Introduction: LED Holder

By
About: I like ducks and Beethoven.

Have too many LEDs? Well, build this easy LED holder on the laser cutter and, voila, a place to hold your LEDs. YOU WILL NEEED A COMPUTER AND LASER CUTTER HANDY.

Step 1: Download Inkscape and Xquartz.

To make this LED Holder, you will first need to download Inkscape and Xquartz. They are not on the App Store, however, so you will need to search the, up on the Internet and download them. You will also have to set them up.

Inkscape link:
https://inkscape.org

Xquartz link:
http://www.xquartz.org

Step 2: Get Acquainted With Inkscape!

As you open Inkscape, it will open Xquartz, too. This is okay. You may have to also set Inkscape up. Inkscape may take a little getting used too... Don't be afraid to learn everything Inkscape has to offer!

Step 3: Make a Box.

Yes, it IS that simple! Use the box icon on the right of your Inkscape/Xquartz browser to create a box. Feel free to make it any size you want it to be!

Step 4: Make a Text Box.

THIS STEP IS OPTIONAL. If you want to add text to your LED Holder, you may by adding a text box to your box. I added text to the top of mine labeling it as a LED holder.

Step 5: Add in LED Holes

Now, the most important part of all... We need holes to hold our LEDs! Each hole will have a 1/10 inch diameter, but instead of creating them yourself, you may just import these holes I have attached to this step.

Attachments

Step 6: Save Your Project.

Whew! After all this hard work, make sure to save your work as an Inkscape document, so not to lose all your progress. There are many choices, so beware, and take care to chose the right one.

Step 7: Moving the Led Holes

Make sure the LED Holes are correctly spaced. Otherwise, the LEDs may not fit unless you use the mountain and valleys technique, (Every other LED will be right-side up.) or skip a hole for each LED.

Step 8: Vector Cuts

Go to the Fill and Stroke tab in the Object tab and open it. You will the have to change all of the LED holes and outline to the vector cut of 0.001 in. If it is any higher, or lower, the object will not be cut, only engraved. THESE TWO MUST BE CUT!

Step 9: Save It to a PDF

Go to Save As and choose from the the expandable list PDF and save it.

Step 10: Set Up Your Laser Cutter

This part is a little advanced. To get instructions, go to http://www.fablabsd.org/tools/book-laser-cutter/preparing-your-files-for-a-laser-cutter/. Then, all you have to do is cut it out! Hope you enjoy your new LED holder! Feel free to comment and tell me about other uses for it! :^ P

Step 11: Special Thanks To:

Thank you for making this all possible!