KUCHING, Dec 19: The lightsaber is, undoubtedly, a universal icon, an epic movie prop in the science fiction genre. The sizzle it makes when it ignites and the hum when it is swung around, are embedded in the minds of moviegoers – something that is not so easily forgotten.
The iconic symbol, synonymous with the sci-fi franchise Star Wars, has gained the interest of one Sarawakian who took it upon himself to build the elegant movie prop.
Hadi Syazwan, 30, hailing from Sibu, painstakingly learned how to craft the prop weapon from scratch.
While working as a civil engineer, Hadi knew he had little to no knowledge of electronics or other skills required for such a project.
To start, he joined a Facebook group called “Lightsaber League Malaysia”, where he was guided by other Star Wars fans on how to build the prop, where to get the materials, and which tutorials to watch on YouTube.
In an interview, he said that his first build took quite a while to make, as he had to wait for the materials to be delivered and his hands could have been more deft in crafting the prop itself. Thus, a lot of trial and error went into the process.
“I had to learn everything, how to do the wiring correctly, a little bit of 3D designing for the chassis to hold the electronics. Even looking for the hilt itself, I had to go through multiple companies to find the one that was suitable and within my budget,” he explained.
For his final build, Hadi took it step by step, looking for the required materials on the internet, such as the metal hilt, batteries, microchip, speaker, and chassis.
As soon as he finished it, he posted pictures and videos of it online, where local fans sung praises for its awesomeness.
After a while, he started Bubuk’s Garage, where he helped to guide other lightsaber enthusiasts to build or upgrade their lightsaber collections.
Hadi is now teaming up with TXQ Sabers from China, cooperating with the Chinese company to build and design lightsabers for them on a part-time basis.
“I hope one day I can turn this into a full-time business, as now there are more and more people who have become fans of Star Wars like myself.” – TVS
