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How to put together an eerily glowing neo-retropostmodern ultraviolet indicator lamp.
This shows the construction of the first two that I made as a way to evaluate the PCB etching process outlined in another Instructable. My idea is to use these as indicator lamps in some other projects.
My son insisted that I enter it into the LED contest because he wants a TV-B-Gone kit, so be sure to vote it up if you like it. (Click the + icon at the top of this page)
You should open this pre-requisite Instructable in a new tab or window: http://www.instructables.com/id/Stop-using-Ferric-Chloride-etchant!--A-better-etc/
It is the method used to do the etching in this instructable and has the added bonus of giving the PCB's a nice green tint.
Eventually I will make stained wood and brushed aluminum enclosures for these. I also plan to make use of these as indicators on some projects. (They are actually quite significantly brighter than they appear in the pictures)
This shows the construction of the first two that I made as a way to evaluate the PCB etching process outlined in another Instructable. My idea is to use these as indicator lamps in some other projects.
My son insisted that I enter it into the LED contest because he wants a TV-B-Gone kit, so be sure to vote it up if you like it. (Click the + icon at the top of this page)
You should open this pre-requisite Instructable in a new tab or window: http://www.instructables.com/id/Stop-using-Ferric-Chloride-etchant!--A-better-etc/
It is the method used to do the etching in this instructable and has the added bonus of giving the PCB's a nice green tint.
Eventually I will make stained wood and brushed aluminum enclosures for these. I also plan to make use of these as indicators on some projects. (They are actually quite significantly brighter than they appear in the pictures)
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Signing UpStep 1Gather materials
Aside from the etching materials (which are listed in the separate Instructable noted) you will only need:
- Ultraviolet LED's - I got 200 for $10 on eBay. I think cool backlight effects could be made with any LED combination you like, my preference just happens to be UV.
- Fluorescent acrylic - McMaster carries this, as do alot of industrial supply houses. I got mine for $0.99 in the form of a tacky cutting board from a thrift store. Again, green is my preference, but the material comes in a couple of fluorescent colors. I think that maybe I'd like to try red, too.
- Standoffs - I used #8 threaded couplers
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I had the PCB on the back run off an ATtiny13, a coin cell and a push button that turns it on, causing it to fade the LEDs in and then out again.
I couldn't get my hands on any acrylic, so instead I just used three 3mm LEDs - they light up the PCB in front (FR2) quite nicely.
I made a quick build log of it:
http://negativeacknowledge.com/2008/03/02/mothers-day-08-a-light-up-box/
You can get the acrylic from McMaster if you don't feel like digging - I've never bought it from there, but I do know they carry it. I see alot at thrift stores an you can find clipboards to cut up at Wal-Mart, Target, OfficeMax, and the like.
Someone else had sent me a msg asking about getting started with etching so I looked around for some web pages that I thought would be useful:
Here's what I found:
http://www.headwize.com/projects/garbz2_prj.php
http://myweb.cableone.net/wheedal/pcb.htm * I had never read this one before - it's a little more technical way of doing the printout, but I think it may be a better way.
http://www.solarbotics.net/library/techniques/buildpcb_trnsfr.html