DIY Decorative Acrylic RGB LED Lamp

Hello everybody, how do you do? This is project How-ToDo my name is Konstantin, and today I want to show you how a made this beautiful decorative lamp. Idea is not new and I saw similar things a couple of years ago, but recently I found a few gorgeous lamps like this and finally decided to build one. This video will be more like my own manufacturing experience rather than an assembly manual, because many things could be made easier and cheaper mostly because I don't want to wait for a right parts and just build it from what I have in the workshop.

Step 1: Engraving Acrylic

There are no tricks in this craft, basically it's just a piece of clear acrylic with a picture that's scribbled, and illuminated from one side with RGB LEDs. Of course you can scratch the glass manually with knife or dremel but I try to make it with mini cnc engraver, I spend some time on software, operation modes and so on. For example, I was told that if you pour water over the glass, it will not overheat, stick to the mill and you can significantly increase the speed. So after several attempts I get pretty nice result.

Step 2: Wooden Base

The next stage is a wooden stand in which electronics will be placed. And I again using the CNC machine, the 3d model was made in 5 minutes and sawed with a router in about an hour. As a material, I chose a piece of parquet brought from a trash can, after oiling anything will look gorgeous.

Step 3: Sawing a Workpiece

Then with a jigsaw I separate the workpiece, and I cut off the engraving contour, I know that cutting the acrylic isn't the best idea , but if you don’t slow down in one place and don't let it melt much, everything goes well. Now a little polishing and finishing with files. Made a tight fit of the glass so it can hold without glue. So if I want, I can install any other image. As I have already said, I oiling workpiece, the wood immediately acquires a beautiful texture and no one will guess where did I found it.

Step 4: Electronics

And now the turn of electronics. The perfect option would be a RGB LED strip powered by USB ( Aliexpress or Amazon) , especially since they cost just s few dollars... But I don’t have this strip and desire to wait delivery for one month. But I have 12V LEDs, arduino nano, a DC-DC boost module and some transistors. The electronics very hardly fit in the case. Upload firmware and it's working. You can enjoy the work done.

Step 5: P.S.

Was it possible to do everything without using a cnc machine? Yes sure, but for me it was an interesting experience engraving of acrylic, also I practiced working with the machine, and the funny thing turned out. But the next time I would take a picture with fewer details, I think it will looks better. And thats all I got for today, share this video, subscribe to me in social networks, I often post photos of new projects. Good luck everyone, bye!

Find me on social media:

https://www.youtube.com/c/HowToDoEng
https://www.instagram.com/konsta.kogan/

Comments

[appideas]

Very cool! Would you mind sharing your speeds (spindle RPMs and feed rate) and the properties of your bit for etching acrylic on your CNC router? You mentioned that you went through several attempts and finally achieved nice results, but didn’t provide any details about your conclusion.

Thanks!

[bobdole1221]

There like these ones. Gor glass you use diamond carbide bits and an assortment of stone bits

[appideas]

Awesome. Thank you!

I've been looking for an excuse to cut a huge sheet of acrylic into smaller pieces for milling. I'm getting closer.

[bobdole1221]

You can use a dremel to achieve the same results. Well maybe not the same if he used a machine like that. But its really easy doing it by hand glass is the hard one to get right. But u can ise a wood cutter bit like this one

[bobdole1221]

I did some similar work like that myself few years back. You got my vote, supporting my fellow etchers in crime lol

[bobdole1221]

And another. First one was on glass