What are the advantages of LEDS attached to Rebel Stars or CREEs as opposed to just using individual LEDs? The only downside I can see is heat. I'm planning on making a 3D printed lightsaber so I'd be able to make a custom housing for the LEDs.
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What are the advantages of LEDS attached to Rebel Stars or CREEs as opposed to just using individual LEDs? The only downside I can see is heat. I'm planning on making a 3D printed lightsaber so I'd be able to make a custom housing for the LEDs.
Yes heat is a big one. The stars are engineered to bleed heat away from the led. The SinkPads (tm) are going to be hard to beat for that.
The next problem you will have is surface mount soldering the individual LED die. I don't think you will find these extra bright LED in a 5mm cast plastic bullet form. The Cree LEDs are tiny little square chicklets (called SMT-Surface Mount Technology) and you are going to have to solder them to a substantial piece of metal (aluminum, copper or silver) which will be needed as a heat sink and conversely it will be doing its job while you try to solder the LEDs to it. it will be a tightrope balancing act of heating the heat sink so the solder will flow without melting the DIEs or flowing the solder under them and bridging the contacts. This will be the hardest part if you don't use a star.
The third problem is creating a focusing lens. For $2.25 from the store its not worth reinventing the wheel.
I look forward to seeing your solutions
If you don't intend to have a blade in your saber, a standard 5mm LED like you find at Radio Shack would be fine. Otherwise, I would alter my 3d design to hold the LED star, heatsink, and other necessary internal goodies.
It's worth noting that many 3d-printing methods do not produce a product that will handle the stresses of a dueling saber. If you just want something pretty that sits on the shelf, you're fine. If you want to battle other Star Wars fans, you're better off building your hilt with more traditional methods.
3d printing your internal chassis to hold electronics is fine. Many of us do that.
In a typical build the heat is radiated through the built in heatsink on the LED pad to the heatsink to which it is adhered. Even with that, these things can get quite hot. Some of the 3D printing materials are not suitable for dealing with that heat.
My plan was to build my saber around a piece of PVC piping to act as the loadbearing structure of the saber. The 3D Printed parts shouldn't experience much stress as that stress should be applied to the PVC pipe. Is that reasonable?Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Serpent
Also, I'll be using the LED pads. I see what you guys are saying.
There have been quiet a few really sweet PVC sabers posted here. Be sure to browse the forums.