of the ones that I have been playing with are quartz,

If you have any Wiccan friends they may be able to help you find some. a friend of mine has some contact for stuff locally here.

you can also find them online, I have been looking at some rubies of late on Ebay.

[DarthCooper88]

The best place to buy a crystal is in a storefront , where you can handle the stone and also find the one that is going to fit correctly. Look around for metaphysical shops (I'm fortunate enough to have one within a few miles called Crystal Treasures).
 This is a production CC that came from a saber that I'm using a 3d printed chamber for. It is one of the simplest methods to build a CC, 3 brass tubes for running wires , a simple top mount and simple bottom mount in 2 different OD's

[DarthCooper88]

Ok , some more ideas that make this process even simpler. I ordered up a blade plug in 3d printed fashion, it arrived and was a bit rough and very frosty white (should have gotten a pic) I started painting it in hopes to make it look like a mechanical electrical exposed section of a saber, but also to able to glow like nothing else I could create in my simple shop. This is going into a Gladiator hilt that I recently picked up on trade.

[Ninja-Jedi]

that is pretty cool I am ordering one this week that is mecha style blade plug plan to use it
on a windowed emitter build in the next couple of months. I think I am gonna get the aluminum finish

[Darth Vapour]

I have an UPmini 3D printer, only learning the ropes at the moment, but have been modelling things in Sketchup. Its free, and not too hard to use. You can export to .stl which most of the printers will recognize. I have just been doing shrouds (easier to model) but hope to work up to doing a CC. That bladeplug looks awesome by the way Darth Cooper, did you hand paint or airbrush?

[DarthCooper88]

I have an UPmini 3D printer, only learning the ropes at the moment, but have been modelling things in Sketchup. Its free, and not too hard to use. You can export to .stl which most of the printers will recognize. I have just been doing shrouds (easier to model) but hope to work up to doing a CC. That bladeplug looks awesome by the way Darth Cooper, did you hand paint or airbrush?

I hand painted  it with a base coat of silver spray paint 1st, I happened to have some gold model paint, thinner, and for the life of me couldnt find my copper paint anywhere (ended up using my Wife's copper acrylic nail polish and her quick dry clear coating before spraying a couple of coats of gloss lacquer over it before I was about to start painting too much

[Relan Tarel jedi kinght]

Awsom thread guys Very informative. I've been consitering this option for myself and with your guidance ill be able to build a crystal chamber without spending alot of money and still make it look nice

[Vex]

I'm definitely getting one of the 3D printed chambers!  Makes it simple to build and the saber will still be duel able without worry of the crystal posing out.

[GrumpyBadger]

This is my first crystal chamber. Is fairly simple but I like the way it turned out. It was created from scrap parts and pieces. I am going to make a display Sentinel hilt so I wanted a yellow crystal. I couldn't find any similar to a SWTOR style crystal. I used a epoxy that mixes clear but turns yellow when cured ,and is fairly translucent , to make the crystal. The ends have a hole as do the crystal supports , so a led attached at one end will illuminate the crystal. Also as it turns out , it will fit into a MHS sized hilt. It is 1 1/8" diameter and about 4" long. In the pics I used the grip from my Dark Arbiter to give an idea of size .

I gotta ask, what did you find for holding the crystal?  I've been looking at a lot of things recently at my local hardware stores.  I'm at a current "creative block" and I really like what you've done.  Point to you!

Here is the start of a starkiller chamber, it will only be 1.05" across as the hilt i'm building this for is very small and about .20 under standard MHS sizes for the hilt
I ended up making a top and bottom mount with 1.125 billet, this ties into a pvc rail to create a one piece "inner saber" The tubes are stainless , hollow and act as both structural supports and wire runs

My friend wanted this well aged and battle dirty . the top mount also serves as the heatsink/led mount for the custom tri-rebel and optics. The bottom mount is made to hold a 5mm RGB led that will change colors with the blade, flash on clash and pulse

that crystal chamber is truly one of the best I've seen.  That thing is amazing!  That lightsaber should definitely be something to cherish and admire.

I have a question for you all, if you don't mind.  How does one wire up LEDs for the crystal chamber while using Obsidian Sound?  I'm a fan of that soundboard for obvious reasons, and I'm wondering how I can wire up the LED.  I was thinking, considering the amount of power the Obsidian can handle, just wiring up the accent LEDs in line with the primary blade LEDs but I'm concerned about resistors and that sort of thing.  If anyone can help, it'd be most appreciated. 

This is definitely something I need to do.  I haven't touched lightsabers in over 6 years, and it's truly amazing what they have become.

[DarthCooper88]

 Thanks! For wiring a crystal led to blade match, I use an online resistor calculator once I know the forward voltage coming from my main led, then i hit radio-hack and find a 5mm red green or blue led,(they also have have common cathode RGB 5mms that will run all 3 colors for multi die flash on clash led units) The cathode versus anode choice depends on the board for a RGB 5mm. most small leds only want 20ma at most with a FV of 2.4 red to 4.0 some whites. Here is a very theatrical video of this saber being demoe'd by Jedi-Yar-Nala in his Starkiller Death-Star level costume

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdfCZP7D8ds" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdfCZP7D8ds</a>