# HalloWing Lightsabers
## Overview
Making your own lightsabers may sound like a highly involved project that takes years of study under a wizened master, and exotic tools and materials -- but it doesn't have to be difficult at all!
In this guide we'll show you how to make your own interactive **no-soldering-required** lightsabers using common materials from the hardware or craft store and a few simple techniques.
With the HalloWing, **we can use the onboard accelerometer to detect saber swinging and hitting motions** , control the NeoPixel strip for blade animations, and play sounds through the built in amplifier to a small, yet powerful speaker!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd63NYqafHg
https://youtu.be/bpuFKjrTW8M
## Parts
### Part: Adafruit HalloWing M0 Express
quantity: 1
Skull-shaped ATSAMD21 board w 1.44" 128x128 TFT display
[Adafruit HalloWing M0 Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3900)
### Part: NeoPixel Strip 0.5 Meter
quantity: 1
with 3-pin JST connector
[NeoPixel Strip 0.5 Meter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3919)
### Part: Mini Oval Speaker
quantity: 1
8 Ohm 1 Watt
[Mini Oval Speaker](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3923)
### Part: Lithium Ion Polymer Battery
quantity: 1
3.7v 500mAh
[Lithium Ion Polymer Battery](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1578)
## Materials & Tools
In addition to the components listed above, you'll also need:
- Plastic tube, such as a "bulb guard" used to protect fluorescent tubes, available at most hardware stores or [online](https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/86743/PLAS-100269.html) 24" long, ~1" outside diameter
- Sheet of white corrugated plastic, a.k.a "Coroplast", available at most craft stores, hobby shops, and office supply stores
- Roll of parchement paper or wax paper
- Hobby knife
- Hot glue and hot melt glue gun
# HalloWing Lightsabers
## Build the Lightsaber
## Creating the Blade
The blade of the lightsaber will light up from within using a strip of NeoPixels. To get things looking their best, we want a nice stable blade with good diffusion so you don't see the individual LEDs.
For this, we'll use two strips of corrugated plastic (A.K.A., CoroPlast) to sandwich the LED strip. The sandwich will then be inserted into the plastic tube with a roll of parchment paper as a diffuser.
## Tube Guard
First, remove the plastic end caps and cut down your plastic tube to 24" in length. You can use a hobby knife or scissors to to this.
## Plastic and NeoPixel Sandwich
Measure and cut two strips of translucent corrugated plastic a little shorter than the NeoPixel strip, and just a but less than the inside diameter of your tube.
Make the sandwich, and then use strips of clear tape to secure it.
## Diffusion
Measure and cut a length of parchment paper the same length or a few inches shorter than your tube. (Full length is fine, but a bit shorter makes cable management a bit easier later).
Carefully roll the paper, avoiding wrinkling it, to just a bit smaller diameter than the tube, then insert it into the tube.
## Insert the Light Strip
Carefully insert the plastic/NeoPixel strip sandwich into the tube, being careful not to bend the diffusion paper.
## Wire Slit
Use scissors to cut a short slit in the tube end. This is used to allow the wire to exit the tube without eating up too much of its length!
## Toy Handle
First, we'll show how to re-use a toy lightsaber handle. If you want to use a plumbing sink extension instead, scroll down a bit.
Danger:
## Blade Reduction
Extend the blade and then use a hand saw or power saw to cut through the end of the bottom section. This will allow us to remove the other, smaller sections.
## Battery Storage
Now you can place the battery into the base of the tube blade and run the wiring out of the slit.
Place the tube guard over the remaining toy blade as shown.
Push the tube down into the handle.
## HalloWing Circuit
Now we can connect the speaker, battery, and NeoPixel strip to the HalloWing, and then mount it to the lightsaber handle.
## Speaker Connection
Plug the speaker cable into the HalloWing's A0 SPEAKER JST socket.
## NeoPixel Connection
Next, plug the NeoPixel cable into the HalloWing's NEOPIX JST socket.
## Battery Connection
Plug the battery into the HalloWing's battery JST connector.
## Handle Attachments
You can attach the HalloWing and speaker to the lightsaber handle as shown, using double stick foam tape. Zip ties work great as well!
For the sticker, you can peel off the adhesive oval's covering and connect the speaker directly to the handle. Even though the speaker is technically "facing in" it is of nearly the same volume either way -- this may be due to the handle acting as a resonator.
## Sink Extension Handle
You can make a nice handle for you saber with all kinds of materials found at the hardware store. I picked a 1-1/2" x 12" sink drain extension tube. Here's how to incorporate it.
The diameters of the tube guard blade and the handle are not the same, so we'll create a tight coupling for them using corrugated plastic.
The key here is to transform the corrugated plastic, which is normally stiff, into a bendable sheet by slicing through the top face.
## Corrugation Slicing
Cut a piece of corrugated plastic about 4" wide by 2-1/2" high making sure that the fluting is running vertically as shown.
Being careful not to cut through the bottom face, use a hobby knife to slice the top face between each flute of the corrugation.
You'll now be able to easily bend the plastic, wrapping it around the base of the tube.
## Make a Coupling
Use a strip of tape to secure the coupling as shown, and then push the assembly into the handle, making sure to allow the wires from the NeoPixels and battery to clear.
## Add the HalloWing
Now, you can connect the HalloWing to the NeoPixel strip, battery, and speaker by plugging them into their respective JST ports.
You can use double stick foam tape to attach the HalloWing and speaker to the handle.
## Styling
How you dress up and style your handle is a matter of personal choice. Express yourself!
Here, I decided to go with a retro 80s sci-fi styling by adding an alternating black-and-chrome grip motif to the handle.
I did this by cutting and slicing another piece of corrugated plastic, attaching it with tape, and then using a chrome paint marker.
# HalloWing Lightsabers
## Program with CircuitPython
## CircuitPython Setup
To get started, you'll want to set up your HalloWing by [following this guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing/circuitpython). When you're ready, and can upload code to the board return here.
Adafruit really likes using the Mu editor to edit the CircuitPython code. [See this guide on loading and using Mu](https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython/installing-mu-editor).
Warning:
More details on using with CircuitPython 6 can be found [here](https://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=173815&p=848030#p848030).
## Libraries
You'll also need a couple of libraries for this project. [Follow this guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing/circuitpython-libraries) on adding libraries. The only two you'll need are the **neopixl.mpy** and **adafruit\_lis3dh.mpy** files from the Circuit Python bundle in the 'lib' folder, so just drag those two from your downloaded, unziped 'lib' folder onto the HalloWing.
## Sound Effects
The code was designed to call on five different sound effects depending on your actions. Here are the actions and related sounds:
- Press A2 to turn on lightsaber: **on.wav**
- Hold lightsaber mostly still: **idle.wav**
- Swing lightsave: **swing.wav**
- Hit lightsaber: **hit.wav**
- Press A2 to turn off lightsaber: **off.wav**
Download these two .zip archives containing the sound effects sets for standard and unicorn modes. Then, unzip them. Depending on which sound effects set you want to use, drag the entire **sounds** folder for that set onto the HalloWing.
[sounds_standard.zip](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/060/744/original/sounds_standard.zip?1535736202)
[sounds_unicorn.zip](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/060/745/original/sounds_unicorn.zip?1535736211)
Info:
## Lightsaber Code
Here is the code for a standard lightsaber. This is a "standard" lightsaber, with a single color blade. (Check out the Unicorn Mode code down below for multicolor action!)
You can customize it by changing the `COLOR` values -- we have some presets, but you can use any RGB color combination you like.
Copy the code, then paste it into Mu and save it to your HalloWing with the name **code.py** (or **main.py** ) the board will automatically run the file named **code.py** (or **main.py** ) so you must use one of those names.
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Hallowing_Lightsaber/lightsaber_standard/code.py
## Unicorn Lightsaber Code
Here is the code for a Unicorn Mode lightsaber with multicolor rainbow effects!
Copy the code, then paste it into Mu and save it to your HalloWing with the name **code.py** (or **main.py** ) the board will automatically run the file named **code.py** (or **main.py** ) so you must use one of those names.
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Hallowing_Lightsaber/lightsaber_unicorn/code.py
# HalloWing Lightsabers
## Lightsaber Action
https://youtu.be/kvBYW7OG6L8
Now you can use your lightaber! Here are a few notes on operation.
- Depending on battery size, you'll get from 30 minutes to a couple of hours of continuous use -- power is conserved when the blade NeoPixels are "retracted" and when the board is powered off with the on/off switch
- You can charge the battery by simply plugging the HalloWing into USB power
- Deploy and retract the blade by touching the A5 capacitive touch pad as shown in the video above
- Gentle swings trigger the swing effect, fast swings or hitting things (not too hard) will trigger the hit effect
- If the sensitivity for swings and hits is off, you can adjust in the code the `HIT_THRESHOLD` and `SWING_THRESHOLD` values
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6WqMguLhbk
## Featured Products
### Adafruit HalloWing M0 Express
[Adafruit HalloWing M0 Express](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3900)
[This is Hallowing..this is Hallowing... Hallowing! Hallowing! ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGiYxCUAhks&t=39s)
Are you the kind of person who doesn't like taking down the skeletons and spiders until after January? Well, we've got the development board for...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3900)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3900/guides)
### AdaBox009 - HalloWing
[AdaBox009 - HalloWing](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3956)
Are you the kind of person who doesn't like taking down the skeletons and spiders until after January? Well, we've got the ADABOX for you. This is electronics at its _most spooky!_ ADABOX 009 is Halloween themed, for all of us who love scares, costumes, and (of...
No Longer Stocked
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3956)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3956/guides)
### Mini Oval Speaker - 8 Ohm 1 Watt
[Mini Oval Speaker - 8 Ohm 1 Watt](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3923)
Hear the good news! This wee speaker is a great addition to any audio project where you need 8 ohm impedance and 1W or less of power. We particularly like this speaker as it is small and comes with nice skinny wires with a connector on the end. It has a handy...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3923)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3923/guides)
### Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 500mAh
[Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 500mAh](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1578)
Lithium-ion polymer (also known as 'lipo' or 'lipoly') batteries are thin, light, and powerful. The output ranges from 4.2V when completely charged to 3.7V. This battery has a capacity of 500mAh for a total of about 1.9 Wh. If you need a larger (or smaller!) battery,
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1578)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1578/guides)
### Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip with 3-pin JST PH 2mm Connector
[Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip with 3-pin JST PH 2mm Connector](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3919)
Plug in and glow, this **Adafruit NeoPixel LED Strip with JST PH Connector** has **30 total LEDs** in a **"60 LED per meter" spacing** , and is 0.5 meters long, in classy Adafruit Black. Its not too long, but has lots of glowing action.
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3919)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3919/guides)
## Related Guides
- [Adafruit Hallowing M0](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing.md)
- [Synchronized Eyes with Two HalloWings](https://learn.adafruit.com/synchronized-eyes-with-two-hallowings.md)
- [CircuitPython Display Support Using displayio](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-display-support-using-displayio.md)
- [Adafruit Hallowing M4](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing-m4.md)
- [Wireless LED Juggling Balls with ESP-NOW](https://learn.adafruit.com/wireless-juggling-balls-esp-now.md)
- [No-Code Rain Sensing Smart Desktop Umbrella Stand](https://learn.adafruit.com/no-code-rain-sensing-smart-desktop-umbrella-stand.md)
- [Terminator Eyeball Upgrade](https://learn.adafruit.com/terminator-eyeball-upgrade.md)
- [HalloWing Googly Eye](https://learn.adafruit.com/hallowing-googly-eye.md)
- [Adafruit PyBadge and PyBadge LC](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pybadge.md)
- [Hallowing Minotaur Maze](https://learn.adafruit.com/hallowing-minotaur-maze.md)
- [Introducing Adafruit Feather](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather.md)
- [Holiday Tree with Feather RP2040 Scorpio](https://learn.adafruit.com/holiday-tree-with-scorpio.md)
- [NeoPixel Remote: IR Control with WLED](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-remote-ir-control-with-wled.md)
- [Last-Minute Halloween Accoutrements with HalloWing](https://learn.adafruit.com/last-minute-halloween-accoutrements-with-hallowing.md)
- [HalloWing All-Seeing Skull](https://learn.adafruit.com/hallowing-all-seeing-skull.md)
- [Glowing Mirror Mask](https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-mirror-mask.md)