Get the LED Out: Glass Filled LED Lightbulb

How I made this awesome glass filled led light bulb.

THIS PROJECT INVOLVED HANDLING BROKEN GLASS.
I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW YOU USE THIS INFORMATION. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS PROJECT. IF YOU DO I AM NOT LIABLE FOR ANYTHING

Step 1: Materials

What you need:
Tools
-Pliers, leatherman, or similar
-Soldering Iron
-Screwdriver, hammer, etc (for breaking glass)
-Clips or clamps


Parts
-Blue led (other colors would work)
-Light bulb (best if its burned out)
-solder
-Wire
-Broken glass (clear)
-Scrap of plastic
-Power source (batteries, usb cable, wall wart)
-Shower thingie (what goes between the head and the wall to cover the hole)
-glue (testors model glue, or just use epoxy)
-epoxy
-Tape

Step 2: Prepare Light Bulb

Now that we have all of our materials, we start by taking off the bottom of the bulb and breaking out the filament and other inner parts.
Using pliers pull off piece of metal on the bottom.
Using a screwdriver break out the dark glass on the bottom.
Break out the glass holding the filament

Step 3: Fill With Broken Glass and Insert LED

Fill the bulb with pieces of broken glass.
Solder wires onto the led and put it into the glass.

Step 4: Fill With Glass Part 2

Fill the bulb up the rest of the way with more glass.
Take a piece of plastic and cut it into a circle the size of the hole on the bottom of the bulb.
Poke 2 holes in the plastic for the wires from the led to go through.
Pass the wires through the holes and put in on the end of the bulb and glue or epoxy it.

Step 5: Epoxy Base to Bulb

Take the bulb and stand it up in a jam jar with a rag.
Place the shower flange thingie on it and make sure it is on straight
Epoxy them together, and let it dry

Step 6: Solder on Plug

Next strip red and black wires of the usb cable and solder it on to the wires connected to the led. You might want to use a resistor depending on your power source.
Cover the solder with epoxy.
Clip the usb cable to the underside of the base in a loop shape and epoxy it.
Let the epoxy set and then remove clips

Step 7: Plug It In

Now all you have to do is plug it in.

If I had the parts and time I'd make this powered on 120 vac instead, so I could plug it into a socket.
http://www.discovercircuits.com/DJ-Circuits/aclinepilotled1.htm

I hoped you liked reading this instructable as much as I enjoyed making it.

I'd like to thank Patrik for the circuit diagrams, Eric, and the rest of the crew for helping make this contest possible, and to everyone who donated prizes to it.

If you like this project or have questions please comment, and don't forget to rate it.

Comments

[amandaggogo]

This is awesome! And so pretty! I want one! But alas I do not have soldering skills or a solder or LEDS. :0( Awesome instructable though!

[shah -baba]

if i have to plug it in a socket what should i do

[LastDevil]

Very Well done there mate ;) I'd want to try something like that but not sure if it would work and i'm not crazy enough to do it :)

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks!

[bombmaker2]

you should try to use colored mineral oil.

[jtet37]

this has got me thinking, add some mix of coloring oil and water, and/or colored glass/leds

[revhead]

this is a nice Instructable. very easy to follow and interesting. I might make one of these that is powered by a joule thief so that I can have a cool night light for my coffee table, and put those half dead AA batteries to use. thanks for the idea.

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks! Be sure to post some pictures of the finished product.

[Zippy_Pyromaniac]

AAGGHHH!!!! I WAS PLUGGING IT IN AND MY ELBOW HIT IT!!!! Noooooo! It took me three Afternoons to make!! And now I'm out of lightbulbs! -.-

[LinuxH4x0r]

GRRRRR! I hate when that happens D: My concrete lightbulb broke!!!

[Zippy_Pyromaniac]

Can I cover up a small hole the size of a pencil in the bulb with some scotch tape?

[LinuxH4x0r]

I suppose so

[Koil_1]

Or you could buy a bag of clear plastic chunks from the craft store. They also sell small polished pieces of glass and light colored agates. Either would work and should be a lot safer than broken glass shards. This statement of course for those of us who consider ourselves to be foul fumblers of fragmented fragile things...

[spacessj]

I made one a while ago and used 2 LEDs. Still have to make a base though. One note on breaking glass: watch out for glass powder. It's dangerous if you inhale it and it's a real PITA to clean up

[darkmuskrat]

jeez, someone thought of the RGB led idea...damn

[conrad2468]

i think i am going to make a basic stamp version of this with a bicolor led and a reg led!

[LinuxH4x0r]

Cool! Post pictures when you do

[conrad2468]

ill see what i can do

[CameronSS]

For 120V power, you could use a few neon indicators hooked up in parallel. It'd be red-orange, not blue, but it would eliminate circuitry.

[Big Bwana]

These are a fairly unknown neon bulbs ok they don't use neon but they are the same voltage rating ( 120 Vac ) and size, as the Ne-2H Orange / red bulbs most people know , they are kinda rare. But they are BLUE and GREEN, and not like most cheap indicators which use a orange neon and green / blue plastic filter, which still look orange they are true blue and green bulbs....

Now I got my when Radio Shack was closing out in Canada a few years back,(( 90% off )) and I don't remember the part numbers and they might still carry them in the US but the Source by CC in Canada doesn't ... I did find them at electronics goldmine and they do mail orders

Blue Neon bulbs http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G15710

Green Neon bulbs
http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G16489

And in the kiss principal is neon bulb with the already attached resistor of the right value, empty light, solder and 120 VAC and you should get about 5 to 20 years of service out of it .... ((( the neon bulb on my freezer still works and it's from 80's )))