Star Wars ANH DL-44 Blaster with Lights & Sounds

Assembly, Wiring, and Proffieboard Setup Guide

This is the way I built and wired up my DL-44. There are probably other ways to do it, and by all means, do it your own way if you prefer. That’s one of the things I like about using a Proffieboard. You can change up the sounds and interactive functions later just by uploading a new profile through the Arduino IDE.

For this build, I used a Proffieboard kit from AliExpress. The kit came with wires, switches, momentary buttons, a speaker, speaker mounts/spacers, and battery terminals. In the end, I only used the speaker, speaker spacers, battery terminals, and one switch. The rest I kept aside for future projects.

The goal with this design was to make a blaster with lights, sounds, and a few interactive features, while still keeping it practical to build and easy to access later. Usually with these sorts of builds, you either end up with visible screws and screw holes ruining the look, or you have to glue the body shut and lose access to the electronics. After many, many iterations, I finally landed on a design that gives access to the internals without ugly external screws all over the prop.

Features

• Lights and sound
• Interactive firing modes
• Reload function
• Jam and unjam function
• Hidden electronics access
• Hidden USB charging using Proffieboard USB port
• Clean exterior without visible screw holes all over the body
• Proffieboard-based, so sounds and functions can be updated later

Before You Start

Flash the Proffieboard First

I would strongly recommend flashing the Proffieboard before doing any wiring to it.

That way you can confirm:

• Arduino IDE is set up correctly
• the board is detected properly
• the config uploads without errors

It is much easier to sort out any Proffie or Arduino issues before the board is buried inside the blaster.

Once the Proffieboard has been flashed successfully, you can move on to wiring everything up.

Flashing the Proffieboard

To make things as easy as possible, I will be including a ZIP file with 2 folders:

• blaster — this contains all of the sound files and goes directly onto the SD card
• ProffieOS — this contains the Proffie config and everything else needed to flash the board

The idea is to keep it simple. Extract the ZIP, copy the sound folder to the SD card, open the ProffieOS folder, and upload the config to the board.

EDIT: Unfortunately Makerworld has blocked the upload so I have hosted it on my Google Drive

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V6gSGCO6jELVhrg6zU1Ae9aIKrSvC9p8/view?usp=sharing

1. Extract the ZIP File

Download and extract the included ZIP file somewhere easy to find on your computer.

Inside, you will see:

• blaster
• ProffieOS

2. Copy the Sound Font to the SD Card

Take the folder named blaster and copy it directly onto the root of the micro SD card.

Do not put it inside another folder. It should sit directly on the SD card as its own folder.

3. Open ProffieOS

Open the ProffieOS folder, then open:

• ProffieOS.ino

This should open in the Arduino IDE.

4. Select the Correct Board

The Proffieboard support is not included by default in Arduino IDE, so you will need to install the Proffieboard Plugin first.

In Arduino IDE:

• go to File → Preferences
• in Additional Board Manager URLs, add:

https://profezzorn.github.io/arduino-proffieboard/package_proffieboard_index.json

• then go to Tools → Board → Boards Manager
• search for Proffie
• install the latest Proffieboard Plugin

In Arduino IDE, make sure the board is set to:

• Tools → Board → Proffieboard → Proffieboard V3

Also set:

• Tools → DOSFS → SDCARD (SDIO High Speed)

That DOSFS setting is specifically recommended for Proffieboard V3 in the official setup docs.

5. Plug in the Proffieboard

Connect the Proffieboard to your computer using a data-capable USB cable.

If the board does not show up, check:

• that the cable supports data and is not charge-only
• that the correct board and port are selected
• that the required Proffieboard support files are installed in Arduino IDE

6. Upload the Config

Once everything is set correctly, click Upload in the Arduino IDE.

The included files are already set up for this build, so in most cases you should not need to change anything unless you want to customise the sounds or behaviour.

Assembly Instructions

7. Assemble the Grip Section

Start by gluing the Left Grip to the Middle Grip using the 4 alignment pins.

8. Install the Battery Terminals

Solder wires to the back of the battery terminals first.

I bent the bottom of the terminal slightly so it would slide neatly into the hole in the left grip, then added a small drop of CA glue to hold it in place.

I put the positive terminal at the bottom so you do not need to run wires up and down the full length of the grip.

9. Install the Kill Switch

Take one of the larger switches from the kit and trim the positive wire so there is just enough length for the switch to sit in its cutout, while still allowing the wire to run around the outside of the battery slot in the internal groove.

Feed the wires through the top of the grip section, then up through the main body, and glue the switch into place.

This acts as the blaster’s kill switch / master power cut-off.

10. Build the Trigger Box

Solder wires to a 6x6x6mm momentary tactile switch. The wires should be soldered to the diagonally opposite pins.

Take the 4mm x 20mm x 0.5mm spring and place it into the Left Side Trigger Box, then install the tactile switch with the wires. I like to add a small drop of CA glue to the back of the switch to help hold it in place.

Now add the trigger, making sure the spring slides into the cutout on the trigger.

Fit the Right Side Trigger Box into place, gently press the trigger down until the holes line up, and secure the trigger box together with an M3 x 16mm screw.

Once assembled, slide the full trigger box into the main body.

11. Install the Rear Function Button

Solder wires to a 6x6x7.5mm tactile switch, again using the diagonally opposite pins.

Install this switch into the hole at the left rear of the main body. I add a few drops of CA glue on the sides only to hold it in place. Be careful not to get any glue into the switch itself, or it can seize up and become useless.

I also like to add a small amount of hot glue to the back of the switch for a bit of extra support.

This switch is used for reload / mode change.

12. Install the Speaker

Solder wires to the speaker, then slide it into the speaker hole at the front of the main body.

Once the speaker is in place, add one of the included speaker spacers from the Proffie kit behind it.

13. Install the USB-C Charge Port

Solder wires from the USB-C port to the GND and 5V pads of the male micro USB plug.

Insert the USB-C port into the slot next to the speaker. Sometimes the metal casing on the USB-C port is slightly too wide, so you may need to trim the sides a little so it fits properly.

Once it fits nicely, add a few drops of CA glue to hold it in place.

14. Install the LED Board

Solder wires to the LED board, then insert it into the flash hider. A drop or two of CA glue should be enough to hold it in place.

Once installed, glue the flash hider onto the barrel.

Wiring the Proffieboard

This is the wiring layout I used for my build. There are other ways to do it, but this method kept things simple and tidy for me.

15. Connect the Main Negative Wires

Take the following wires:

• negative battery wire
• one wire from the trigger switch
• one wire from the reload / mode switch
• negative wire from the LED

Strip about 10mm from the end of each wire, twist them together, tin them, and solder them to the Battery - / GND pad on the Proffieboard.

16. Connect the Main Positive Wires

Take the following wires:

• positive battery wire
• positive wire from the LED

Strip about 10mm from the end of each wire, twist them together, tin them, and solder them to the Battery + pad on the Proffieboard.

17. Connect the Trigger Switch

Take the remaining wire from the trigger switch and solder it to:

• Button 1 / BT1

18. Connect the Reload / Mode Switch

Take the remaining wire from the reload / mode switch and solder it to:

• Button 2 / BT2

19. Connect the LED Data Wire

Take the data wire from the LED board and solder it to:

• Data 1

20. Connect the Speaker

Solder the two speaker wires to:

• Speaker +
• Speaker -

Make sure polarity is correct here.

21. Connect the Charging Lead

Once all wiring is complete, and before closing up the barrel, plug the male micro USB connector into the Proffieboard.

This connector is used for charging the battery via the external USB-C charge port.

A couple of important notes:

• the kill switch must be ON for the battery to charge
• it is not fast charging, but it is still a handy feature to have
• make sure the connector is fully seated before closing up the blaster

I would also recommend testing the charge port at this stage before final assembly, just to make sure everything is working as expected.

Wiring Notes

• I like to pre-tin both the wires and pads before soldering them together.
• Keep the wiring as short and neat as practical so it is easier to fit everything inside the blaster.
• Double check that no loose strands are bridging pads.
• Before closing up the body, test the trigger, reload/mode button, speaker, LED, and charge port to make sure everything is working properly.

Testing Before Final Assembly

22. Test Everything

Before closing up the blaster, make sure you fully test everything:

• Trigger button
• Reload / mode change button
• Speaker
• LED board
• Kill switch
• Charge port

This setup is configured with a magazine size of 30 for both kill and stun, while auto fire does not use a magazine limit.

Make sure everything is working properly before moving on.

Final Assembly

23. Install the Top Barrel Section

Once testing is complete, install the Top Barrel.

The easiest way to explain it is that there is a lip toward the front of the barrel section, and that lip slots into the corresponding groove inside the front of the main body. Once the front is engaged, the rear of the top barrel drops down over the trigger box and electronics.

Take your time here and make sure no wires are pinched. I usually use a pair of tweezers to gently tuck the wires down into the open spaces inside the top barrel as I lower it into place.

Once seated properly, secure the top barrel from the rear of the main body using an M3 x 12mm to 14mm screw.

24. Install the Rear Lever and Hammer

Glue the rear lever into place.

Then press the hammer into position. The hammer is intentionally a very tight friction fit and should not be glued. This is done on purpose so the hammer can be removed later, allowing access to the electronics inside the blaster.

25. Install the Speaker Grill

Fit the speaker grill into place and secure it with an M3 x 6mm to 8mm screw.

26. Install the Grip Magnets

Install the 8x2mm magnets into the Middle Grip and Right Grip.

27. Complete the Remaining Assembly

From this point on, the assembly is the same as the Hero version, including fitting:

• Glue the Scope Mount to the Scope Holder, using the alignment cutouts so it sits square.
• Glue the Scope Holder Offset Bushing into the keyed cut-outs on the Main Body.
• Glue the Scope Holder Middle Knob onto the scope mount boss, then secure it with an M3×12 mm screw.
• Slide the full mount assembly onto the body bushing and glue it in place, again using the cut-outs to align it properly.
• Glue your chosen side scope knobs onto the mount, then drive 2x M3×12–20 mm screws through them into the main body to lock the mount in place.
• Glue the Scope Front and Scope Rear together, using the printed seam as an alignment guide.
• Attach the Scope Top Knob with 2x M3×6–8 mm screws.
• Glue the finished scope into the scope holder.
• Fit the 2 identical Scope Rings over the scope and onto the mount, then secure them with 4x M3×6 mm screws. M3×8 mm screws will also work.

Controls

This setup is designed to keep things simple and fun without going overboard.

• Trigger = fire
• Rear hidden button short press = change mode
• Rear hidden button hold = reload
• Bang the blaster when jammed = unjam
• Kill switch = full power off

Sound File Format

For the included or custom sound files, use:

• WAV (Microsoft)
• Signed 16-bit PCM
• Mono
• 44100 Hz

That is the format I used for the working sound files in this build.

Final Notes

One of the best things about this build is that once it is all together, you still have access to the electronics inside without ruining the look of the prop with visible screws everywhere.

That was a huge part of the design goal from the start, and after a lot of redesigns, I think this version strikes a really good balance between looks, function, and practicality. Charging is handled through the built-in USB-C port, which connects to the Proffieboard via the internal micro USB plug. It is not fast charging, but it works well for topping up the battery, and the kill switch must be turned on for charging to work.

Yes, Proffieboards are not as cheap as using something like an Arduino Nano clone and a DFPlayer Mini clone, but after doing a lot of testing with the cheaper electronics, the overall experience is nowhere near as good as a Proffieboard. The DFPlayer clones in particular have a pretty noticeable latency issue with sound playback, and once you notice it, it becomes distracting fast. I also had trouble finding a decent amp and speaker setup that gave the result I wanted, and by the time you start adding better parts and working around all the limitations, you can easily end up at or above the cost of a Proffieboard anyway, just with more complicated wiring and more effort managing different power requirements for different components.

Another thing I like about this setup is that you are not locked into just this one build. You can upload your own sound font, make your own custom config, or even recover the electronics later and reuse them in a different prop or lightsaber.

I’d definitely encourage everyone to have a go. I’ve tried to break down most of the hard parts of a project like this into simple steps, so really all you need to do is upload a few files, do a little soldering, and you’re in business.

If you build one, I’d love to see it.

Bill of Materials (BOM)