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Step 4Prep the copper tube
Before you start, you'll need to know how long you want the tube to be. The painting, I wanted to illuminate had a width 50cm (19.69 inches). In my opinion, it looks best when the length of the tube is a little smaller than the width of the painting or photograph, that you're illuminating. I found out that 45cm (17.7 inches) was a nice length for me, so I sawed off a 45cm long piece of the tube using a hacksaw. After you've sawed off the desired length of tube, it's a good idea to sand the end of the tube, as it can be pretty sharp after you've sawed it.
Once you have sawed off the desired length of tube, you can start drilling the holes in your tube. Start by drilling the two screw holes. I drilled my holes one centimeter from the two ends of the tube.
After you've drilled the screw holes, start drilling the smaller holes for the LEDs. I drilled my first "LED hole" 1.5 centimetres from the screw hole (2.5 centimetres from the end of the tube).
Next, you'll need to do some math. You'll need to calculate how far the holes for the LEDs should be from each other. The spacing between the two outer LED holes is 40cm in my case. This is how you can calculate it: Take the number of LEDs, you want and subtract one by that number (in my case 9-1=8), then take the distance between the two holes (in my case 40cm) and divide it by that subtracted number.
The reason why, you'll need to subtract one by the desired LED quantity is that if you measure the distance between your outer two LED holes, the first hole is going to be at "0cm" at you tape measurer or whatever you use to measure, and last hole is going to be at "40cm". So if you want say 8 LEDs on 40cm and you just use this calculation: 40 divided by 8 is 5, and you start drilling the holes with 5cm between each hole, you'll end up having 9 holes, because the first hole is at "0cm". So always subtract one by the desired number of LEDs.
The result of that calculation is 5 in my case. That means that the distance between each LED hole should be 5cm.
Use a permanent marker to mark up, where you want to drill the holes.
Once you have sawed off the desired length of tube, you can start drilling the holes in your tube. Start by drilling the two screw holes. I drilled my holes one centimeter from the two ends of the tube.
After you've drilled the screw holes, start drilling the smaller holes for the LEDs. I drilled my first "LED hole" 1.5 centimetres from the screw hole (2.5 centimetres from the end of the tube).
Next, you'll need to do some math. You'll need to calculate how far the holes for the LEDs should be from each other. The spacing between the two outer LED holes is 40cm in my case. This is how you can calculate it: Take the number of LEDs, you want and subtract one by that number (in my case 9-1=8), then take the distance between the two holes (in my case 40cm) and divide it by that subtracted number.
The reason why, you'll need to subtract one by the desired LED quantity is that if you measure the distance between your outer two LED holes, the first hole is going to be at "0cm" at you tape measurer or whatever you use to measure, and last hole is going to be at "40cm". So if you want say 8 LEDs on 40cm and you just use this calculation: 40 divided by 8 is 5, and you start drilling the holes with 5cm between each hole, you'll end up having 9 holes, because the first hole is at "0cm". So always subtract one by the desired number of LEDs.
The result of that calculation is 5 in my case. That means that the distance between each LED hole should be 5cm.
Use a permanent marker to mark up, where you want to drill the holes.
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