Hello everyone! Today we're gonna be making ceiling lamp using LED strips. As you can see from the top pictures, I first created my design using a CAD program and then I made it in real life, following my drawings. I decided to make it symmetrical (is is, although it seems slanted), but of course you're free to change the design to your own taste if you want :)

If we only exclude the cost of tools, black cardboard and current transformers (which I already had), the whole project costed around 27€.

Supplies

You will need AT LEAST (which means, without considering the thickness of the blade you'll use to cut the pieces, in an ideal world where no one makes mistakes and the wood is available in continuous strips):

- 2x2cm wood strips (at least 6.48 meters)

- 3x3cm wood strip (at least 65cm)

- 6x0,9cm wood strip (at least 82cm)

- 17x24cm wood board (any thickness, recommended 0,9 cm)

- 5 m white LEDs

- 220V AC in, 12V DC out, 4A transformer (preferably, 2 of them)

- Some length of wire

- Black cardboard

The main tools I used were a drill, a miter saw (allowing for 45° cuts), a scroll saw and some fine sandpaper (240). You may also need a few electrician's tools.

Step 1: Making a Plan

I first started making a plan on a CAD software. I recommend you to print the first or the second picture (the ones with all the dimensions), so you can easily follow the plan. In the first picture I decided to color code each different section of the lamp in order to make the drawing easier to read.

Note: dimensions are expressed in mm!

Step 2: Cutting Wood to Length

You may start to cut the wood to length. Follow carefully the plan of the previous step, making 45° cuts that will make the assembly process a lot easier. Don't forget that the drawing shows the length on the outside of each piece you'll need to cut, so make sure to align and orientate correctly your piece before proceeding with the cut.

Following the plan, you'll need:

2x2x32(outside) - 4 pieces (long sides of small rectangles)
2x2x25(outside) - 4 pieces (short sides of small rectangles)
2x2x70(outside) - 4 pieces (long sides of big rectangles)
2x2x35(oustide) - 4 pieces (short sides of big rectangles)
0.9x6x24(outside) - 2 pieces (long sides of wire box)
0.9x6x17(outside) - 2 pieces (short sides of wire box)
17x24x0.9 - 1 piece (lid of wire box)
3x3x12 - 4 pieces (suspension columns)
3x3x?? - 1 piece (hanging mechanism, check step 5!)

Step 3: Drilling Holes and Gluing

You can now assemble each rectangle and the wire box (sides and lid only), gluing everything together.

You also have to make a few holes for the wires. Drill a hole across the length of each suspension column (without coming out of the other side) and then a smaller hole on one side, its height depending on the rectangle you have to get to (each one needs power).

You'll have to drill holes in the wooden board too, that way you can fit a wire from inside of the box to connect the LEDs.

Once you've inserted the wires in the holes, you can glue the suspension columns to the wire box and then the rectangles to the columns. Make sure the correct distances are respected and double check that each rectangle is nice and flat :)

Step 4: Mounting and Connecting LEDs

Since I'm so bad at making boxes, I decided to run a strip of black cardboard along the edge of the wire box, unintentionally making it look a lot nicer imho!

I then placed the LEDs along the inside of each rectangle (except between the columns). I made a few welds to join the LEDs to the wires and the wires to the transformers. I decided to put two different transformers because I liked the idea of being able to decide how many LEDs to turn on. The first button in my room turns on the small rectangles (creating a bright but not annoying light) the second one turns on the big rectangles (which are considerably brighter). Turn on both of them and it's instant noon!

Step 5: Fixing to the Ceiling

Unfortunately I didn't make a photo of the mounting mechanism, but I have drawn a scheme. The 3x3 cm wood strip has to be cut to length in order to fit perfectly inside the box as shown. You then have to make 2 holes in the middle of the box such that you can put two black screws (which will camouflage with the black cardboard) right in the center of the strip. You can then mount the 3x3 strip on the ceiling using 2 long screws and 2 fischer wall plugs and only then align the whole lamp to the 3x3 strip and put the black screws in!