Another DIY: the LED LightSaber(TM)

[sk66]

Just finished up another project:

The DIY LightSaber(TM) costs ~$50 to make, it has better "specs" than an IceLight, and it costs $450 less. If you don't include the remote control/dimmer and you only use one battery it will only cost ~ $30 to make. This is not a simple/basic DIY. You need some experience and knowledge with power tools and electronics... and you need the tools of course.
Here are the items you need to make one.

2" PVC Pipe of desired length- I used ~ 3ft
2ea 2" PVC couplers
2ea 2" PVC test caps
1ea 2" PVC spigot cap (upper left)
1ea 2" PVC slip cap (domed)
5 meters of LED tape lights
Translucent flexible cutting board
1/4-20 threaded anchor
1ea 12v Li-Po batteries- I used two
Optional: Remote LED control/dimmer

The basics of the project: You cut a section of PVC in 1/2 length wise and run the led tape light up and down it. Use the flexible cutting mat as the diffusion screen. And attache the LED's to the battery using whatever control you want to use (I used an RF dimmer and manual on/off bypass).

This is the finished product:

Here it is lighting up a completely dark room:

The far corner is ~ 20ft away and the lights not pointed at it.

To give you an idea. From two feet it measures two stops above ambient with a full charge. To put that into perspective... that's something like a GN of what, 4ft at ISO 100? I'm really not certain, but it's not a lot.


So here are the specs as compared to an IceLight:
LightSaber / IceLight
Diameter: 2.2" / 1.75"
Length: 33" (22" illuminated) / 20.25" (?)
Watts: 48 True / 150 comparatively (??)
LED hours: 50,000+ / 50,000+
Battery Life: ~2hrs @ full pwr / ~1hr @ full power
Color Temp: ~6000K / ~5300K
Lumens: ~3600(spec) / 1160 (spec or true?)
Power draw/range: 0-48w / 1.5-15w
Charge time: 12hrs / 2.5hrs
Dimmable: YES / YES
Remote RF: YES / NO
Manual Control: on-off / Full
To be fair, I've never seen an IceLight in person and I have no way to test the actual measurements (color temp, etc) of the LightSaber(TM). All I can do is go off of the spec sheets. I suspect the spec sheets are over rated somewhat and the actual performance is less. I have no idea if the specs for the IceLight are "true" or spec either.

The full write up is on my website: LightSaber(TM) -save $450
It is not a "basic" project and not every minor detail/step has instructions. But if you have some basic skills/tools with woodworking/electronics you should be able to do this yourself.

 

[pixmedic]

I could be wrong, but isn't "light saber" already trademarked?

 

[Braineack]

I could be wrong, but isn't "light saber" already trademarked?

no, but LightSaber is: Trademark Status & Document Retrieval held by Lucas of course.

and you could have gone the extra mile and used alt-0153: ™


I wonder how these both compare to my $5 LightTube™:

nice writeup though; all kidding aside.

 

[lambertpix]

Nice write-up, Steve. Looks like a great project.

 

[sk66]

I wonder how these both compare to my $5 LightTube™:





nice writeup though; all kidding aside.

Thanks...
In all honesty, if those are "striplight" boxes on speedlights they probably have a lot more power...