LED Light Strips?

[kmmcrafts]

I know I've seen a couple topics covering LED light strips. I've never messed with them at all so any info some might have on them I'm all ears.. 

Here is the project I'm currently working on.. It's not a great photo so I'll try to explain a little to what I'm trying to build and maybe some will have some suggestions.. 

Here is a photo of a 1/8" 12 x 12 mirror tile that I laser engraved. I have a frame design that this will fit into with a slot / opening to feed power cord through for the LED lights. I was originally going to just paint it ( maybe still will if the LED light plan doesn't work ) but thought putting lights around the inside of the frame might be a nice touch. BTW this is just a Christmas gift for my sons girlfriend so not something I'm selling. 

So I guess my question is.. what LED lights to use? I seen these at HF but 25ft is a lot and was hoping for something a little cheaper. I'm guessing I only need 4-5 ft of lights.. was thinking about painting the backer white and running lights around the inner edge of the frame so it's like a light box or box frame with lights, LOL. 

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-ft-led-tape-light-70030.html

These lights would be perfect but 25ft is overkill, however if i could cut them up and make new lights for more of these mirrors it'd be great.. however there is only one remote and plug as far as I can tell. So maybe I need to look elsewhere for a shorter strip of lights or a roll of lights where I can make my own and buy power supply and remote individually. Or can I buy these HF lights and purchase power supplies and remotes separately somewhere? 

I placed this on my slider window frame to show how the light shines through.. just thought if I could get color changing LED's they could pick green for the grinch and have it light up.. if not then I'll just paint the back green. 

Sorry Photo isn't the best but it's pretty hard to take a picture of a mirror, LOL

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Look on Amazon for Crafter's LED lights. All different styles, lengths and colors. Not much to them. 

[John M]

I got some at Walmart 

[kmmcrafts]

4 hours ago, John M said:

I got some at Walmart 

Local Walmart or online? They sell about anything online and these days it's hard to tell on the website if it's something in stock or sold by a third party seller, LOL.. 

[John M]

I went to the local store. They had a few different sizes.

[timelett]

Possibly a hobby lobby store? Or maby buy another item with the lights you need and pitch the rest.By the way nice ornament. 

[OCtoolguy]

Kevin, your creativity and ingenuity always amaze me and inspire new ideas for projects. Thank you. 

[kmmcrafts]

I can't take credit for the mirror engraving or the lights behind it... It's something I seen on a laser engraving youtube channel that I watch. The design I engraved is of a ornament scroll saw pattern that someone named Dean made the pattern. I saved it a few years ago to make for her back then but never did.. then I modified the design to work on the laser.. 

IF you take a stab at engraving mirrors you have to engrave the back side of the mirror and since it's on the back side you need to mirror the image in inkscape or whatever program you use so when you look at the front everything is the way it should be.. If you forget that step it'll be backwards on the front, 

[TAIrving]

I bought/used an LED light strip from A**zon for a Christmas diorama last year.  It was as you described, 25' long with one power supply and one remote.  The way to use it is to cut off the lights you do not need and pitch them.  You basically are buying a string of lights as long (short) as you need up to 25'.  At the price I did not mind pitching the surplus lights.  

[Mike Crosa]

Check out amazon for Oak Home Bright lights, their partial description, 6 Pack 7Feet Starry String Lights Waterproof Fairy String Lights 20 Micro Starry LEDs On Silvery Copper Wire CR2032 Batteries Included.  Price on sale for $5.87.  

this may be what you need.

 

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

As I mentioned before look at Amazon. So many to choose from in all styles, lengths, colors, voltages. Look at Christmas decoration lights. Cut to size. Look at under counter lights for kitchens and work shops. Google is your friend. People have been using them since they came out for all kinds of craft projects. Want to get really innovative use fiber optic lights. That is another  rabbit hole you can climb down. Many years ago when I was into making model trucks from Ertel and other companies I use to customize them with fiber optic cables to light up the running lights, headlights, dashboard lights and tail lights. They really look cool when done. Even back then I had a very creative mind and would always take it another step up the ladder. They have remote control lights. There are many forums that show how to make your own control boards from parts easily ordered. Take it any path you want. Back in the day when Radio Shack was around they had all kinds of crafty project kits you could build and be able to get their parts. I miss that store. Built a power mic for my CB back in the day from a kit from there. Brings back fond memories. 10-4 good buddy.

 

Not to overstep but you could do that same project without lasers in acrylic mirrors and cut on scrollsaw. 

[kmmcrafts]

5 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

 

 

Not to overstep but you could do that same project without lasers in acrylic mirrors and cut on scrollsaw. 

Acrylic mirrors yes, I suppose with the water drip system and the right blade you could do these glass mirrors. I wanted acrylic but Lowe's didn't have any that I could find so I went with these mirror glass tiles.. With acrylic the laser will cut to shapes or sizes that I want.. I haven't found anyplace local that sells any type of acrylic.. and I'm not certain what plexiglass is made from.. certain types of plastics and vinyl are very toxic to engrave / cut etc on a laser and in some cases can ruin a laser machine..   

[OCtoolguy]

You guys are whetting my creative juices. I've been looking for something new. I got into the Arduino thing a few years ago but when I found a forum that seemed like a good one, it was mostly very young kids who knew a whole lot more than me and were not able to speak fluently with a newbie. I'd love to get back into it with someone old and ignorant like myself. It would be fun to learn together and create microprocessor projects. It's a very inexpensive hobby. Basic tools and a soldering station are about all you need.  

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

3 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Acrylic mirrors yes, I suppose with the water drip system and the right blade you could do these glass mirrors. I wanted acrylic but Lowe's didn't have any that I could find so I went with these mirror glass tiles.. With acrylic the laser will cut to shapes or sizes that I want.. I haven't found anyplace local that sells any type of acrylic.. and I'm not certain what plexiglass is made from.. certain types of plastics and vinyl are very toxic to engrave / cut etc on a laser and in some cases can ruin a laser machine..   

Now Kevin, come on. Hobby lobby carries them, Amazon has tons of them in all sizes. Probably go to Target and Walmart in the craft section or even in the home section have them. Heck I order last year flexible mirror that I am going to wrap around a pen barrel and make pens with it. 

For your reading pleasure

https://www.mirrorworld.co.uk/acrylic-plastic-mirror.html

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Now Kevin, come on. Hobby lobby carries them, Amazon has tons of them in all sizes. Probably go to Target and Walmart in the craft section or even in the home section have them. Heck I order last year flexible mirror that I am going to wrap around a pen barrel and make pens with it. 

For your reading pleasure

https://www.mirrorworld.co.uk/acrylic-plastic-mirror.html

Yeah, I have several places online to buy it.. I mentioned I haven't found it "locally" .. I don't get to Hobby lobby very often and when there I've never seen it.. maybe I've not looked in the right spot.. possibly the small Hobby Lobby we have local doesn't have it? I know my local one is a small store compared to the others in the bigger cities.. My local store would almost fit inside the one in the bigger town.. Same thing with Walmart.. the craft section is like one isle while the on in the bigger city has like 3-4 rows with lots of craft paints etc.. almost one whole row is paints.. while my local one has a small section about the size of a end cap that is all the paints they have, LOL

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

3 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yeah, I have several places online to buy it.. I mentioned I haven't found it "locally" .. I don't get to Hobby lobby very often and when there I've never seen it.. maybe I've not looked in the right spot.. possibly the small Hobby Lobby we have local doesn't have it? I know my local one is a small store compared to the others in the bigger cities.. My local store would almost fit inside the one in the bigger town.. Same thing with Walmart.. the craft section is like one isle while the on in the bigger city has like 3-4 rows with lots of craft paints etc.. almost one whole row is paints.. while my local one has a small section about the size of a end cap that is all the paints they have, LOL

Then you have to move. There is life out there once you get out of the boonies. 

[kmmcrafts]

Just thought I’d update my progress on this project as some showed some interest in the lighted mirror. 
 

I made a frame using several layers of bbply to make enough spacing to run the light strip around the outer edge of the box frame. I painted the backer section with white paint to help reflect and brighten it up some. The box part is maybe 1/4 - 3/8 inch smaller so the mirror rest on it and then made a frame around the mirror and a top piece to secure it in place. Haven’t glued it all together yet as I’m going to keep this one all set up so I can test other mirror engravings etc. as it’s easy to just swap out mirrors this way without having to build another frame. 
 

I purchased the lights off Amazon and they were 6ft two pack for $18.99 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086VC3981/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A2W3MWSXDHHF1R&th=1

I ended up only using about 4ft of the strip. Going to do some research to see how I might be able to use the leftover light strips. Seems wasteful to toss out 2 ft of good lights. 

Anyway here is some pictures of my frame work and how I ran the lights. Lights was on a peel and stick strip so that made it very simple to use. 

 

EDIT: Took it in the bathroom where there is no windows and turn off the light so we could see how it looks in the dark. 

Edited May 14 by kmmcrafts

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Many different type light strips. Mostly when you cut them there is a proper place to cut and is noted. Then you can buy connectors to connect the strips and extend or you could solder the connections but will still need a power source. But for about $15 you can build again. But if the strip was less than that it maybe more beneficial to just buy new.  That is why you try to buy only what you need unless you plan on mass producing and buying parts can pay off. The LED light system has been a game changer for cars as well as homes. 

Edited May 14 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[rjweb]

Very nice, RJ

[kmmcrafts]

19 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Many different type light strips. Mostly when you cut them there is a proper place to cut and is noted. Then you can buy connectors to connect the strips and extend or you could solder the connections but will still need a power source. But for about $15 you can build again. But if the strip was less than that it maybe more beneficial to just buy new.  That is why you try to buy only what you need unless you plan on mass producing and buying parts can pay off. The LED light system has been a game changer for cars as well as homes. 

I did notice there were some lines, or markings going across the strip of lights. There is no instructions that I received with them at all so I wasn't sure if I needed to cut at any particular spot so I just took the chance and cut at the needed length. Now I probably have to cut at one of those marks in order to connect the power source to what is left of the strip. 

As cheap as these were I'm guessing it's just cheaper to toss out the remainder of strip. I'll hang onto them for a while and see if I come up with something to use them for but like you say.. it's probably cheaper to just toss it out. I'm not planning to sell anything using these at this point just experimenting and making some future gifts.