Want to Build Your Own Lightsaber? Check These Out

Whether it's because you want something to hang on your belt to help enter the Jedi mindset or go with your formal Jedi garb at ceremonies, plan on making a fan video and want a unique prop that speaks to your character, or just want something cool to display in your man cave (unless it's no cave...), I've come to share a few of my favorite videos about creating your own, custom, unique lightsaber prop.

Personally, I would like to make one for the first reason I stated, because that's just how I am. The Build Your Own Lightsaber set from the official Star Wars toy line was my favorite as a kid, and seeing this is like making the jump from Power Wheels to Chevy.

Lightsaber, Star Wars, Build a Real Lightsaber: BFX

Growing up with a heavy interest in filmmaking, retained to this day, Backyard FX was my Budget Bible. In this classic episode, Erik Beck (who unfortunately doesn't host the show anymore, but does co-host Battle Damage now) shows us how to make a professional-looking lightsaber prop for around $35 using plumbing supplies. Granted he uses a design found online, but he does put his own little personal touches on it. At the end, they include a short test film to show the prop in action, along with some halfway decent special effects to go with it.

Youtube User lflank

If the comic book guy from The Simpsons dressed as Obi-Wan is the first thing that comes to your head when you think of a Star Wars fanboy nerd, lflank is the second runner up. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that when you watch lflank's videos, you're half expecting his mom to yell from the other room to keep it down or that dinner's ready, assuming she's still alive (and I hope so). He has several Star Wars videos showing how to make lightsaber props and even Jedi and Stormtrooper costumes on the super cheap. He doesn't limit himself to our favorite galaxy far, far away, though. He also has tutorials on making other props and costumes for the Alien and Predator series, some short films showing his creations in action with original storylines (including various crossovers), and a few other tutorials. I think he's a great guy, creative, and even though he may not be a professional actor, his short films did make me chuckle a bit. His last video was uploaded almost a year ago, so I'm hoping he continues to do what he clearly has at least somewhat of a passion for.

CONCRETE HUSTLE Lightsaber Duel

While not about actually building a lightsaber, I had to include this as one of my favorite duel videos. It definitely isn't new (7 years old!) but it was very well choreographed and the effects were done right.

ART OF THE SABER

An even older video (9 YEARS!!), again of a duel, but because of my love of kung fu and its incorporation into the fight, this is by far my favorite fan video duel ever. Even if I never made this post, this video would have come up eventually. Great job, Ho Brothers.

So there you have it. My two cents on lightsaber prop construction for any occasion, and a few of my favorite fan duels. A similar thread may already exist (possibly in several iterations), but I want to ask you all some things instead of just leaving it at that. I'm sure these have all been asked at some point or another, but I'm a bit "in the zone" right now and want to see how these questions are answered together instead of in separate instances.

1. What color would your blade be? (neat little video I found you can use as a guide)

2. What style would your blade be? (Short, normal, long, curved hilt, double bladed, lightsaber pike, light whip, tonfa blade, etc.)

3. How many would you have?

4. Which form would you choose to master? (reference material. Let the Wookiee win.)

As for myself, I would prefer a purple saber with a curved hilt and go for Form II, Makashi, the style favored by Count Dooku. Along with that, I would go for a blue lightsaber pike, simply because blue is my favorite color and I like polearms and spears.

This is a link to one of the central hubs of lightsaber enthusiasts across the planet. It is a resource for all knowledge, tutorials, advice and help you could possibly need as well as a marketplace if you have too much cash to waste on shiny luxury toys.
http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/

This is a link to the by far most respected and effective shop for parts, specialty parts and a few services that are used by all amateurs and master smiths on the hub from above at some point or another. It also has a forum with an incredibly extensive amount of information and support even if TCSS is not your main supplier.
http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/

Impressive. If I had the money, I'd definitely look into this. Unfortunately, I don't. Plus I like how the cheapo construction methods give you a bit more of the DIY element to truly make it your own in the sense that you can literally throw anything you have lying around on it. Keep in mind, the sabers in the videos I linked are just props, and not like the toy or Force FX sabers. It was also a nod toward some of my favorite videos on the subject.

Thank you for sharing

There is this feeling you get when you spent months planning your build whilst gathering the cash, then spent half a fortune on machining tools and materials, then sat down one lonely night with your dad's old soldering iron, a pair of tweezers, a piece of tin scrap, a table top lamp and a lighter... to wire up your lightsaber...
And then, when you were done, you put in the battery and the blade plug. that moment, immediately before you push the switch just to see whether your blood and sweat will catch fire as you so do... that moment of truth...
I don't know that the scrap and glue method provides something that would rival it. Though of course, I do respect it as its own art nonetheless. Cheers!

Sounds about as close to the fiction as one could get in the real world. A noble craft indeed. Either path you choose resonates with the same feeling in one way or another I suppose. I've honestly never heard of this way before now, and again I'm in favor of the cheap route due to my circumstances. Regardless, it is quite a journey no matter which road you take.

1. I would use a green lightsaber.
2. Single-bladed with a length between a standard issue and a shoto. Shortened hilt from 2.5 hand size (roughly) to 1.5 hand size (roughly). Also, with a rapier-esque hand guard for additional protection, crafted out of songsteel for lightsaber resistance on the guard.
3. Just one, and a backup standard issue green lightsaber in case the first would be destroyed or otherwise lost.
4. Form 2.

The lightsaber and fighting style would be entirely focused around European-styled single-handed swordplay mainly for the sake of dueling, and would only be used in situations where a lightsaber duel would be necessary. The Force handles other situations easily enough.

1.mine is silver (usually) i can however change it to whatever color i'm in the mood for. currently it's burning orange.

2.it doesn't matter as i can single, dual, and double wield. why limit yourself...

3. again it doesn't matter for the reason above.

4.i use my own style which has elements of the 7 main forms and of the ancient forms. why limit yourself when you can create a whole new form that borrows from all forms...soresu,ataru,vapaad,trakata,djem so etc can all be seen in my style...as well as the real world fighting styles that i have learned. kendo, fencing, ninjutsu, bujutsu, etc...