Finishing a sword with a core, questions

[north wedge]

I'm working on Ike's sword, Ragnell, and it has holes for dowels. My two questions are:

1. Would you assemble and glue it all on the dowel before sanding/priming/post processing or would you do some post process first?
2. Its about 5 feet long, right now I'm thinking wooden dowel instead of aluminum or metal pipe, I want to be able to swing it around. Do you have experience with different materials as cores?

[stark trellis]

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[wild spoke]

1 . Assmeble first. That's the only way you're going to get the joins/seams filled and sanded flush until they disappear.
2. metal rod if you're going to be swinging it around

[warped bay]

I would only do minor sanding post processing on any part that would be very difficult to reach after you assemble it and those just do a very quick rough sand.

Agree with Sgt on the metal rod. A 1/4" rod is plenty strong enough to act as a core and isnt very heavy. If you go wood you would need a dowel thicker than the blade to be effective at all.

[tidal egret]

I am making a 6.5 foot shardblade with a foam exterior, I am using a hollow 1 inch steel pipe. I have found that even a 1 inch steel pipe (thin ish walls) is not too heavy, and very strong. My sword is obviously very large so a thick core is ok. If you want to swing it, and it is only 5 ft and thin, a fiberglass rod is fantastic. Aluminum bends really easy, I don't reccomend. Wood is a good option but if you are going to swing it it needs to be pretty thick. I have yet to try copper but it is a good budget option from what I know. I designed my sword in 2 halves so I can put the rod in as I am assembling it (but that is for foam).