Cut the leather wrapped handle of the whip 6" below the hilt knot. This will allow enough length to slide inside the new PVC handle we'll be making to hold the electronics.

Use gaffers tape to secure the wires of the two LED strands to your shortened whip handle.  Run the wires together down the handle in a straight line.  Do not wrap them around the handle as this may cause problems later when we are inserting the whip into the PVC handle.

 

Use gaffers tape to secure the wires in place.

Clamp your whip handle securely and braid the two LED strands around the length of the whip.  

Alternate the strands so that strand 1 goes over strand 2, then strand 2 goes over strand 1 and so on.

When you reach the end of the LED strands dab a bit of E6000 glue onto the end wires and secure them in place with some gaffers tape.  Apply some glue to the seams of the gaffers tape to give it added strength.  When you crack this whip there is a *lot* of force that transfers through the whip and if your LED strands are not well secured they will break loose with time and use.

It's time to make the handle that will hold the electronics for our whip.  We'll be using a 12" length of PVC pipe with a 1" interior diameter. You can buy this at most hardware stores in the irrigation department.  

NOTE: Most pipe is measured by its exterior diameter so be sure to find a length of 1" interior diameter pipe. You need this 1" interior size so that your Feather board will fit inside.

Somewhere close by in that same aisle of the store you'll find a PVC cap that fits your pipe.  You'll need this to hold your electronics in place and to house the spiffy activation button for your whip.

Hold your USB port up to the PVC handle and mark its approximate size on the pipe with a Sharpie.  Place it about an inch from the end of the handle so that there's room for the PVC cap to fit over the end of the pipe.  

This end we will refer to as the "pommel" end of the handle.  The leather whip will be inserted into the other end which we'll call the "hilt" end.

Use a drill to rough out the hole for the USB port and then fine tune it with a small file.  You want the USB port to fit snuggly.

Put a small dab of E6000 glue on the outer housing of the USB port and using needle nosed pliers insert the port into the hole you've made.

Seat the port so it sits flush with the exterior wall of the pipe.

Connect the LED strands to the Feather board and then connect the battery.  Feed the whole assembly into the PVC handle from the hilt end being careful not to let the wires get pinched inside the handle.

Once the electronics are well fitted inside the PVC handle slide the whip handle into PVC pipe.  It should fit snugly.

We're now going to secure the whip handle to the PVC handle with a screw.  Be sure you position the wires such that the screw will not damage them.

Drill a small pilot hole through the PVC pipe and into the whip handle.  You can counter sink it if you like so that the screw head will fit flushly with the exterior of the PCV.

Drive a wood screw through your pilot hole and into the whip handle. Again, be sure your wires are positioned so as to avoid being damaged.

Use some tennis racket tape to give your whip a good solid grip.  Be careful not to cover your USB port.  You'll need to access that to charge your battery.

Use a 5/8" spade bit to drill a hole in the PVC cap. 

Remove the hex nut ring from the button assembly and slide the assembly through the hole in the PVC cap.

Place the button wires through the hex nut ring and use some needle nose pliers to tighten the ring down on the barrel of the button assembly.

Connect the USB cable and activator button to the Feather board and test that everything works (that the LEDs light).

Be sure to make that classic lightsaber ignition sound as you press the activation button!

Use a pencil, barbecue skewer or hat pin to carefully insert the battery and then the Feather board.  Be careful that the Feather board is turned so that it fits past the USB port and that there is room for the cables.

Everything should fit just right so that the cap can hold it all snug inside the PVC handle.

Now, put on some eye protection, don your best space cowboy outfit and crack that whip!

This guide was first published on Jul 08, 2020. It was last updated on Mar 27, 2024.

This page (Whip Assembly) was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

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