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Finally! I got my hands on one of the new LEGO produced lightup figs. You know
what comes next - MUTILATION!!!
First, some observations of the LEGO version:
The packaging states the batteries are not replaceable. With a little work, you
can pry off the back on the minifig torso and replace the two CR927 wafer
batteries. Just find the hole on either side of the torso and stick something
small into it and pry...
The head won’t come off (easily), as its an integrated part of the switching
mechanism that turns the lightsaber on and off. You have to hold the head down
for the light to turn on. Upon release of the haed, the light will go off.
Also, the face pattern is different from the previous Darth Vader face.
The arm has been molded with wires in it for the LED in the hilt. There is not
wrist joint, so no twisting of this lightsaber is possible. Upon “researching”
this, I also learned that the grey part of the hilt can’t be removed from the
black part of the arm without mechanical help from my trusty Dremel. Upon
“disassembly” of said arm, I soon realized that I would not be putting it back
together again.
The LED inside the hilt is is clear in color and square in shape. When powered,
the LED shimes red. It was a little larger than shown in the photos on my site,
but I got a little carried away with the Dremel. I was going to shave it down
to use in my mod of this fig, but it was still too large after gentle trimming.
Each battery is actually 3v for a total 6v series connection inside the torso.
There is a resistor in the lower left corner inside the torso (see photos) which
brings the voltage down to a level that won’t blow the LED (around 2-3v).
The hips are now an integrated part of the torso. This was done to allow the
maximum room for the battery holders, the batteries, and the switching
mechanism. The legs are standard legs and are posable and removeable.
Now for the fun stuff:
I immediately took every piece of this minifig apart except for the negative
battery contact and connected resistor. I then modified a standard Vader arm
and chrome saber hilt in the same way my other mods have beed done. This arm,
when added back to the new fig will have a twistable wrist and will have more of
a “stock” look to it than the new LEGO version.
I removed the head and head switch for discarding. A standard LEGO minifig head
will fit on the head stalk, so I chose the old Vader head for the replacement.
The only thing left was to install an ON/OFF switch like my previous figs
sport...
After careful modification of the positive battery contact, I was able to
integrate a SPDT slide switch which is accessible from the back of the minifig
near the head. I cut the “battery cover” to accept this new switch. Now the
lightsaber can be turned on without taking the legs off (like my previous mods).
Also, the lightsaber can be turned on and left on without having to hold the
head down. The nice thing about Vader is his cape covers the switch I
installed.
OK, enough babbling, here’s the photos:
-Rob Hendrix
http://www.brickmodder.net
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In lugnet.starwars, Rob Hendrix wrote:
> Finally! I got my hands on one of the new LEGO produced lightup figs. You
> know what comes next - MUTILATION!!!
Rob, my favourite line on your page:
"Modding LEGO's rendition of my LifeLites minifigs"
LMAO!! Stick it to 'em :]
That "trash-can-lid" minifig head on the TLC version is bizarre.
I can't believe they didn't make the batteries replaceable. Well, actually,
I can. But it seems especially silly for "Try Me" packaging...
I recally one of your LifeLites' versions having the saber removeable from
the hand, where the in/out of hand made it light up. To me that was the
neatest implementation and, in movie terms, the most realistic.
At the end of the day, does using the TLC version as a starting point gain
you anything, meaning, are there any useful parts or construction in them
that makes it easier to produce a LifeLites-like fig than starting from
scratch with a stock fig?
KDJ
_____________
LUGNETer #203
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In lugnet.starwars, Kyle D. Jackson wrote:
> I recally one of your LifeLites' versions having the saber removeable from
> the hand, where the in/out of hand made it light up. To me that was the
> neatest implementation and, in movie terms, the most realistic.
Ooh good thought. What might be even neater is if the blade itself is
removable, so that when you put the blade in, it lights up. That would be even
more movie-realistic.
~Kevoh
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Good information to know. I like the way you replaced the arm with one with a
posable hand. One thing I don’t understand is why you replaced the head switch,
did you break it?
Tim
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In lugnet.starwars, Kyle D. Jackson wrote:
> I can't believe they didn't make the batteries replaceable. Well, actually,
> I can. But it seems especially silly for "Try Me" packaging...
I got a kick out of that when I was in the store today. It's especially funny
when you realize it says "Batteries not replaceable" and "Try Me!" almost right
together... it's like that moment when Wile E. Coyote stops after he runs off a
cliff, just before he looks down and subsequently falls.
At least the K-Mart people thought about it--they put out the boxes with the Try
Me panel facing backwards. But then, this is the K-Mart where the Lego is under
an ancient Mega Bloks banner and vice versa, so it's probably just a lucky
accident.
-Andrusi &&
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"Tim David" <talltim@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:IEnCt7.1uws@lugnet.com...
> Good information to know. I like the way you replaced the arm with one
> with a
> posable hand. One thing I don't understand is why you replaced the head
> switch,
> did you break it?
>
> Tim
I replaced the head switch with a different switch so you could turn on the
saber and leave it on without having to "hold" it on.
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In lugnet.starwars, Rob Hendrix wrote:
>
> "Tim David" <talltim@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:IEnCt7.1uws@lugnet.com...
> > Good information to know. I like the way you replaced the arm with one
> > with a
> > posable hand. One thing I don't understand is why you replaced the head
> > switch,
> > did you break it?
> >
> > Tim
>
> I replaced the head switch with a different switch so you could turn on the
> saber and leave it on without having to "hold" it on.
Yeah, I realised that after I played with one in a shop!
Tim
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