List of Everyday Items for Heatsinking LEDs

In this Instructable, you will learn where to find everyday household items that you can use to make LED heatsinks. When mounting LEDs, you want a surface that is heat conductive and flat. These items will do the job if they are large enough for a given wattage. Reusing materials is fun!

Step 1: Food Storage

Metal boxes
Where to find them: Chocolate boxes, cookie boxes, Altoids tin, candy boxes, blue boxes, second-hand stores

Metal cans
Where to find them: Canned foods, coffee cans, blue boxes, second-hand stores

Metal Lids
Where to find them: Glass food and beverage containers (jams, canning jars), blue boxes, second-hand stores

Step 2: Hardware

Metal Pipe Ends
Where to find them: Hardware stores (Home Depot, Home Hardware, Canadian Tire, Lowe's), broken pipes

Aluminum bars
Where to find them: Hardware stores

Metal Pen and Pencil Boxes

LED Aluminum Baseboard
Where to find them: LED dealers, e-bay, failed LEDs

Metal Screws and Bolts

Metal chassis
Where to find them: Electronic device, electronic stores, enclosure for your electronic projects

Heatsink
Where to find them: Electronic stores, computer shops, e-bay, LED dealers, used electronic devices (e.g. computers), failed LED lamps

Step 3: Non-metallic Surfaces

If your LEDs are strobed like bike and signal lights or driven under low current, you may use wood and plastic to hold them in place. The aluminum baseboard that comes with your LED provides the necessary heatsinking.