This DIY Lightsaber Is a Star Wars Dream Come True

Sure, you’ll astir apt ne'er get your hands connected that infamous extending lightsaber past seen astatine the now-defunct Galactic Starcruiser hotel, but—like The Force—hope is ever determination for Star Wars fans if they cognize wherever to look. A fewer DIYer tech YouTubers person crafted a afloat extending and retracting lightsaber that’s arsenic breathtaking to ticker arsenic it is to plaything around.

The YouTubers astatine HeroTech created their ain lightsaber with a flexible 12 V LED portion and a magician’s cane. The cane is made of a flexible worldly meant to outpouring retired erstwhile you merchandise a pin and declaration down to a size truthful tiny it tin acceptable successful your hand. Of course, it’s not meant to widen astatine a dilatory pace, but that’s wherever the LED portion and the motorized parts travel in.

The flexible LED portion acts arsenic hostility against the cane, slowing it down to a overmuch much controllable degree. Otherwise, each the hardware hackers needed was a centrifugal and spool attached to the portion to power the hold rate. That’s easier said than done, considering the squad wanted to support the size of the hilt to conscionable 2 inches successful diameter, the aforesaid for astir lightsabers you tin physique and bargain astatine Disney World’s Galaxy’s Edge.

HeroTech initially tried Lego cogwheel pieces and treads from the Technic bid and a fewer other 3D-printed parts for a rectangular-shaped spool but yet recovered a circular spool offered overmuch little friction. The remainder was uncovering a prime centrifugal and committee to acceptable wrong the hilt. HeroTech utilized a Proffieboard recovered successful galore different homemade lightsabers, which besides facilitates utilizing the customized dependable files to connection the existent “snap-hiss” truthful iconic to the lightsaber design.

The unspooling is comparatively dilatory compared to the movies, and it tin look much similar the iconic Darksaber from definite angles. HeroTech said they program to trial immoderate systems that rotation the leaf to springiness it a much 3D effect.

The engineering squad mentioned they tried aggregate retraction methods, including a motorized portion measure. Funnily enough, that’s the mechanism the now-famous Disney Parks lightsaber utilized for its design. It’s been 3 years since that was archetypal revealed, though you’ll astir apt ne'er get your hands connected one.

As overmuch arsenic we each similar those PVC pipe-based lightsabers that tin deed with capable unit to interruption digit bones, there’s thing axenic astir the aged telescoping integrative lightsabers of our youth. Yes, they’re safer, but much importantly, you tin flick them retired of the hilt and outcry your ain “snap-hiss” dependable effect earlier wading into conflict with your friends and inevitably stabbing 1 of them successful the eye.

You astir apt won’t beryllium astir to deed your friends with a blistery LED strip, but this latest physique has the look and consciousness you’d privation from your laser sword.