LED Patchie

by Stefan_Hermann

22K5337

Intro: LED Patchie

An LED Patchie is like an LED Throwie, but you can write your message with this object.

It is a acrylic glass, witch is illuminated by an LED. You can engrave something and tape it everywhere you want.

I don't know, if somebody has had allready the same idear. I like this projekt and it should take not more than fife minutes to finish it up.

It is inspired by the cool work of the Graffiti Research LabGraffiti Research Lab.

STEP 1: Cut the Acrylic Glass

Nothing spezial. Just take a cutter knife and cut a piece of 10 x 4 cm out of the plate. I took a 2mm thick acrylic glass and cutted it four times on both sides. Than you can break it quiet easy.

STEP 2: Drilling the Holes

Now take a 22mm driller and drill the hole for the battery. It schould be a 3V Battery (2032). Place it on one side of the plate. Next to this hole, drill the hole (10mm) for the led.

It should even be possible to place two LEDs in the plate, if the light is not enough for you.

STEP 3: Placing the Components

Take the LED (I took a ultrabright green one.) and put it into the 10mm hole, the legs facing to the battery hole. If you're done, put the battery in the 22mm hole. The long leg of the led schould be on the + Side of the battery. Now tape some electrical tape to fix the legs of the led on the battery and to cover the led, that it want blind you.

STEP 4: Engrave Your Message

Now it's time to finish the project. Take what ever you want to engrave something into the plate. I tooked a Dremel, but a cutter knife, a soldering iron or something to etch, will work as well.

Now your done. Take the LED Patchie with your message and place it somewhere. You can tape it or build magnets into it. Hope you have fun with it.

Update: Pixelrider says in the comments:
The fun part is that you don't have to engrave your message - simply write it with a marker pen - especially those UV-sensitive - and use blue/UV LED ;)

I think, that is a gread idea because, it makes it more easy.

37 Comments

deadinsect 15 years ago

if you want to make more, a lot faster, you needn't drill a hole for the button battery. just drill the hole for the led much nearer the edge, and have the battery outside the perspex. doesn't look as neat, but it means you don't have to drill the large hole. Driliing acrylic with a large hole like that is tricky and you have to do it quite slowly. great idea for an instructable. How bright are they at night? how far can you read them from?

yalmog 13 years ago

I used a soldering iron to melt a small hole through the sheet.

Stefan_Hermann 15 years ago

Very nice idea! Well not placing the battery outside – and you are right, the production is much faster. They are not that bright. You have to go quiet close in the city, but it is new and I think, people will look at the patchies, because it is new. I guess, it is better, if you place'em, where it is realy dark.

wadadli 14 years ago

Does anybody know if there would be a way to do this with the UV-Sensitive markers and UV bulbs and make it like a dry erase type of thing. It seem like this would be pretty cool if you could write and erase different things on it. I think kids would get a kick out of it. By kids I mean myself....lol

JohnJY 14 years ago

Look at Kiteman's "invisible" costume.

karlakr8 14 years ago

very nice idea! thanks!

littlechef37 15 years ago

The mythbusters should make a sign like that ! cool idea !

gck24 14 years ago

what do you guys think the best markers to write on this is?

PKTraceur 15 years ago

for a more permanent way to seal the UV marker in, and maybe room for a button, couldnt you have two layers of acrylic?

the_better_nacho 15 years ago

you could, but the UV sensitive marker is used for the purposes of being able to wipe it off and write a different message on it.. if you want something more permanent i suggest etching, like i did (see photos, also UV LEDs) the word is 'sikie', a friends nickname.. i plan on making several more for siblings and other friends with other colors and styles of framing

the_better_nacho 15 years ago

make that like *we did, since Stefan_hermann did the etching as well lol

IkilledKenny 16 years ago

anyone know of a good supplier (cheapest) for LED's??? I tried www.abctronics.com but no one ever answers the phone or returns emails...

the_better_nacho 15 years ago

ebay indeed! buy in bulk.. 'Asia Engineer' and 'it-sz' are your best sources for minimum lots of 25 LEDs, and you get free resistors for whatever voltage you want! you can get 50 LEDs for $.99 if you bid well!

FullyInvolvedScientist 15 years ago

This is really cool! I can't wait to try this. Do you know any place online for small acrylic squares or other shapes?

the_better_nacho 15 years ago

ive seen them on ebay if you search for 'craft plexiglass', 'craft acryllic', or 'craft lexan' - i bought small sheets (12"x24" is the smallest) at a typical hardware store; but since they are oil-based it will run you $9-$12 depending on where you are.

Stefan_Hermann 15 years ago

I don't know, but I think, you can go to your local advertising office where they produce displays for stores or something like that. They can give you the rests of their acrylic glass.
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