Just hours after posting the article about DIY LED lighting with Flexible LED strips, Ibrahim was already at work designing a CD Jewel Case Panel. The LED strips fit nicely in the CD case offering a simple solution to a housing, and an easy way to hold colored filters. [Thanks Ibrahim] If you're just landing directly to this article, remember to check out the original DIY post link on these uber cheap flexible LED lighting strips (click here).
Alexandre Almeida
Aren't you worried about temperature? For what I can see there is not much room for air flow.
tim
use a plastic box-type picture frame.
Sand the front for diffusion.
Ross Allen
@DigitalCyclops
We're putting up a video sometime this weekend on how we balance it to get it as close to daylight as possible. I'll let you know as soon as it's up! Or you can subscribe to our channel!
Awesome use of the CD case! Ingenious! Now I gotta go make one!
DigitalCyclops
Still interested in finding out if they are close to daylight, or what colour temp they kick off. Sure it's only a few bucks, but for us DIYers that are retarded with Electronics and Soldering, it would at least save us going through the motions and finding them unusable...
david
One could build light cases out of foam core poster board or Coroplast (which would be better, I think, as it is more stiff). The added advantage would be that such a panel is super light.
Cover the panel faces with 8x10 or 16x20 plastic sheets that are used in picture frames to protect the LED strips. Make the back board have a clear area all the way around of about 3/4" and use double sticky foam tape to stick the front to the back, making panels that can be stacked in a bag/box for transit.
Scottrellwi
If you guys are trying to create a larger unit, just make a shallow box, paint it black, and add your led strips inside. They don't get hot, so 1/2 inch plywood or MDF would work if you can't fabricate with metal.
On a side note, Home Depot sells plenty of really good rechargeable cordless drill kits this time of year. You could use a battery and charger out of the kit and still have a drill to sell on eBay to give you money to get another charger as a base to plug the battery into on the light (cut it apart). These batteries last a couple of years and hold a good charge.
Ibrahim Serra
Hey Serge
Thanks for comments and offer, I need to think about the design because CD cases are notoriously brittle and easy to break! but I guess these lights could be super budget options...
Serge
This could be a way to add extra funds to his pockets. If made well I'd pay for some.