One of the most complex hilt created, as it uses an intricate petals opening mechanism.
Thanks to the hard work of the team (KR-Sabers, Denis Lukyanov and GOTH-3Designs), this hilt is a perfect replica of the prop used in Episode IX - The Rise Of Skywalker. It is not only accurate, but also manages to feature both petals opening mechanism and saber ignition using the gear.
Introduction
-
Disclaimer
GOTH-3Designs cannot be held responsible for any mistakes made by DIYers during their install. You must have a good understanding of what you’re doing, of the components used and the safety measures associated to them. Always wear protective gear when working on install (gloves, eye protection, …), GOTH-3Designs cannot be held responsible in case of accident.
-
Note #1
Always use the smallest wires to make your install easier. There can be big differences between one wire type and another for the same AWG specs. PTFE Wires with the smallest OD are recommended such as those sold at The Saber Armory. A good wire management is also required, routing wires properly helps a lot saving space.
-
Note #2
These instructions will not cover how to wire the soundboard, make sure to learn how to by reading the manual. We have also typical soundboards wiring available in the Padawan Tutorials. Always test your install along the way! Verifying that everything works after important steps is better than having to dismount everything because something wasn’t wired properly.
Chapter 1 – Hilt preparation , Tips and Tricks
-
1- It is important to avoid as much frictions as possible in the opening mechanism, in order to have a smooth switch operation.
– If opening the petals isn’t smooth, cleaning dust (using pressurized air) and lubrification is highly recommended.
– The white nylon washers could also need a bit of sanding to make them thinner. Opening a bit the nylon washers ID can also help, as they would slide over the screws instead of having them screwing in (and thus pushing them inside toward the inner tube).2- The petals mech uses a lot of little screws, and given the cannot be overtighten in order not to black the opening, it can happen to have some of them falling after several opening / closing tests. Loctite threadlocker will help secure these screws. it takes some patience to remove the screws and disassemble the whole mechanism, but it’s pretty easy nonetheless.
3- If the pommel appears to come off too easily or wobbles too much, simply expand a bit the J-lock areas using pliers, and the pommel will be more friction fit.
Chapter 2 – ECO and Padawan Chassis Install
-
1- Separate the chassis parts, by cutting the sprues (Padawan chassis only).
2- Install the Padawan or ECO chassis first. It’s a pretty straightforward and easy install.
The installed chassis will then be useful to test the switch mech later.
3- Make sure again that the hilt’s petal opening mech is smooth.
4- Clean the top chassis part, to avoid anything that could dirt or block the petal opening mech or the switch mech.
Important: it is fairly common to have some printing dust remaining in the 3D printed chassis parts. Make sure to clean any printing dust residue from the top chassis part that will host the switch (use a sharp knife, brush the inside of the part and use pressurized air at the end to ensure everything is gone).
5- The switch level must operate without friction, some sanding on both lever and inside the chassis can be required.
6- Glue the 2mmx2mm magnets in the lever.
7- Glue the 2mmx2mm magnets in the chassis.
Important: the polarity of the chassis magnets must be opposing the lever magnets. The point is to have some force pushing away the lever from the switch in order to help pushing back the gear ring on the hilt after pressing the switch.
8- Wire and glue the switch in its socket.
9- Test the lever and switch operation.
10- Glue the 1.5mmOD x 15mm long rod to create the center of rotation for the lever, as shown below. Make sure not to glue the rod on the switch lever.
Make sure to respect the lever orientation, the lowest side goes over the switch, while the tallest side is facing the screw.
11- Add and glue the 1.5mmOD x 15mm long rod on top of the level to block it from pushing too far back. Make sure again not to glue the rod on the switch lever or to add glue between the lever and the chassis (tiny drops of Loctite e6000 in the chassis corners will do fine).
12- Wire and glue the NPXL connector (SCW Long Pins). The wires must pass behind the switch wires.
Note: about the connector lens, both this lens and this lens will work fine. It is normal the second lens doesn’t sit flush in the holder, as there is a step in the hilt.
13- Wire and glue the NPXL+Switch connector
14- Test the switch and connectors to make sure everything is well wired.
15- Insert the chassis into the hilt and clock it correctly to have the window for the screw facing the same on the hilt. Secure the chassis with the retention screw.
16- Try the gear / switch operation (with the main chassis in).
If the switch feedback or push back isn’t satisfactory, it could be necessary to clock the chassis a bit differently forward or backward, until the gear activates the switch and bounces back easily.