Obi-Wan Kenobis Lightsaber From Wood ??

[@michaelcostello906]

Just an FYI: need more beauty shots at the end of your latest videos. The end-of-video boxes pop up before the glamour shots do so you can't see the thing.

[@ianmadeit]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@malonecustomdesigns]

Totally agree. We don't get to see the finished product enough!

[@linesanraman7974]

If you're watching on your phone, just press and hold on an area of the screen that doesn't have a box on it, and move your finger slightly. The boxes go away as long as you're pressing the screen.

[@jasmeralia]

@@linesanraman7974 doesn't seem to work on my Android tablet, unfortunately.

[@mikeworks-woodworkingcarpe9377]

Johnny, make the epoxy work by forming it inside of a 1 & 1/4" PVC pipe. Coat the inside of the pipe with mold release before pouring, and perhaps wait an additional few days. The challenge would be removing it from the pvc, but I imagine a few careful shallow cuts on the table saw could help with that.

[@carphotography]

the clear plastic guards for florescent lights would work perfectly and could be easy cut off.

[@tntodorov]

Two 3-foot pieces of PVC pipe can be cut in half lengthwise, a kerf-width off-center, so that connecting the 2 larger cut pieces together will produce a perfect circle again... Then apply mould release agent on the inside, tape well together and fill with epoxy. The only problem I see would be getting rid of bubbles.

[@ChiefMoonChunks]

I have made epoxy rods out of PVC, it works pretty well. Definitely let it set for a few days though

[@UnforgivenLlama]

Agreed!

[@pete_nana]

I think PVC pipe that’s pre-halved would work. Pipe clap it back together.

[@BMSculptures]

Glad the mold release worked out for ya!

[@christopherpitts2101]

Would it be possible to use a thinner acrylic as a “spine” within the epoxy pour? If so a clear acrylic would allow the light to penetrate more evenly. Have a feeling the epoxy wouldn’t light up as easily.

[@surfer04u]

You could use Pvc as the mold and then just cute the pvc off that should work.

[@John_Malecki]

We thought about it, but the thickness and nowhere for the gas to release so we thought it would for sure crack

[@patrickbrander1775]

@@John_Malecki if the pvc was held vertically the bubbles can still float to the top. If you're concerned about overheating you could suspend the pvc tube in the middle of a garbage can full of water. Clamping the bottom of the tube to a cinderblock would stop it floating and keep it plumb.

[@nater1402]

Could still use the PVC but cut it in half to allow gas to escape and fuse the two sides together, might leave a seam but might not

[@SkewToob]

You could probably pour it vertically, cap it, then lay it flat and drill a couple of holes in the top to release air

[@BeardedWoodcrafts]

Make a silicon mold of the acrylic then fill that mold with the epoxy. That way it comes out the shape you want it without having to turn it!

[@SuicideNeil]

I was gonna suggest using a pool cue or snooker cue to make a silicon mold and then pour the resin into that to avoid having to turn the shape. I think they decided on the hardest possible solution instead...

[@B-DINO]

@@SuicideNeil when someone has a lathe to make things round they no longer have the ability to process any other way of making something round lol

[@LRN2DIY]

Great stuff, John. That epoxy looks like a beast to work with for that shape. I’ve done a lot of turning and even solid wood in that shape can get wobbly. Nice pivot!

[@Winterborn3420]

agreed and one could say it was "slightly squirrely"? I'll take my hat and go now

[@dwmatthews113]

Maybe use acrylic tube with a cap on the end in the shape of the tip of the lightsaber. Coat with mold release and pour the resin in with a slow narrow pour to keep it from bubbling up. When it’s dry cut two lines on opposite sides and pull apart. Should have a nice finish from the smooth acrylic. Smooth out the lines from cutting with more resin and sand.

[@solitudewoodworking]

This was my thought also. Makes me want to try it now

[@tinkerer4]

Square up the epoxy on the table saw as exactly as you can and then use the appropriate round over on the router table to make it a cylinder. Leave the ends square so you have reference faces while routing. Then chop the ends off. It won't be perfect, but it'll be super close. Then just sand and polish.

[@knarf247]

I’m gonna be honest, you just gained all the respect in the world for me for this because as a fellow Star Wars fan, I can tell you with absolute certainty. You could not have picked a harder Hill design to try to turn from wood and mount and epoxy blade onto. Obi-Wan’s health design, especially at the top is so skinny. I just the balls on you for even attempting this I have nothing but respect for you, man.

[@scottyingling7336]

As someone who turns resin on a lathe, I use polyester resin (specifically Silmar-41) instead. So much easier and polishes up great too. One downside is you can't pour too deep with it

[@ClintTredway]

Do more crazy projects. This was an awesome one

[@John_Malecki]

thanks Clint glad you enjoyed it

[@ClintTredway]

@@John_Malecki I watch all your videos. You guys motivate me to try new things. Doing my first forged carbon piece this weekend. Also doing an epoxy sign for my father in law for Father’s Day to put above his bbq.

[@KNRBClan]

Feed the epoxy rod through the headstock of the lathe in small increments and turn as you go. Switch ends halfway through and use the steady rest as needed, so you won't have more than half of the rod under tool pressure. You can affix a spider to the outboard side of the headstock to support the excess.

[@nfix09]

the head stock hole on a wood lathe is only big enough for a knock out bar, something like 1/2 inch

[@Travisjd117]

This brought a massive smile to my face! I love it! I would love to see more movie/TV show props.

[@brianbarham7077]

Have you seen his Thor’s hammer video. It is one of my fave.

[@iambigsteveo]

Siiiick. More movie props please!! May the force be with you Darth Malecki.

[@thekembe27]

I had this exact problem with epoxy handles for a serving board. In the end... I worked smart not stupid!! Cast the resin in a pipe just bigger than the size you need. UPVC would be best. Then cut the pipe off to remove it from the mould. This will give you a nice round shape to work with from the beginning and saves you a lot of struggle. May need a sand and a buff to get the shine back, but will be a lot easier and safer than this process. Well done for trying though John. Love your work.

[@John_Malecki]

Yea my only concern was the deep pour. It wont have a way to offgas

[@thekembe27]

@@John_Malecki Give it a go. What's the worst that could happen? Just leave the top of the mould off and leave it for an extra day or 2. Good luck with the rest of your work. Really enjoying the channel and have accomplished a lot thanks to you guys.

[@Jrod7498]

Would've loved to see the epoxy work out. I'm just getting into epoxy and I don't really know much about it. Maybe if you did several layers it might have made it more durable. But I don't really know. All in all I love your videos John. Thanks for keeping us entertained

[@DavidsWoodturning]

I am a woodturner and watching this was painful and entertaining at the same time.Thanks for the content 😀

[@benrevell8773]

More B roll ??? It looked awesome 👏

[@matthewderezinski8103]

See more projects like this one please, nice work!!!

[@AC-im4hi]

Michael Alm has a table saw lathe video on KZbin. You can also try doing it on the router table if you can find the right bit.

[@dl_97201]

Your experiment with the epoxy and what you ended up doing with the acrylic proves what other DIYers have had to do which is run some kind of support through the middle and attach a spiral of LEDs to that. "I Like To Make Stuff" made a lightsaber a few years ago with clouded acrylic on the outside surrounding a wooden dowel wrapped in LEDs in the center. For an epoxy blade, which would look cool but you will need to make it look "cloudy" to hide the support, I would probably use something like 1/4 or 1/2in (threaded?) rod with a string of LEDs wrapped around it and encase that in epoxy. That would give it stability and durability for turning on a lathe.

[@evangerbino6980]

You could try an acryilic center with with the epoxy around it. that way you have something solid in the middle and you can get that two color/white and blue effect that lightsabes have

[@techexamined]

That was AWESOME!!! Even though the epoxy didn’t work the replacement was still cool!!! Great work on the Hilt..

[@John_Malecki]

Thank you my friend!

[@CrabtreeJK]

This was awesome! I would love to see more movie related projects.

[@EN_Tactical]

For strength in the hilt, you can bore a hole through the center and glue a steel rod through the length of the hilt.

[@OhioPowerTool]

Yes please build more move props. Was really waiting for Jordan & Sam lightsaber battle that never came...

[@jordaneiseman8319]

i was going to say that you should mount a strong tube through the center of the epoxy to make stability for the epoxy. also might be easier to put into the lathe. only problem could be that the light might not project enough through the epoxy because of the metal tubing.

[@smu1129]

Couldn't you have Miss Piggy carve two tapered crevices in the right dimensions into plywood, tape that with Tyvek, pour. After it set maybe add a LED strip, polish and glue the two halfs together. Great Video - as always.

[@TheLongHairedFellow]

I'd suggest bringing down the gloss on the acrylic either with something like scotchbright or a matt clear coat to help the light bounce more throughout the acrylic.

[@rhinopaul115]

Love the video. Maybe you could use the jig Izzy uses for making dowels on the table saw to round the epoxy. The drill spins much slower than the lathe.

[@scottdesmond6123]

I've wood tuned 7 lightsabers in the last couple of years including the hilt you jut made. Only made one that lights up using a kit off ebay. The blade was the hardest bit. Tried a acrylic tube filled with resin but didn't work. Thought about casting resin and turning but very heavy. Ended up buying one from ebay. Good job you did tho

[@Th0r2814]

I made a blade from resin before and I used one of those clear light cover tubes that I cut down one side and just twisted it til I got a good size, ran clear tape down the seam and stopped off the bottom end and just poured. The plastic actually released nicely

[@exotictones1054]

Fun stuff.john not being a turn did as good as he could have.that acrylic wasn't dry.

[@jackmccarthy2276]

One of your coolest projects to date, please do more like this

[@rodpotts2666]

I was thinking you would add a oak dowel in the center of your epoxy. Y’all always end up pulling it off. Sweet!

[@BobbyFNE]

You can make a silicone mold with a wooden dowel. With this mold you can get a nice already round resin part.

[@troynething2976]

Never have done any turning since high school. But looks like your having fun. Definitely liked the Sam Adams shirt you are sporting. Best beer around!!

[@sgrisez]

Awesome project! Can you embed the acrylic into the epoxy to give it more rigidity and strength?

[@John_Malecki]

Im gonna try!

[@danielmashburn8518]

Def more Star Wars stuff like helmets and furniture inspired by it!

[@xof-woodworkinghobbyist]

Would pouring the epoxy in an ABS tube (plumbing pipe) work? Then you just need to cut the pipe when the epoxy is cured and it would be cylindric already, no need to turn. Just an idea. (I am not an epoxy specialist, though)

[@ketojake5864]

probably depends on thickness. the good thing about doing it the way he did is it opens up a whole side for the heat to escape so there it little chance of cracking. doing it in a tube, would be difficult for heat to escape.

[@xof-woodworkinghobbyist]

@@ketojake5864 Good point.

[@gabesmith3938]

Awesome job John! Definitely would love to see more movie props

[@norcross26]

That is some great wood working with the handle of the Saber. I think you should have your the boat epoxy.. you guys always have good results with it. Also when trying to turn it I think you were having better results with the disk sander.. awesome job. I love star wars

[@codyhoskins2012]

Could you do a smaller piece of acrylic and epoxy mold around it?

[@John_Malecki]

Potentially. We should try that on another one

[@JMBurke]

First thing, the lightsaber hilt is friggin awesome. You could just make those as flash lights. But regarding the "laser" tube- I would use some PVC pipe and fill that with the epoxy. let it cure then cut away the PVC.

[@fritzyyy]

Could you have used a round over bit on the router table to turn that into a dowel?

[@jennynations7676]

Nick Zemmeti did this with a mold for his resin. He added sound and lights to it. Maybe check out his technique and get some ideas from that? But I did like how you did yours in the end. Handle was epic

[@davidjwilson3]

That was a fun one. Thanks for sharing the adventure!

[@jacobhargiss3839]

There is a way you could get resin to work. Get an acrylic tube, and pour the resin directly into it. You could also make a silicon mold of your finished blade and pour into that. Unfortunetly resin just isnt stiff enough for something that long to be turned on the lathe.

[@chefgoldielocs]

The amount of squirreliness in this project is of epic proportions and I couldn't be happier ☺️ 😍 😌 😊 ❤️!!

[@John_Malecki]

Yes Tiffany yes!

[@terrencethompson376]

Would LOVE more props vids. Also, definitely need more/longer views of the finished products, they’ve been pretty short lately and also partially covered by the “more videos” icons

[@westvirginiaminer3046]

I think putting a metal rod or maybe a smaller acrylic rod in the middle of the epoxy would give it the stability that you need. It would also give it a cool contrasting effect

[@TheWoodFly]

Nice job. Did my handle on the rotary CNC. I was amazed when I looked up "lightsabre" how MANY designs there were. Nice job in narrowing it down and very cool idea to use a prefab blue tube - safer and probably stronger!

[@1993Revhead]

Also could of made a turning jig on the table saw for the expoy to work. 👍

[@Rich_photo77]

Awesome video Sir. Could you not use some plumbing pipe cut in half for your mould to make the resin round to start with. Just a thought.

[@Azurko]

HELL YEA! That thing is sick! I'm tempted to turn a hilt just for myself (no epoxy / acrylic).

[@JokelesComedian]

To make it work, maybe use a pvc pipe as the mold so it is already round? Maybe a smaller pvc in the middle to make it hollow though the thing so the light goes to the end

[@ultimatum8020]

I think you should make the shape for the acrylic out of wood or something easier to turn first to make a negative for a mold. You might have to do a bit of filler and sanding to fix any imperfections in it after, but then once that's done, put silicone on it to make a mold out of it and then pour it into the mold once it's set. It should be near perfect at that point if you did the first part right, maybe a bit of wet sanding or polishing after

[@johnbottone3753]

I think the acrylic worked better than the epoxy could hope to. But you can make a jig to "turn" the epoxy on the table saw, suspend it above the blade and rotate it with a little crank this way you wouldn't have it getting all wonky with the high speed rotations, I have seen people build these jigs for making round stock on the table saw. Stay squirrely my friends.

[@jasonlangstraat3385]

I love these kind of projects, you should have used clear epoxy and put colored LED's for your blue and green!

[@richardangevine3768]

Fantastic!!!!! Don’t hurt yourself!!!!

[@jimj.9106]

John, a suggestion for thez light Saber. Use a 2-1/2" piece of PVC tubing which will give you the roundness. Inbed a piece of 1/2" EMT as a core for support for the epoxy. Use a good mold release on the EMT so you can remove it. When you have the epoxy down to size, remove the EMT and fill the cavity with a fresh pour of epoxy. You may have to up the size on the tubing to get adequate support.

[@John_Malecki]

Great idea jim, the epoxy cant be poured that deep tho. It would have to be a lot of stages to get it or poured in a refridgerator

[@jimj.9106]

@@John_Malecki The fridge would probably be the best option. One question I haven't had a chance to test out but maybe you know, does the orientation of the mold make a difference?

[@PorterWoodworks]

Love it.....Chubby John Cannoli! Too funny. Acrylic definitely was the way to go. The epoxy just looked way too sketchy to turn.

[@jack1235ify]

That was very fun to watch ! despite the setbacks you made it work the best way you could and it still turned out pretty cool!! thanks !

[@timmose6628]

They sell plastic tubes to store worklight bulbs. Couldve filled one with redin. Woulve been round to begin with. Pretty cool episode. Great job

[@seasawwoodworking]

I’ve not done that long of a turn on epoxy. If I were with you, I might have let the epoxy cure for at least a full 7 days. And I would have used two of the balance jigs instead of just one given the length. These are just my thoughts as I haven’t tried that long of a turn. Would love to see you try it again… if I don’t get to it first! Great job on the build!

[@keats182]

I think you need a collab with Adam Savage. Especially, since you were making it up as you went along, it came out awesome.

[@justinpepin6706]

i never worked with epoxy but i think i'd take a pvc pipe cut it down the center lengthwise and make 2 halves, tape it back together and then cork one end and pour the epoxy in the other end? at least it would be round to start? love your channel

[@ANTHONYWILBURN-i9t]

I know it has been 2 years since the light saber that you made, (by the way I love your channel, and I'm a Steeler fan living in Texas) but I was going to say if you make the handle a little bit thicker for your xl hands, you can slide the tube all the way down and you can really swing the light saber.

[@melvinshew5127]

Those would be soooo cool as a night light or just a walk decoration in a kids room or in a man cave above a bar back . . . Kinda like Howard in Big Bang Theory Love the channel keep up the great work

[@siebe41]

Maybe try to get some pvc pipe, cut a channel to pour into and do the pour in that? Then you could find a big enough router bit to clean up the one edge. A big round over bit could be another option.

[@HighSchoolDropout96]

Fill the acrylic with the resin just a lighter color then the acrylic

[@IMattisMeI]

Very Adam Savage of you. Great Build and love the format! Keep it up Mr. Cannoli

[@tantrumsam6839]

Got an idea for making your blade from Epoxy. Make a doweling jig with a tapered opening just pass the sucker through. Should come out straight and uniform.

[@ZavernKY]

would you be able to do two semi-circles for the resin, and then put the two halves together somehow? Maybe have some dividers here and there whilst they are drying, so they can be removed after, kinda like how you did the hockey table. Then you might be able to slide in discs of the same color resin with some glue or something? Not too familiar with resin myself.

[@moffitdrew]

Best time of the week when a new big J video pops up on the notifications

[@brihifi]

Could you spilt a piece of pvc, coat the inside of each half in mold release, Pour each half and then glue them together? That would allow for you to route a channel in the center for LEDs

[@malonecustomdesigns]

I was also thinking about this...but I was thinking to Tyvek tape the two halves together and just pour all at once.

[@Vickie-Bligh]

Nicely done, John.

[@ThisThing5649]

Such a great video! I really think the acrylic ended up working out better then the resin would. If you still wanted to try resin tho your best bet would be to use a long dowel to make a mold then pour the resin into so you wouldn't have to get squirrely with it cuz it would come out of the mold already in the shape you need.

[@briannacauser2061]

Love the Seahawks colors!!

[@josh9853]

Use the CNC to shape the top half. Make a rest that is about 1/4 diameter of the circle (so you have clearance) to hold the part after you flip it then machine the top half. Just take note of your reference edges/surfaces

[@elc7795]

Adam Savage would be proud! Don’t know if it would work, but combine the two methods you were trying. Put the epoxy in the lathe and use sand paper to form it.

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic work, John! It turned out beautiful! 😃 What people usually do is use an acrylic pipe and stuff lots of LED strips inside. Could be fun as well! Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@AG_Gamin0304]

What If u make a star wars table and now with the lathe you carve the legs to look like the main lightsaber hilts stacked so like one leg is Anakin, Luke and Ray's lightsaber stacked another Yoda, obi-wan, and Mace Windu's lightsabers and etc. Idk if it's possible just an idea I thought of after seeing you make Obi-wan's lightsaber.

[@williambarrett7328]

try putting the acrylic along the center of your epoxy--that will both strengthen it and defuse light

[@peterblyth112]

Could you cast the epoxy round - maybe using a cardboard tube or a piece of pvc pipe well sprayed with mold release - and thus avoid the need to turn it ?..

[@clnchdfstsblckis413]

Awesome vid! You should definitely do more projects like this. Just a thought but what if you cast the resin in something round like a PVC pipe and then cut it off or cutting the pipe in half and doing the blade in two parts and then putting them together after the epoxy sets?

[@Rockhopper1]

I am a propmaker and I would give you my process, which is hit and miss, don't lathe resin, it has cold and warm spots from the friction and just goes crazy, rule of thumb is anything over 1 in 6 ratios (length to diameter) with resin on the lathe will cause you issues. Instead make a wooden form on the lathe, using a wood story stick placed lengthways prior to turning. That's the simple bit, then next thing to do is go to the band saw and using the thinnest blade possible due to kerf split the wood lengthways, make a two-part mold using keyways, however, I would just CNC it, see later, you need to measure the ID of the wood to match the ID of the silicone food grade hose. If you buy in a food-grade hose (which has no bits or internal friction). Lay the food grade hose out as straight as possible it needs to be silicone. Clean it through with alcohol to remove any water. tamp the end. Now you need to fill it with a clear resin, it needs to be slow cure resin, the hose has to be 18 c temp, and the resin part a and b has to be 18 degrees, prior to mixing. You pour the mixed resin into the hose till it looks full, this is the tricky part you need to use a vacuum to pull the air bubbles out prior to pouring, but once you pour in you need to remove the tamp. This is the clever bit, you run out the hose so it's double the length of your blade then you bend it back on itself so it looks like a U with a curved bottom . So when you pour the resin in it has a way to push the air out, double the length so you can make two internal cores, in case of one failure. Even crazier if you use a shop vac on one side it helps pull the viscous resin through and removes bubbles. Once done cork the ends, and lay the hoses down, you can rig a jig for this. This resin needs to be at 18 degrees, So I would suggest heat lamps, or a tinfoil cardboard oven with even heating, you are trying to prevent the resin hardening in some areas than others, Let the slow cure happen over days, you can rotate the jig if you want. Crack a cold one and relax. Meanwhile, you can use the former to make a silicone mold. Or I would task Jordan with the CNC machine to create two formers out of a thick wood cast that in silicone you cant have him slacking. Then when you are ready here is the tricky bit, you get the silicone tube, and cut the cured resin out, slightly give it some tooth with wire wool. You lay the hose-made resin inside the silicone form so that it makes an internal core, then marry the two-part mold together and pour the outer coloured resin into the mold. At this point, you pat yourselves on the back because you remembered to make vents to allow air to escape. You also pat your selves on the back for remembering to warm up the resin and silicone jacket. Send out Jordan for meats, crack a cold one or two, then a couple of days later you pull the blade out, clean it up and mount it into the hilt. Hope that helps.

[@ScoobySnackOG]

I love this Star Wars epoxy project! You should make a table with the xwing figures inside fighting each other! I’m making one for myself but I can’t find many videos on it 😂

[@FAhmad1782]

Looks amazing! How fragile are they? Do a stress test on a short. Fighter with the longer broken saber wins

[@lukedorey]

I'm sure the handle would just break in the thin part. It would be pretty anticlimactic.

[@TheChristCenteredCraftsman]

I’ve been planning on doing something like this. But I was going to use a pvc pipe as my mold. Don’t know how it will work, but worth a shot.

[@MicaMakes]

Very awesome! Love how giddy you got after turning the handle 😂. Looks really good

[@danssmokintreasures]

Seriously one of your best videos John. Love it.

[@marcusfragale2375]

You could have used pvc as your mold then cut the pvc off after the cure. When you did the pour seal both ends with caps then drill holes in the top where your pouring so when you pour it fills the mold and doesn’t have air pockets.

[@corywall]

Great job! Definitely do more props

[@anthonyspear483]

John, that is amazing! My suggestion is something Mandalorian. It will be super popluar

[@johnrickel7233]

What about turning the resin on the table saw. Make a jig that uses a drill to rotate the piece and then feed it through the table saw using the jig. can turn the resin slower with the drill and possible avoid the wobble.

[@tyrannosaurusimperator]

That jig you made is called a steady rest or follow rest.

[@rimapatel853]

Just an idea. Can you use the pvc pipes, a thick and thin, line it inside and and this way you have a thin area inside the tube for better disbursment of light, less appoxy and will already be round so no shaping required.

[@dmkpredator]

опроволокно ( наверное пойдет даже простая рыболовная леска)+темная экопсидка внутри, а затем в несколько слоев эпоксидка более светлых тонов.