Official Jet Pack Beacon

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Originally posted by mechroid:

Hi all,I posted this on the jet pack thread but probably should have done it here as the 'traffic' seems better [so,moderator,feel free to delete wot u want]....goes like this... Me+a sidekick had disscusions today about found SW parts...he seems certain the jet pack beacon is scme kind of BRAUN hair curling device handle + says he has 1 or even 2...they were his mothers so the age would be right...they reportedly have the curved center + the mesh thimble [over the light]onthe end...I have NOT seen these yet and it will take a while to retrieve the parts....my mate is an SW parts nut so he knows wot he's looking at...just hope his memory is as good!...Ill post news of this as soon as it is in my hand ...one way or another
comments anyone? ">
silence+tumbleweeds...
this is where I hear a chorus of ,WE KNOW THAT!,

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

Originally posted by Braks Buddy:

We DID'NT know that but we are now VERY interested in what you find.. Please keep us posted!!! Veyr exciting stuff!!!

http://pub82.ezboard.com/basyouwish><img​

Restless soul, enjoy your youth - Eddie Vedder​

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

I couldn't remember which side the light was supposed to go on, but the size fit better on the right side, so that's where I put it. It's just another one of those flashing light thingies, this time in sort of a beacon shape. I came across it at Target.

It's supposed to be a necklace...again, I fail to see the sexual attraction supposedly inherent in flashing lights. Perhaps these companies believe we are related to moths, bees, or mosquitos. I hope no one tries to ask my jet pack out on a date.

It twists on and off, and I reach up inside my pack to turn it on/off. It flashes red, blue, green, purple, and teal. If I decide that I don't like the whole thing flashing, I'll paint the lower part of it so only the top shows. It's much brighter than the picture shows.

The best part is, it took less skill and less time than the Easiest Rangefinder Lights Ever!

 

[Migrate from As You Wish]

A couple of guys who bought a light beacon from me had asked for a directions to install a light inside. I don't have an offcial diagram drawn but I will be working on one. For the time being, let me explain how I did mine.

First the bulb. Any flash light bulb or large white LED will work. If you use a flash light bulb as I did, you will need to grind the flange just below the buld off with a Dremel tool. Then solder a wire to the bottom contact and one the the side casing of the bulb. If you use a LED then just solder them to the leads. My power source is 4 AA batteries. They last me about 6 hours or so. You'll need a small to medium size switch and a battery case. Both can be obtained from Radio Shack. Wire the light to the battery pack with the switch on either the positive or negative side of the circuit to turn in on and off. Then assemble the beacon with the bulb inside. I mounted my switch to the back of my jet pack (side facing me) so I can easily turn it on and off. The battery pack is stuffed inside the pack through the hole that my strap comes through.

 

[bigkidbiggertoys]

I just found these clip on LEDs that run off watch batteries & flash 3 different colors. They are super bright & look like emergency lights! I think this would look awesome lighting up a beacon. The display was wired to run off 3 AA batteries so you could rewire it & run a remote switch on your pack somewhere. I don't have a a scanner but I'll try to post a pic tonight.

 

[DL44 Blaster]

Ooooh,...tell me more about these watch battery LED's.My jet pack is already completed,and closed up.I have a/the machined jet pack beacon,and a hollow threaded nylon bolt which fastens it to the pack by screwing it on from the outside.I did it this way just in case something like this came along,and I could wire up a very small lighting system for my beacon.Unfortunately it must be small,but these watch battery lights sound like a perfect solution to my particular application.AAA batteries would fit,but I could only have enough room to wire one battery,and it would have to be a direct solder to the LED,...although I suppose a micro switch would be possible,but still a single AAA battery isn't alot of juice.

ANY help here would be greatly appreciated


Steve

 

[bigkidbiggertoys]

They take 3 watch batteries but the one I saw displayed used 3 AA's. They LEDs flash blue & yellow & are extremely bright. I think they cost about $7 each. They remind me of aircraft marker lights or emergency vehicle lights. I bought them at a costume shop. They also had some that lit up blue, yellow, & red.

 

[DL44 Blaster]

Looks like a trip to Radio Shack is in order tomorrow

 

[mcabrera1275]

Has anyone modified a resin beacon to include a light? How can this be done?

 

[MaxPlague]

mcabrera1275 wrote:Has anyone modified a resin beacon to include a light? How can this be done?

Haven't seen a resin beacon yet, but I imagine it's nothing that a little drill & dremel couldn't fix.

 

[MaxPlague]

How about those silly little flashing antennas for cel phones? Those couldn't be that hard to wire to a battery and switch...and they come in a variety of colors (although I think Boba's blinked white)

http://cellphones-accessories.com/calseneqflas.html

Just pop one inside your beacon and you're set. They sell these things in malls and online starting at around $3.

Or just wire up your own strobing led...I can't imagine that'd be too hard either (though I've yet to try)

 

[LisaFett]

I don't know about what you can get from dealers, but you can get light up wands that are the same size as the beacon for about $6-$7 at Target. They are not exatly accurate, but they look good.

 

[Mercutio]

Actually, you can also buy them that flash just one color -- red or blue or whatever. I think the handle looks a little bit different on those, though, but I saw both versions at Target in the flashlight section.

 

[batninja]

I've been using a homemade beacon for a few years now, but someone out there MUST be making/casting these things. I felt like such an idiot when I saw someone else's beacon at Celebration II. Any leads on these? In a hollow version?

PM me, if possible.

 

[Jedi Bob]

I recently purchased a resin beacon and am in the process of hollowing it out.

As you can see, I still need to epoxy in the air bubbles and sand down the openings.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to light it? ALSO, if anyone has a good close up of the real ROTJ beacon, Please post.

Thanks

 

[DarthVader1]

Hey, I need help on this topic too, and I think that the best way is to buy one of these Mini-Maglites, but get one of those that sells at any Dollar Store, but they have two different sizes, regular size and extra small. I have the regular Mini Maglite ($1), but I'm gonna buy the extra small one that comes in a set with a pocket knife, a pocket plier (leatherman-gerber style), and it costs around $5 for all. Get a small Hair Spray or water cap (clear or opaque/clear). I'll try to experiment, and a washer big enough to fit the maglite in. Use either glue or solder the washer to the maglite, and do a hole in the JP to fit the bottom of the maglite. That would give you the ease of replacing the batteries from it. or you could try to make something like running a cable from the maglite to somewhere in the Jet Pack to install the batteries.

Be advise, that this is just an idea and I'm willing to experiment with it in the really near future. The results will be given to you once I'm done with it. Any other ideas will be posted. Any questions, PM/email me.

 

[webchief]

I did the whole mini-maglight and hairspray cap cover for mine last year. It worked pretty good because you could just twist the cover and the light would work.

Now on my new pack, my buddy is going to machine me an aluminum one with removable cover to put LEDs into. I can't wait to get it.

 

[Jedi Bob]

Would you say the beacon is white light or yellow? What about the flashing rate? I was thinking about using those screw-in caps for the tires that flash with movement. I figure with the bounce of your step, they should keep the flash rate interesting if not consistant.

 

[Boba Freekk]

is this for a ROTJ or ESB jet pack?

 

[Jedi Bob]

Mine is ROTJ