Illuminated Shot Glass Shelf

Soo I have this Massive Shot Glass Collection.

Instead of letting them sit around and collect Dust, I thought it was about time to give them a Home !

Be warned, This is a Test of your DIY Endurance!

You can make a simple White one instead of RGB to Simplify the Project :)

This is my Entry to a few Contests, Any Votes would be Appreciated! :D

Be sure to Favorite and even Subscribe for more Projects coming up in the near Future :P

Let's get Started !!

Step 1: Cut Lumber, Drill Holes, Stain and Seal

I decided to use Fir simply for budget reasons. My local hardware store had some stock that was 2.5 inches wide that I used for the Shelves, and some 3.5 inch wide that I used for the outer structure. Cut your wood of choice to the length you need for both parts. Mark a center line down the middle of the shelf pieces, and measure out the spacing for the holes from there. I chose to use 3 Inches between the Glasses. Precision is key; Take your time !

After that you will need to use your Table saw or a Router to carve a groove in the back of the shelf. This will hide the Wiring.

I used a 1.5 inch Forstner bit for the larger outer hole. this is what will your shot glass will sit in. I then used a smaller 3/4 inch Forstner bit for the inner hole. This one mush be deeper to hold the Led. Then a simple drill bit to connect the grove in the back with the led holder. It really helps to use a drill press with a depth gauge ! If you don't have access to one, you can mark your bit with a sharpie or even some tape.

Lastly, because mine will eventually have an Acrylic cover, I used my Table saw to carve a 1/8 inch slot in the top and bottom of the unit. the bottom one is 1/8 inch deep while the top is 3/8 deep. This way you will have the clearance to slide the acrylic cover into the top slot before letting it rest in the bottom one.

Step 2: Solder Led's and Other Electronics

This gets a bit tedious...

Be sure to read through the NeoPixel Uber Guide to learn how to use the Led's

This is why I suggest using White led's. A white led will only need two solder connections each. These Neo-Pixels (Ws2812b) require 4-6 solders each. 65 led's X 6 connections each = 390 Solder Joints :'(

If you choose to use Neo-pixels or straight white led's, the next few steps are the same. Cut and Strip the wires you will need. Tin the ends and tin the pads on the lights them selves. *This will Seriously help you when it comes time to doing the Final Solders*.

Thread the wiring through the holes and solder them up according to you Design. Be sure to test each module as you go to be sure they are working !

Step 3: Assemble !

Start by assembling your Outer structure. I used some wood screws, and a counter-sink bit to help hide the screw heads. Be sure to use a square to keep the sides nice and straight!

I chose to use some small hinges to mound my shelves simply because of the size. I also sprayed some flat black rust paint to help hide them from view.

Use what you feel will work for your application :)

Them "Simply" connect all wire that you need according to your Design and Give'er a Test :D

Step 4: Mount and Enjoy !

I Really Enjoyed this project And I hope to see some "I Made It" Posts!

Again your Vote in any of the Contests would be Appreciated :)

Be sure to Subscribe for more Projects coming soon !

Take Care!,

Wired Mist

Comments

[JustinE95]

Where did you purchase the supplies for LEDs and is there somewhere online that explains the process?

[FreshButtaBricks]

This is great, going to modify to fit pint glasses

[Wired_Mist]

Great Idea !

Pint glasses might be a bit too large for a single led. If you can make it fit, try using two side by side. might make a cool muliti color fade across each glass :D

[JokerDAS]

That turned out AMAZING! Super creative! Great pictures!

[Wired_Mist]

Thanks bud !

Try making your own! If you don't want to burn two weeks making something of that scale, a smaller one could be done in a weekend :P Could be used for a few fancy glasses or under light a bottle of clear wine or liquor. :D

[JokerDAS]

I will try it, but I don't think it will be as awesomely elaborate as yours. I will post pics when I finish!

[Wired_Mist]

Right no bud !

Let me know if you would like any help :)

[laugh medic]

Good work! Love the RGB effects, very well done!

[Wired_Mist]

I felt it was worth the Investment :)

Thanks !

[mrw122015]

Cool!

[Shannon KinneyH]

is this battery operated or electric?

[Wired_Mist]

It's powered by a wall plug, I could run it off of a battery but it draws soo much current it wouldn't last long. Besides it will soon be mounted on my wall and won't need a battery. If you wanted to make something smaller and use say 10 pixles you could totally make it happen :D

[momoluv]

Wow! You have a lot of shot glasses :)

[Wired_Mist]

a bit over 10 years of collecting. One from every place I visit :)

Thanks !

[tomatoskins]

This is awesome! I love the look of the neo pixels. I've never done anything with them. Do you need a micro controller to drive all the different colors or do they drive themselves?

[Wired_Mist]

Thanks !

Yes you need one. I chose to use an arduino but there are ready made controllers that look like a small tv remote. that makes controlling them much simpler !