Mandalorian Luke Skywalker

Kievan Mereel (Sam Coulson) · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 11:30 pm Post subject: Mandalorian Luke Skywalker

I'm working towards doing a Mandalorian Luke Skywalker. What lightsabers do people in the base use? Tri-cree LED dueling sabers, or Neopixel? Convince me whether I should start out cheap on AliExpress or if I should go big.
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Legion Costume Judge (RAID) 2019-

vahzos () · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2021 4:18 am Post subject:

well what do you want to do with it? duel or show saber? if dueling id stay away from neopixle unless you can fix the blade after a few months of dueling .they hold up well but do break the solder joints after a while and a new blade is 140$
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vahzos () · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2021 4:25 am Post subject:

i build my own sabers so for me going big is buying an expensive hilt and doing a nice sound board and neopixel install Smile

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Kievan Mereel (Sam Coulson) · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2021 6:47 pm Post subject:

I think it would mostly be for show at troops with occasional dueling.

I've found some resellers on AliExpress with base-entry Luke replicas for ~$100 which I think are single-LED in-hilt and simpler soundboards. They're missing the button box but I found someone on Etsy who sells it.

I've installed LEDs in airsoft guns before so I think I could probably upgrade the hilt internals in the future if I think that I'm ready for something better, especially with local help.

Smoothswing looks like an incredible improvement over the simpler soundboard movement detection which I'm guessing will be like the Anakin FX I had given to me secondhand that doesn't make sounds every time I shake it.

I also have seen videos showing how tri-cree LED is better than single-LED, and Neopixel beats them all in terms of brightness and display, but is much more expensive and not good for continued heavy dueling. I have seen some videos where people duel with neopixels and it's probably more than sufficient for what I'd do.

A lot of what I'm asking the local base for is what type of sabers you all have. If my single-led entry-level saber would be completely outshone (literally) by all the others here if we ever met up. I am waiting to buy the saber until after I finish the costume so that I know I'm properly invested in portraying the character before I drop whatever level of coin is appropriate.
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ionicdesign (Michael) · Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:05 am Post subject:

To be honest they vary. We have some in the Base with nice bright LEDs and short blades that glow like Rotoscoped, also some Neo-pixel that do too. There are regular Ultra Sabers, Kyberlight and saberforge and home made. So in a photo they vary, a lot.
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cms1172 () · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 5:00 am Post subject:

We have Ultrasabers for dualing, Saberforge for show and kyblerlight for fun.
The custom saber shop is in Idaho Falls, Kyberlight is in Utah and has runs of extra blades. I look for the BOGO deals from them also for the Dayblades.

Kievan Mereel (Sam Coulson) · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2021 8:36 pm Post subject:

Wait...www.thecustomsabershop.com is based out of Idaho Falls? I live there! I've been living in that site for the past week searching parts. Is the owner a member of the base? Interested in doing a pickup order at the very least.
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Legion Costume Judge (RAID) 2019-

ionicdesign (Michael) · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 6:29 pm Post subject:

MercOfSteel () · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2021 4:40 pm Post subject:

You can definitely make an appointment to visit the shop and even pick up your order in person to save on shipping. I've done that a few times.

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