Tips and Techniques for the Sabre Crafter

Paint and glue... As touched upon in the "anatomy" section, they are a necessary evil, but AVOID them whenever possible. For anything but pure display purposes, try to remember: Under "normal" use, paint WILL chip and wear and glued joints WILL break. Try to find components that are already the correct color and use mechanical fasteners (screws, bolts, etc.) whenever possible.

The sabre's "core"... Try to build your sabre around a single continuous piece. A 1-1/4" extension tube, for instance. Otherwise, you may find yourself holding two or more pieces of a sabre that broke apart at the point where they were glued together (yes, that glue thing again).

Putty... Oatey brand epoxy putty. Use it to sculpt details on your sabre, or fill gaps and holes. It dries "hard as steel" in just a few minutes, and can be sanded and painted. Very good stuff!

Safety First Many other sites may not point ths out, but be careful. Especially when using power tools. That Dremel tool may not seem like much, but cutting into your finger or hand with it will guarantee a trip to the emergency room, and likely a few stitches too. So always anticipate what could possibly go wrong, and then make every effort to prevent it. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I have the scars to prove it.