[{"element_type":"image_url","content":"https://github.com/cadet702/cadet702.github.io/assets/32227645/4dbf883c-4bbc-429d-afd2-3688982d956d","metadata":{"alt":"The","caption":""}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003ch1\u003eInspiration\u003c/h1\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eI needed a soldering lamp that didn't cast strong shadows and was an opportunity to salvage the LEDs from a broken TV left by the dumpster.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are lots of ways to make a good soldering lamp from LEDs.\u0026nbsp; I happened to pick a difficult path that required some reverse engineering but I hope you'll find the journey... illuminating. ;-)\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n        \u003ch1\u003eMaterials\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e9 Flexible LED strips (5 LEDs each)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003epulled from a broken TV\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiffuser sheet\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ealso pulled from the same broken TV\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDC power supply\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e30V block pulled from a broken printer\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePower cord\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003epulled from a box of unused computer cables\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e3D printed frame\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechnically new, but I don't count 3D prints if they displace buying other plastic\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMisc: rubber bands, tape, epoxy\u003c/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTechnically new, but even the epoxy was a leftover from another project\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSalvage percentage 100%!\u0026nbsp; A useful tool made from 100% junk?!\u0026nbsp; Cool!\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003ch1\u003eWhat makes a \u003cem\u003egood\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003esoldering\u0026nbsp;lamp?\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt really comes down to two things:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt needs to be bright. \u0026nbsp;Stupefyingly bright.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt needs to not cast deep shadows.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut these two things are often at odds.\u0026nbsp; To get a bright light without casting deep shadows you need a distributed light (like a ring light).\u0026nbsp; You could do this with lots of small laps, but that's a pain to setup and requires lots of plug space.\u0026nbsp; And if you're like me, plug space is hard to come by in the places like a patio or garage where I like to set up a soldering station.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrightness was the easy part.\u0026nbsp; Just have lots of LEDs.\u0026nbsp; Getting distributed light required flexing the LED strips into an arc and covering them with a diffusion layer (more on that later).\u0026nbsp; In the images below you can see the 3D printed frame I used to hold the LED strips in a flexed position.\u0026nbsp; None of the parts are glued together, instead the strips themselves exert pressure on the frame, locking the pieces in a friction fit.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"image_url","content":"https://github.com/cadet702/cadet702.github.io/assets/32227645/e4f66c2c-38d0-4700-82d5-38c6850f6d58","metadata":{"alt":"back","caption":""}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eBelow, you can see small black pegs protruding through (pre existing) holes in the LED strips.\u0026nbsp; A rubber band is woven over between the pegs to prevent the strips from popping out of the frame.\u0026nbsp; Since rubber bands degrade over time, this is a temporary measure until epoxy can be applied to hold the strips in place in a more permanent fashion.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"image_url","content":"https://github.com/cadet702/cadet702.github.io/assets/32227645/a3f14ef4-3478-4b30-92c4-5f0c1e442cdd","metadata":{"alt":"Front","caption":""}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n        \u003cp\u003eYou may have noticed the LED strips alternate in length and LED placement.\u0026nbsp; This is because the original strips in the TV were actually comprised of and \"A\" strip and a \"B\" strip.\u0026nbsp; The way it was originally wired, the strips were combined in series as \"AB\", and then those were combined in series either 2 or 3 times and driven by a very high voltage (90V+).\u0026nbsp; Since I didn't want a voltage that high in my light, I opted to split the strips and run them all in parallel.\u0026nbsp; One problem with this approach was the \"A\" strips had 5 LEDs, but the \"B\" strips had 6.\u0026nbsp; In order to run them all at the same voltage, I added a solder blob to bridge the contacts on one of the LEDs on the \"B\" strips to make them electrically equivalent to the \"A\" strips.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing a home-made adjustable power supply (writeup coming soon), I was able to determine that a single strip of LEDs could be safely driven at full brightness by a 30V power supply.\u0026nbsp; As it happened, I had a high current, 30V power supply on hand from a broken printer, so I simply soldered the wire leads to the exposed pads and covered them in hot glue for insulation and mechanical reinforcement.\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n\n\n\n\n","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n        \u003ch1\u003eThe Final Hurdle\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI now had I bright, curved light that didn't cast deep shadows, but it was painful to use because the individual LEDs were searingly bright.\u0026nbsp; Even mounted above a workstation, it was unpleasant to have the lamp in my peripheral vision.\u0026nbsp; To combat this, I took the flexible diffusion layers from the TV but discovered they were only effective when they were at least an inch from the light source.\u0026nbsp; To achieve this, I cut the diffusion layers into strips and tapped them in curved segments to the LED strips.\u0026nbsp; Again, tape wouldn't last forever, so when I accidentally mixed too much epoxy on another project, I took the opportunity to reinforce the diffusion layer attachment points.\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"image_url","content":"https://github.com/cadet702/cadet702.github.io/assets/32227645/1ae7f087-4273-414b-abbf-ddfe2a7f8444","metadata":{"alt":"Diffusion","caption":""}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n  \n  \n        \u003ch1\u003eEnd Result\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile certainly not the prettiest DIY project, it's been a invaluable tool in my workshop.\u0026nbsp; And since the unfinished basement that has become my workshop isn't winning any design competitions, it fits right in.\u0026nbsp; For anyone looking to do a first project without a microcontroller, LED lighting is a great place to start!\u003c/p\u003e\n      \n\n","metadata":{}}]