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Step-by-Step: How to Make a Lightsaber

"Star Wars," one of the most popular film series of all time, is packed with epic "lightsaber" battles that have been watched, rewatched and imitated by generations of viewers. Although you may not be able to create a weapon made of a beam of light that can cut through flesh, it is possible for you to create an imitation with a very similar appearance and feel to what was used on-screen.

Things You'll Need

Drill
Duct tape
Pliers
8-to-12-inch-long PVC pipe 1.25-inch or larger diameter
On/Off switch or button
Battery pack
30-inch-long clear polycarbonate tube at least 3/4-inch diameter and able to fit in PVC pipe
25 to 35 LEDs of your chosen color
22-gauge wire

Instructions

- 1
  Drill a hole in the PVC pipe, which will be your handle, in which to place the on/off switch. The switch should be able to fit snugly inside.
- 2
  Cut a slot in the handle's bottom for the battery pack.
- 3
  Wrap duct tape around one end of the polycarbonate tube, which will be your blade, at a spot about 1/4 inch from the bottom. It should be wrapped thickly enough that the tube can be placed snugly inside the PVC pipe handle without wiggling or falling out.
- 4
  Strip both wires of all their insulation.
- 5
  Attach the longer leg of the LED to the top of the wire. Continue this down the wire, placing each LED where the one before it ends.
- 6
  Repeat this process with the shorter legs of the LEDs. As necessary, use pliers to crimp the LED ends onto the wire. Don't let the longer and shorter legs touch each other, or there will be a short circuit and the blade won't light.
- 7
  Jam your blade into the handle and string the LED wires through it so that they protrude out of the bottom of your handle.
- 8
  Solder your wires to the on/off switch and thread them through the hole. If you can't solder them, wrap the wire's exposed end around each lead of the button and tape it down.
- 9
  Attach the on/off switch's white wire to the battery pack's red wire.
- 10
  Attach the LED wire's long end to the on/off switch's red wire, and the LED wire's short end to the battery pack's white wire.
- 11
  Insert everything snugly into the handle. The blade should now be ready to turn on and be used.

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