Full build of a custom neon lamp
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- Опубліковано 27 гру 2024
- This project was inspired by a joke a friend made about vintage glass screw-in fuses looking like collectable neon lamps. It made me realise that I could make a custom version using just the bare base of a lamp with a suitable cover.
These little neon indicator lamps usually run at 1mA or less and use a fraction of a watt of power. The ones in appliances are often over-run as mentioned recently by Technology Connections, but when run at a sensible current they can last virtually forever.
In 220-240V countries I recommend using two 100K resistors, and in 100-120V countries I recommend using two 22K resistors.
I printed the cover in clear/natural PLA, although other clear plastics would work too. I used a classic orange neon lamp, but you could use the phosphor coated ones too for colours like green, blue and white. However, the plain neon indicator will probably be brightest.
The openscad script is at the bottom of this description.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- www.bigclive.co...
This also keeps the channel independent of UA-cam's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
Here's the openscad script. If you copy and paste it into openscad (freeware) then it will let you create an STL file to print.
The variables at the top of the listing can be adjusted if desired, but are currently the same as I used to make the cap in the video. Press the hourglass button to make the STL file, and then when it has been created press the STL button to save it. For a fast preview of any changes press the button next to the hourglass button.
//Lamp cap diamond.
//You can adjust the five variables below
base=25; //Diameter of base for lamp
rim=5; //Length of rim at base
size=50; //Size of diamond
facets=6; //Number of sides (default 6)
scaling=0.66; //Ratio of length to width (default 0.66)
//Don't change variables below here
halfsize=size/2;
$fn=facets;
difference(){
union(){
//outer body
translate([0,0,0])
cylinder(h=4+rim,d1=base,d2=base,$fn=100);
translate([0,0,-(base/2)+rim])
cylinder(h=halfsize,d1=0,d2=size);
translate([0,0,halfsize-(base/2)+rim])
cylinder(h=size*scaling,d1=size,d2=0);
}
//Inner core.
translate([0,0,-1])
cylinder(h=6+rim,d1=base-2,d2=base-2,$fn=100);
translate([0,0,-(base/2)+rim+1])
cylinder(h=halfsize-1,d1=0,d2=size-2);
translate([0,0,halfsize-(base/2)+rim])
cylinder(h=size*scaling-1.5,d1=size-2,d2=0);
translate([-halfsize,-halfsize,-halfsize])
cube([size,size,halfsize]);
}
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Many of us would prefer stl files, they are the standard in 3d printing and easily modified , I've never bothered with any of these projects because it means having to learn new software, it takes seconds to customise something in stl format.
With the openscad script the customisation is at source and much more versatile.
@@bigclivedotcom yes but it involves having to learn new software, the majority of people already know how to quickly and easily modify stl files in the software they use daily, everyone works with stls file but virtually nobody uses openscad...
@@stevefox3763 According to the documentation, OpenSCAD can export to stl.
@@stevefox3763 I barely know how to use it myself but i understand the "Preview/Export To STL" buttons , It can be interesting to mess with code and see what abominations you can generate 😀
It took you more brain energy to type out that post than it would to learn how to install and run an openscad script. And your claim that everybody uses stl just shows you literally have no idea what you are talking about. Good day sir.
For the frostier tips, try setting "Minimum Layer Time" to 0s. The tip has a very small cross-section, so the slicer is making the printer wait after, so that it can cool before slapping the next layer on, which can help with overhangs. But during that delay, filament is getting extra cooked in the nozzle and changing the transparency. These overhangs are fairly simple, but if you do notice drooping after removing minimum layer time, increase the max fan speed if possible. As a last-ditch option, slow the whole print down so that the transparency is even across the whole thing yet each layer has more time to cool.
That fixed it thanks. One of the many features I wasn't aware of.
A man that knows his shit, I like that!
3D printing is so touchy!
hundred of different settings and each of them can ruin your print. that is only on the software side, my printer for example had tens of hardware flaws. for example the classic mounting of the heavy spool unto the top of the printer frame add plenty of wobble on top of all the other problems.
I was assuming the already laid down layer was getting to much cooling or not getting re-heated often enough for translucency.
No experience yet with transparent material, just received my first spool of transparent TPU 😃
@@bigclivedotcom
Hi Clive.
You talked yourself into this... 😻 ...
Can you please do a video about using a 3D printer..
complete idiot's guide..
including which printer, materials to use and power consumption.
A playlist series...
Regards from
Bella 🐈 & Mark.
Oh, God I remember those. Probably some still in my mom's basement. Cellar half full of water, and dad standing in it changing out fuses. As you might say, "Juicy!"
You have an absolutely delightful voice. Really nice, makes already great videos even more pleasant to watch.
I like the idea of the silicone sleeve on your helping hand. Never thought of that.
So delightful, a sort of mix of magic & Star Trek. Thank you for sharing!
If you like clear PLA, you'll love clear PETG.
It makes the nicest light diffuser.
I do have some here, and it is very good.
Love the small one. I love those old glass fuses. It would be fun to see if you could put the same neon in the old glass.
I've done this, and it worked well. Not hard to disassemble, with only the threaded portion needing to be removed and then replaced.
You used to be able to get indicator fuses that already had a neon lamp built in... (The neon lamp would glow when the fuse was blown)
I don't have any formal electrical circuitry or engineering background. But I love watching this.
Clive, I used blown out fuses like those in your photo, and added a neon bulb to them to operate as an indicator light. They are the same as a lamp base, so work well in a lamp socket, such as the type used in a garage or shed that uses no other additions such as a lamp shade or a glade cover. They were easy to disassemble, as a bit of solder holds the base to the fuse solder strip.
Thanks Clive, another top job. Also love the OpenSCAD script. Always good to see how others tackle the same problems.
You continually inspire me to try new things and I appreciate that more than you'll know. Thanks Clive!
I have a neon indicator that's 40+ years old running constantly built from Maplin parts. Still cannot believe it's still running!
I'm glad to see I am not the only one who loves the old glass fuzes. I bought up all the ones I found in a local grocery store almost 30 years ago and have sadly run out and have to use the less nostalgic metal cased ones now. Thanks for the smiles.
Metal cased fuses? home do you avoid shock when changing a different fuse or reaching for the switch for the same fuse holder?
3D printing inevitably turns into a hobby, on a base level it works as it should - but with every little issue solved, you gain a lot of knowledge and interest about the whole system. Artillery sidewinder x1 worked great in stock too, but with some modifications and running Klipper firmware, it's night and day
Awesome Video big clive Awesome custom lamp big clive
Intrriguing ! Stay Frosty !
I think of you every time I solder when needing to do two things with one hand
I find it astonishing that you can simultaneously hold the resistor and feed the solder onto the leads both with the left hand. ^.^
Iv learned to solder like you do Clive. Very handy with practice. Using all your fingers. But as a heat gun I use my bench power supply a use one of the little dished inside a car head light. And I have to say, "it works absolutely great. You should try this out for yourselves because it's a very cool hack. (I Can't take the credit for it. I found it on aka KASYAN TV. ) ANOTHER GREAT CHANNEL BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO already know there way around a circuit board..
Thanks
A nice little nightlight to scare away the ghosts. Thanks, BigClive!
I like the use of the Sink Pocket to test these lamps.
What a simple but very satisfying vid to watch - thank you Clive!
Gosh that is such a classy build, Clive! It's just given me an idea to make one to use a marker for use in our garage during nighttime. I love that smaller one. It would be perfect. Many thanks! 🎇
We had Edison base fuses in the house where I grew up. I recall my father putting pennies in the socket to "fix" a blown fuse, until he had a chance to buy new fuses. It wasn't until I was older that I realized how dangerous this was. Thankfully our house didn't burn down.
It should be called stole base fuse. Everything edison claimed he invented was invented before and he stole other peoples ideas.
I really enjoy the full builds. I can follow along and learn at the same time. Oh and I don't get a zap and pop a 15 amp plug fuse.
Nice one thanks Clive.
;)
Making the world a brighter place, one NE2 at a time.
Thank you for 'automatically' telling us both metric and Imperial measurements.
Clive keeps taking his crystal light covers to the next step. Btw printed one out and made a rock base to hide the extension chord and attached it to a cheap led bulb I "hacked" thanks to one of your other videos. Makes for a great prop in dnd.
Thanks Clive l👍💚🇮🇪🙏🏼
I love them Clive. 👌
Always like the Neon projects!
Fiinally, some making again. Love it. To find out why the tips are "frosty", we have to know about your print settings. I found, I can print much cleaner "semi transparaent" stuff using PETG. But sometimes I am using PLA as well, and in that case I go with kind of an 80% cubic infill. This way I force a "frosty" effect, the "frosty" effect is spread more evenly.
I have some translucent green PETG which prints very well. Haven't tried a very pointy shape like this though.l
Wouldn't an infill ruin the point of making an upside-down vase?
@@johndododoe1411 Yes, sure. It depends on what you want. If an evenly spread frosty look is more important, I found playing with infill patterns is always worth trying.
@@peter.stimpel Point is to make a lamp with a neon bulb inside shining through the thin shell. Infill would block mechanical insertion and light shining out.
@@johndododoe1411 I did what I described, and therefore I can tell you: light is shinging through.
Clive is absolutely right. 3d printing is not overly difficult. Everyone has their own favorite printer type. My favorite is actually the Creality Ender 3. However, the Creality CR-10 is a bigger printer and works like the Ender 3. As you start with simple prints, you learn and even complicated get easier! Best advice I can tell anyone look for file with actual prints the person as actually printed. Just look for prints you actually interested in printing!
Hey Clive maybe try turning off your parts cooling fan for the last 1/4 of the print maybe that has something to do with the tips becoming more opaque
what a great idea. Fantastic job Clive. Maybe the frosting is do with the heat of the filament at the top of the diamond lamp shade. It has longer to cool lower down so maybe gives a more transparent set?
They look great. :)
I really love these characteristic colors like this friendly warm orange neon, yellow / orange sodium light or the green light of P39 Phosphor (IBM 5151).
If you make the neon bulbs more easily replaceable, you don’t have to underrun them.
Digging the vibe you are laying down
Very nice build, I have always loved the ambience these little neon bulbs give off, just enough light for some thing to leave on continuously, especially handy at night. I actually did something similar to this about a year ago, I also used the two resistor method. Mine is fashioned from what used to be a burnt out incandescent bulb that I found and thought to myself hmm, maybe I could do something with this. Amazingly it didn’t end with the bulb shattered into little tiny pieces and actually ended up becoming a finished product haha. That one doesn’t get lit too often, but I do run a neon flicker flame in my room continuously.
nice one, Big Clive. Talking about 3D printer, able to use is an easy task, get one of those Kingroon KP3S and find that pretty easy to set up. I got 11 different printers scattered around my house. Ah well, you learn you live.
I'm trying to resist the inevitable urge to buy more.
Hi Clive, just printed one in vase mode, turned out great. It's pretty thin being vase mode but no frosty bit at the top. Thanks
Just used your script to get the stl and ordered the clear PLA...i'm gonna make an identical one too! I really liked this one
An excellent result!
I definitely need to get me a 3D printer...just trying to get the "spare" money together for the printer & filament reels :)
What i can advice is.... use sharp edges only if u're really into it. It can hurt in a bad way :) As the equasion goes: Tigher - rounder, looser - sharper. xoxo!!
Thanks Clive love small one and old fuses too
Does your printer/slicer setting have the cooling fan boost when layer print times get shorter? I've noticed that clear filaments tend to go more frosty when printed faster, lower temp, or with high cooling. These look really nice! So warm and inviting.
I may try slower printing.
Watching you solder the resistors to the lamp in the beginning and holding the solder between your fingers whilst also holding the resistor, my first thought were ..
..... hey Professor Brainiac there is another alligator clip on the other side !!!!
I don't know anything about 3D printing, but I do know a fair bit about plastics.
The reason the PLE is getting "frosty" toward the point more than further away from the point has a lot to do with 'tempering'.
Ass the printed object gets more dense with freshly printed (hot) polymer, the longer it takes for it to cool down and the better chance that the polymer strands are going to randomly cross link in a random direction.
Basically, if you could slow the lay down of polymer down a little bit, it will improve the clarity of the final product.
Seems like adding a bulkhead inside the lamp cover with a hole for the neon might be a good idea. That plus some silastic or hot glue in the base would make it considerably less fragile.
Love when you do builds!! MORE PLEASE!!
We use those fuses as drawer pulls in the kitchen
Great illustrations of fabrication techniques! Thank you !! I wonder what would happen to the frostiness at the tip if you carefully heated that region just past the glass transition temperature (50 - 80°C for PLA) and then let it slowly cool? Hot water for a while then letting it cool slowly? Thermoplastics tend to have pretty high CLTE, and you may be seeing the light scattering effects of micro stress cracking / crazing induced by the geometry during shrinkage. By analogy, if you were to make the same geometry in glass and cool it too rapidly, it might shatter starting at the sharp tip, but not if you cool it slowly in an annealing oven. If that is the case, re-heating above Tg and slowly cooling might eliminate it. I'm not really sure.
Reheating it with the hot air gun is definitely worth trying.
@@bigclivedotcom Careful with that hot air gun Eugene. It didn't go so well on getting the base to fit in the screw socket. 😄
@@albanana683 .... uh huh; why I suggested hot water 😃
@@bigclivedotcom Tae Clive: Just dinnae ower dae it, 'n' let us ken yer ootcomes, ye pie-eater bastard.
By thay wey, tis pronounced "clue low" as in "low oan clues".... 😃
Beautiful. Simple and elegant.. :)
Saved the script in case I get my hands on a 3D printer.
Thanks!
Now that we're on the topic of neons, would like to see more nixie flower experiments. Curious if they'd work with the phosphor lamps, and also maybe a chance for some 3D prints
I don't recall having success with colored neons. I have a load here to try it with.
I wouldn't want to have a dangly mess of hot mains wires sitting on my bench (or where ever).. beautiful as it might be.. I'd rather use LEDs for the flowers ;)
@@tinygriffy reject led, return to neon
@@Dekko-chan do you know neons that go really really bright ?
I have the same printer and it is the parts cooling fan duct. Restrict the airflow down to 10mm (directing the flow to the area directly below the nozel) was all it required for me to fix the problem.
Regards Tony
when it gets to the tip, the adjacent tracks are probably feeling the heat from the extruder as it goes around, might have an effect on transparency
A neon lamp in a diamond-shaped diffuser. Simple and cute.
Nice build. I have a few neon bulbs kicking about so I might have a go at something similar. Nice easy build video 2x👍
My father always complained about how slow his inkjet printer was, and how expensive the ink was. So this past Christmas, I got him a 3D printer. After using it a couple times, I'm happy to report I now have a 3D printer, and he no longer complains about the inkjet. He still has no idea that his Christmas gift was actually a gift to myself (yay, 3D printer!), and my mum (who was sick of him constantly complaining).
Treat him to an Epson ecotank and he'll have plenty of ink.
@@bigclivedotcom Until it dries out as all ink printer does if not used regularly. Get a laser printer.
Nice job, Clive
"Frostiness" in clear PLA is due to air gaps in the layers. This is usually due to less fusion. There are two main reasons for this - temperature and precision of deposition. Since the temperature isn't changing, precision would appear to be a main factor. Notice that the problem occurs at the smaller end of the prism, which means that the printer is doing frequent changes of direction, and that causes the printer frame to vibrate more, or at least changes the frequency to maybe coincide with the resonant frequency of the printer frame. You could try slowing the print speed down for the final 20% of the print and see if that helps. Mostly we try to print right on the ragged edge of what the printers are capable of, but sometimes we have to acknowledge the limitations of our budget hardware. Cura has an "adaptive layers" setting which changes the print speed depending on detail. You might try turning that on and see if helps. Alternatively, manually dial down the speed when it reaches that height to see if that will indeed help the issue.
I'm thinking that setting a low median speed (60mm/s) and turning adaptive layers on might be helpful.
It turned out that the printer was deliberately slowing down to allow for the layer cool-time. I reduced that to zero and it solved the issue.
You need to have your filament dry. More important for ABS or even more for PET-G but most likely will help for PLA too. Basically the humidity bubles up inside. You could also lower temperture and make sure to print in vase mode. Having a bigger nozzler in vase mode also helps.
Silicone tubing/hose for an aquarium air pump is a great source for making the helping hand clamps soft and can be found at any pet or aquarium store. A single length will probably last a lifetime.
Very nice. Reminds me of cabochon caps you see on fairground ride lighting (of course of which you'll be very familiar with having designed and built lighting controllers for the fairground industry).
Try running an open flame over the cloudy bit. It can clear it up. but being unable to flame the inside it might not fully.
Very nice. Could this be made as a string light? Like big chunky fairy lights, but neon?
It could.
@@bigclivedotcom Do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it…
What a cool project! Thanks.
When you first showed the glass Edison base fuse, I was expecting a fuse had been modified to a neon nightlight!
Maybe try some of your printed lamp covers with green neon bulbs as well, they seem to be a bit brighter.
Blue would be nice, too.
I'm getting the itch to build something with neons. Recently I got a bulk pack of mini incandescent "grain of rice" bulbs from aliexpress that I want to make into old fashioned style lamps. Neons would be nice too :)
I made a super tiny string of lights from those based on very thin flexible wire and heatshrink. Full main voltage (240V) and under-running the lamps. Not completely safe, but it looked great.
@@bigclivedotcom I think I have a project for next weekend :)
I saw some sellers have coloured bulbs but they cost a silly amount, so I'd be interested in ideas on how to colour the bulbs I already have myself.
love a good build video, thanks clive.
A real deal neon lamp! Nice. I use a hot air station (when I'm at our hackerspace), an industrial hairdryer a.k.a. hot air gun (in my lab) or a Dremel gas iron (in the field) for shrinking the HSTs. If I'm very lazy and can accept an ugly job, I'll just go sloppy with the lighter, haha.
Makes me wonder if there are fusible resistors at 100k.
Check Vishay Dale FP2P. Though I really can't make heads or tails of the data sheet, specifying lots of tolerances but nothing about how it behaves electrically.
If they are available small enough it would be fun to fish it into the small tubular fuses. They it will look like it is failing spectcularly and you can have exposed ends at mains voltages. Perfect for curious little fingers. How else are we going to get young people interested in the trade?
Nice! I would be tempted to 3d print some sort of spacer shaped like a little wheel or something, to make sure it's centered and stays centered in the base.
I am thinking of making a plug version of this that my brother can use as a night light. I am still thinking about what to use as an enclosure, I might repurpose a wall wart power supply or a died timer switch.
Why not 3D print the whole thing, with just the plug pins from a basic plug? Or maybe have the 3D print replace the lid of a normal plug where the base of a plug holds all the electrical bits and the screw to close the entire thing closed.
Thank You 🕯️
Those are actually quite cute little things. I don't have a 3D printer yet, but that's a very novel idea.
One of the instruments in the lab has been continuously on since the early 80's. It's neon lamp still functions.
(cooler temp = matte finish) (hotter temp= glossy finish), if you're after transparency have some fun with clear petg, prints hotter, and generally use 10% to 0% fan cooling, there's profiles flying around on the internet that you can use that makes it look like glass even!
I found prints go cloudy or matt at the top if the room is too cold. The bed radiates enough heat to stop it at the bottom, but as you go up that heat isnt enough and the plastic sets too quickly causing it to go matt.
With regard to off the shelf printing quality I think it depends on the brand. Ive always found Anycubic printers work fine out of the box, but they have less scope to be modified. They reach a certain point and they cant really be made better without drastic hardware changes. Something like an Ender 3 is more popular but can be horrible out of the box (but can also be great), its pot luck. There is a lot more community support for them though and you can get better results if you want to put in the work, but it really can be work.
Yes, even the very inexpensive printers today run quite well out of the box for general printing. Especially now that they come in large subassemblies that usually only require a few screws here and there to slap the whole thing together. Not like in the early days when they came in about a zillion pieces and took a whole bunch of tweaking once built just to get something even remotely resembling what was on your computer screen out of them. The resin printers are getting to be dirt cheap as well, and the level of fine detail you can get from them is really impressive. Though they do have the downside of creating an absolute disaster of a mess during certain print failures. But that is pretty easy to avoid as long as you give your machine a good look over before you run it, put some care into setting up your prints beforehand, and treat your resin well. Also doesn't hurt to run them on a old baking pan or something of the like to contain the flood should something go horribly wrong anyway. It sucks having to replace or repair your printer, but I'm guessing it would suck more to have to replace your flooring. Lol.
Yeah, you can buy 3D printers these days that are so simple to assemble. They literally come in two parts, the base and the upright part. Screw in a few screws, plug some wires in and with a couple of simple steps to get it calibrated, you're pretty much ready to start printing. It really is that simple.
nice to see you build...wish you did more of such. DVD:)
The flsun printers are far less fiddly than the very popular enders. I'd recommend a QQS or V400 to someone in a heartbeat. Extremely stout and low-maintainance. Lil' on the big side though.
I'm very tempted by the 400 with the direct filament drive.
Lol clive just loves lights 😀
I'm only guessing Clive but maybe it's staying hot longer towards the top because of shorter passes than the bottom that has a chance to cool down before the next pass of hot plastic being laid down.
It turned out to be a time thing where the printer slowed down to let the plastic harden on each layer. I removed that and it solved the problem, although the softer printing does result in a slight ripple now.
great project 👍😃
I've built 10 of your test tube led lights using old sockets. Tinning and soldering a wire to the socket was a hit and miss, frustrating event!
Gotta box of those old clear glass fuses, and now of course will have to MOD them, along with some discarded light sockets. Any suggetions on the build?
Clever.
Yeah I think the tip deal is just the less time in between each layer causing an issue
Awesome build
that's nice i love neon lamps that are homemade
Clive would it be possible to design the globe to have threads to screw into the Edison base? That way you would not have to use heat to soften the globe and run the risk of the globe shrinking. The threads would need to be a friction fit.
Would be nice to find a source for the bare base that has not been crimped.
It's viable, but could make the design more complicated in terms of matching the threads perfectly. If all goes to plan I have a bench tool on its way from China specifically for crimping on E27 bases.
@@bigclivedotcom Nice! the one that's $39 form aliexpress? Did you find a source for the bases? Please do a follow up with the crimper. Love the channel, never know what's in store.
Love this kind of content! Make a ridiculously bright one. What LED would you use? CREE? SMD?? 🤔
For an easier power supply it might be better to use a cluster of standard low current LEDs in series. I have a video showing the same style of diamond cap on hacked LED lamps for really bright light.
OpenSCAD works well, I will print the generated STL file tomorrow. The hourglass was hard to see, I think it is on the Render Tab.
would it not be better to solder the resistors in place first and then attaché the LED to the resistors?
David
more like, neon lamp, placed into custom style reflector and base?
either way, I approve, it looks cool, same as did the neon bulbs of the past, with and without reflectors, housings and the likes.
I still have some dinosaur 1970's( I think) neon night-light plug ins. just a neon bulb with drop resistor( I think) cast into nylon with plug blades and open windows.
I remember seeing it as a wee-lil-brat in the early 1980's and it still glows perfect as of today. yes as an older adult, I still have it plugged in here. it may have been used for 10 to 20 years, then unused for 5 to 10 , then used again for the last 8+. lol, it's had some off time, but it has out lasted everything else with an neon bulb, not to mention incandescent, fluorescent, cfl, led.......
lighted switches? poof dead/flickering neon after 3 to 5 years. so I know and have proof there was good neon bulbs and proper power supplied to them at on point in the past.
EV's are dumb, hybrid is almost fair and other sources of fuel. Hydrogen power, great and all, but rolling H-bombs more or less. nuclear of any type, yep its great but also NOT.
as for the green junk slingers? well, they need massive telephone poles shoved where the sun doesn't shine on them...
Clive uses the helping hand thing: still holds 3 things in his own hands.