Customized prop designed with compact electronic assembly
About the Project:
The hilt is printed in three parts, including the bottom cap, the handle, and the top blade holder. Designed in fusion, I used the thread tool to create internal and external threads so that the parts connect firmly with each other. Towards the base of the hilt is the battery, which connects the the Arduino Nano through a male to male USB A to USB C converter. A pushbutton glued inside of the grip can be plugged in to the Arduino along with both LED strips plugging in from the top. The blade is made up of a heavy blade from Ultra Sabers, with two LED strips inside and thin foam padding to diffuse the light. The paint used is matte black fro the grip, and a metallic silver for the rest.
Design Process:
The first step I took was drafting out some ideas and testing out the electronics. After that, I began modeling on Fusion360. The largest issue I faced was ensuring that the hilt was strong enough to be handled as a lightsaber would be. I went through several iterations, ultimately landing on 20mm long threads placed on 10mm thick walls. While this makes it quite tedious to disassemble, it makes it more than sturdy enough. Finally, I designed mounts for the electronics inside the hilt to secure the battery and the Arduino Nano.
Returning to this project after completing the my desk dock, I realize that the Arduino Nano is not supplying enough current to the LEDs, and this is overheating the Arduino.
All photos:
Isometric Drawings:
