Introduction: Flat CRT Flowers
color leds and dark garden are all what is required to make magic
with some plastic bottles this magic takes form of tall flowers that look like flat CRT screens
with some plastic bottles this magic takes form of tall flowers that look like flat CRT screens
Step 1: Materials
leds
power supply
resistors
wires
plastic bottles
aluminium foil
plastic sticks (thin pipe or rail preferred) 0.5 M long few MM thick
common tools
hot glue gun
power supply
resistors
wires
plastic bottles
aluminium foil
plastic sticks (thin pipe or rail preferred) 0.5 M long few MM thick
common tools
hot glue gun
Step 2: Cut the Parts
cut the cone top from a bottle in a size you'd like
cut the side (the part with the label) from a bottle. use bottle with clear and flat side
i recommend using round objects as guides. for the cone part a roll of duct tape is a guide
cut below the line you marked or wipe it with alcohol so it wont remain there
cut the side (the part with the label) from a bottle. use bottle with clear and flat side
i recommend using round objects as guides. for the cone part a roll of duct tape is a guide
cut below the line you marked or wipe it with alcohol so it wont remain there
Step 3: Weld Together
hold together of the cone and the stretched top. catch in 2 - 4 points with a bit of hot glue. try to make the top as flat as possible. its better to let it bow a bit out than in - so it does not catch rain water
go over the entire edge and seal it with thin line of hot glue
the first few attempts dont look very well - uneven amounts of glue and sometimes it also warps from the heat. but after them youll make it great
i dont have hot glue (and did it after school) so i tried to weld it with soldering tool instead. it is way harder and is not very strong - the covers pop off if you press it from the side. its also not sealed at all
go over the entire edge and seal it with thin line of hot glue
the first few attempts dont look very well - uneven amounts of glue and sometimes it also warps from the heat. but after them youll make it great
i dont have hot glue (and did it after school) so i tried to weld it with soldering tool instead. it is way harder and is not very strong - the covers pop off if you press it from the side. its also not sealed at all
Step 4: Reflectors
cut a piece of aluminium foil
roll it loosely (so it wont remember that it was rolled) and get it into the CRT thru the neck
push to the corners inside
the easiest shape to make that performs well is square with cut corners
if the reflector falls down inside dont worry - you can push the led or a piece of wire against it later
roll it loosely (so it wont remember that it was rolled) and get it into the CRT thru the neck
push to the corners inside
the easiest shape to make that performs well is square with cut corners
if the reflector falls down inside dont worry - you can push the led or a piece of wire against it later
Step 5: Sticks
make holes in the caps and insert them on the sticks
stick 'em in the ground
stick 'em in the ground
Step 6: Electricity
go to the online led wizard and design your circuit
each series link can go thru several flowers. the resistor can be installed in one of them
lay wires in the ground appropriately
connect leds and resistors
connect the power supply and see if everything works
each series link can go thru several flowers. the resistor can be installed in one of them
lay wires in the ground appropriately
connect leds and resistors
connect the power supply and see if everything works
Step 7: Close the Flowers
close the flowers
if a reflector is falling inside then support it from below with the led itself or a free wire
if a reflector is falling inside then support it from below with the led itself or a free wire
Step 8: Magic in Color
yay !
Step 9: Directing the Light
the blue led is quite powerfull. it lights the ground clearly up to 2 M distance despite the tall grass
i tried to direct it to a specific location. the result are quite bright
bend the isolated wires up a bit so the reflector cant fall on the led wires and short them
i tried to direct it to a specific location. the result are quite bright
bend the isolated wires up a bit so the reflector cant fall on the led wires and short them
Step 10: White Leds
i tried to make a flower with 4 white leds
their light is very bright. you can clearly see in several meters from it
i tried to direct it. its light could be seen on the ground and walls of up to 2 homes away
(but if you really want to see the power of one small white led go to the desert. youll see its light spot 2 mountain away and a sky full of stars. youll want to shut down every single streetlamp near your home)
their light is very bright. you can clearly see in several meters from it
i tried to direct it. its light could be seen on the ground and walls of up to 2 homes away
(but if you really want to see the power of one small white led go to the desert. youll see its light spot 2 mountain away and a sky full of stars. youll want to shut down every single streetlamp near your home)
Step 11: Gallery
here are all the shots together