AL's Gloat

[pkunk]

Al, would you post some particulars on your LED's & how you power them?

[Digitalwoodshop]

I am going to shoot myself in the foot as I wanted to be the first one to eBay with this Solar 911 Sign idea but here it goes....

They are Solar powered LED Christmas Lights. Look at this eBay auction. 130126491828

This is me (igonavy) buying 2 RED LED sets for a Fire House 911 mailbox sign I have in the works.

I have a contact in Kowloon, Hong Kong, Stella, my old Navy Stomping grounds. I am able to get them in Case Lots of 40 sets. The US Suppliers I was working with only wanted to deal in 5000 sets. Stella is shipping a case as I type, it's Monday over there... 20 red and 20 Green. I ordered this eBay auction because I couldn't get in touch with her at first and needed them quickly.

I already have a case of Blue and a case of White.

The white PVC board works great with them and will not yellow per the manufacture.

I am adding 2 additional NI-MH AA batteries to the inside via a Radio Shack holder. I am buying extra batteries at Home Depot and places like that. I make sure to use all the same type batteries in each unit. As in the one's from Hong Kong are paired with a set removed from another Hong Kong light. Then 4 Home Depot AA's goes in the other one. This keeps batteries in parallel from seeing the week set or different manufacture set as a load on the good batteries. Like 2 glasses of water with a connector straw in the bottom... The both seek the lowest level.

I have been getting Reflective Vinyl on eBay too and it works GREAT on the PVC. So not only is this sign LED powered but reflective as well and with the ability of the Carve Machine this is a VERY BIG IDEA. I let them sit 48 hours after sticking the vinyl before carving. I use a protective film from Laser bits. com, a paper Laser mask over the sign to prevent roller damage to the vinyl.

I route out the bottom to make a pocket for the LED's. The hole size of .175 works great for the LED's that I put RTV around as I stuff the back of the sign.

They are 60 LED sets and I designed my signs around this but I am still experimenting with lopping off extra LED's and adding some.... I think the resistor might be built into the LED I have not looked that close yet.

I think that about covers it. Anyone interested in contacting Stella for case lots email me at digitalwoodshop@aol.com I will forward your eMail to her. Never met the lady but I trust her, this is my 3rd order.


I have found the 1 x 12 PVC to be great for the signs but have also used the 5/4 thicker stuff too. I use a router sled to cut the pocket in back.

Light the LED's as you install them as I bent over one and it shorted out the string and it was a bear to find later.

I think this would be a GREAT addition to RC's Sign shop.... SOLAR FRIENDLY Signs.... The pole on the charger is used to stack additional units.

The light dark on off is done by the solar panel, it's charging or it's lit.... If a car headlight strikes the charger plate it will dim or turn off so placement and shielding is important.

I am installing a RCA plug inside the bottom pole hole and will plug the sign in via a RCA plug. This makes service AFTER the sale easy, send them a replacement charging head and they just plug it in. In the picture I had some D batteries hooked up and working. AA work but in the winter when I started this project they would only light about 6 hours after sunset in the cold short days. Longer in the summer sun....

Good Luck everyone.... Post pictures if you do them. Hopefully you will see me on eBay with them first..... I have put a lot of time into this project.

I have learned SO much here, I don't mind sharing.

AL

[Digitalwoodshop]

I will re post the one picture that is faulting out in the morning. I am on my bedtime laptop computer. In searching for LED suppliers I contacted many companies in China wanting to sell me LED's. Learned a lot and opening the many eMails with attachments, of quotes and pictures I got a worm that killed this hard drive. Had to reformat and start over, lucky I had back ups.

Even worked with www SiliconeSolar com that has an office in San Diego less then 4 miles from where I lived for 13 years... But they want to deal in truck loads not cases. And no colors, white that's it... or mixed colors.

I purchased no less than $400.00 in Solar LED's from different suppliers.... Most turned out to be junk and wouldn't work for my plan. I had been planning the LED signs for a while, planning to hand wire them with my trusty soldering iron. Seeing the Christmas lights in solar LED was exciting for me.

Found some Solar LED's that look like the ones I am using but only have 1 AA battery, NOT GOOD..... Got some also with the big box... and some AC powered to measure the voltages. Use my own solar panel and battery cut off the AC box. Scrapped that idea.

The red has just became available. First it was white, then blue, then green, then red..... They are pitching RED, WHITE, BLUE LED's for the 4th..... The RED will also be used to make Fire Department LED signs like "Fire Scene" or "Coin Drop" and reflective RED and BLUE vinyl plus white PVC board for a sharp sign.

Expect the price to drop in months, they are a bit pricey for now but worth it. Shipping is the killer. Even got some from Australia... Another stomping ground in the Navy visiting Western Australia twice 10 years apart.

For a one man shop I sure do have a bunch of unfinished projects in the works... Sleep.... overrated... it's 1 AM....

That's my gloat and I am sticking to it.


AL

[Digitalwoodshop]

The fun continues today with drilling the holes for the dowels. I see 2 birds hatched in the nest that the Snake was interested in.

AL


In the bottom left photo you can see a wood side that my router went over the guide and chewed the plastic guide. In a word " BONDO " Car Body putty fixed the guide just like new and QUICK.... It was caused by sawdust build up under the guide.

[BoardSilly]

I am going to shoot myself in the foot as I wanted to be the first one to eBay with this Solar 911 Sign idea but here it goes....

AL

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but solar powered house number signs have been around for sometime now. There are many manufacturers of them and they are widely and readily available.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Cleaning up tonight after my machine ran for most of the day today, I was shocked to find way TOO much side play in the carving bit in the machine.

My first machine arrived back today and I was able to compare the two and after some troubleshooting. The result was obvious, the bit holder had worn in the 80 plus hours of carving. My carve motor is at 117 hours, it came with about 20 being an Orphan with a Z Encoder problem.

About 60 Quilt Rack sides with the animals at about an hour each. The cutting bit is good along with the V 90. I have a few new carving bits so I am back in business. Something to look at before changing a chuck.

Here are some pictures as you know me I would be Board Silly if I didn't share.

AL

[pkunk]

Wow, that last pic looks like you took it under a microscope! Looks like some cheap steel to boot.

[rjustice]

Hey Al,

How deep are you carving your designs? I would love to get some feedback as to how long my bit adapters run without showing the wear you have demonstrated here using the stock holders. Mine are made from a prehard material that is significantly harder than the stock ones. If you are less than .6 you can still cut in one depth, and i think you would also see an improved finish.

Ron

[Digitalwoodshop]

My feeling is something must wear as it is held by the spring loaded ball bearings. 80 hours is a lot to expect of the "Wood Pecker"... I wonder if the bit is getting dull too.... Feels good.

A good use for that Sony macro lens.

Just something to watch for as you swap bits. I am going to be out of
Warranty soon.... But this sure is fun... better than being Board Silly....

AL

[pkunk]

I'm never bored, but some think I'm a silly old man.