[{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eAnother post about lighting up instruments in a radical marching band called Brass Your Heart. This time, I used \u003ca href=\"https://www.adafruit.com/product/6191\"\u003eAlphabet LED Filaments\u003c/a\u003e on a brass bell cover for an alto saxophone.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStep One:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI fist started by arranging the letters and roughly positioning them on an alto sax bell cover (I used a black Protec bell cover) just to see what they would look like.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/053/original/IMG_1831FIXED.jpg?1763663277","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Two:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI need to be able to work on both sides of the cover, so I made a ring of wire roughly the same size of the alto saxophone bell.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/054/original/IMG_1858.jpg?1763664640","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Three:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI went ahead and soldered wires to each of the letters. I left longer wires for the power line of the F and ground of the E to connect to the power. Later, I will need to thread the wires through the cover so I used the thinnest gauge I had, which ended up being the \u003ca href=\"https://www.adafruit.com/product/3889\"\u003eSilicone Cover Stranded-Core ribbon\u003c/a\u003e. I pulled off one of the wires from the ribbon for this project.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/055/original/IMG_1838.jpg?1763664662","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Four:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen I put the letters back on the cover (with the metal ring inserted) and used rubber bands to re-position things so that when I pulled the wires through the cover (next step), I had a better idea of where everything was supposed to be.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/056/original/IMG_1839.jpg?1763664684","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Five:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext I sewed the ends of the wires to the other side of the cover so they would not be visible. I used a big plastic needle for sewing ends into knitting projects. I did one at a time, until they were all pulled through the other side of the cover.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/057/original/IMG_1840.jpg?1763664735","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/058/original/IMG_1841.jpg?1763664751","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Six:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce all the wires are through I tied the connecting wires together and made a loose knot for each pair to keep them in place. For this project, the LEDS are wired in a series, and you basically make connections between each letter. The ground of the F, goes to the power of the U, the ground of the U then goes to the power of the C, and so on...\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/059/original/IMG_1842.jpg?1763664792","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Seven:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI twisted the ends of the wires together to finalize the connections and then covered them with heat shrink tubing.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/060/original/IMG_1843.jpg?1763664809","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Eight:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI put the cover back on the bell and used regular needle and thread to try to reposition any of the letters that were a little out of place.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/061/original/IMG_1844.jpg?1763664827","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Nine:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI connected the ground wire from the E, and the power wire from the F and added them to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.adafruit.com/product/6354\"\u003eTPS61169 Constant Current Boost Converter\u003c/a\u003e. This makes this project mobile, as the LEDS in a series can add up to quite a lot of volts at 3V a pop!\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 class=\"products_name\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/h1\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/062/original/IMG_1851.jpg?1763664847","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Ten:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI added a \u003ca href=\"https://www.adafruit.com/product/1131\"\u003eJST-PH Battery Extension\u003c/a\u003e cable to the other end of the Constant Current Boost Converter, and attached it to a\u0026nbsp;\u003ca href=\"https://www.adafruit.com/product/258\"\u003eLiPo battery\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/063/original/IMG_1852.jpg?1763664927","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Eleven:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI taped the converter and wire to the saxophone and added velcro to the battery so it can all be tucked out of the way on the saxophone.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/064/original/IMG_1854.jpg?1763664980","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eStep Twelve:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI powered it up to see the filaments in all their glory!\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/065/original/IMG_1856.jpg?1763665015","metadata":{}}]