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How to Make a Sink Tube Lightsaber

Whether it̵7;s for Halloween, a comic convention or just because you love the movies, no Jedi is complete without a lightsaber. Costume companies sell affordable plastic models, but they are flimsy and break or burn out. Custom lightsaber retailers sell handmade sabers, but they can cost hundreds of dollars. Instead of buying one, you can build your own lightsaber from a section of sink tube and feel the force for just a few dollars.

Things You'll Need

Heavy clamp
12-inch section of metal sink tube
Rotary tool
Metal sink knob
Foam rubber weather stripping
36-inch section of translucent plastic tubing
PVC glue
LED flashlight
Colored plastic sheets
Scissors

Instructions

- 1
  Clamp the pipe to a work bench, and file away sharp threads or burrs on both ends of the pipe. Both ends of the finished lightsaber will be covered, but exposed edges will cut you as you work.
- 2
  Thread a metal sink knob onto one end of the pipe. Pick a knob that complements the overall look of the pipe and that fits well in your hand. If the knob is too big, it will throw the lightsaber off balance and make it difficult to hold.
- 3
  Wrap foam rubber stripping around the center of the pipe. Spiral the stripping around the handle, taking care not to overlap the foam rubber. Add just enough foam rubber so that you can grip the handle comfortably, but not so much as to cover the entire length of the pipe.
- 4
  Insert a translucent piece of plastic tubing into the top of the lightsaber handle. The tubing should be slightly smaller in diameter than the inside of the sink tube. If the tubing fits well, pull it out, coat the edge with PVC glue and then reinsert it into the pipe. If the pipe is too small, wrap a piece of weather stripping over the tube before gluing. Set the lightsaber in a sunny window to dry.
- 5
  Unscrew the knob from the bottom of the handle, and slip an LED flashlight inside the handle. If you want to change the color, cut a circle of colored plastic sheet and tape it over the flashlight before insertion. Turn the light on prior to use, and screw the knob back on the handle.

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