Super Cheap R2 Lighting - Kiwi Build

[Dazza007]

Well since my Han in Carbonite project, I have been 3d Printing an R2D2, based on the Wonderful Mr Baddeleys files.
With the bulk of the printing complete, I decided to start work on the lighting and electronics.

So here is my plan, and I believe I can get the bulk of the lighting done for under $50 USD. (Excluding the Ardunio and PSU)
I'm a big fan of RGB LEDs, the WS2812B individually addressable kind.

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So here goes the first build - an RGB PSI, for around $2 USD - excluding 3D print material - and solder free.

 

[Vagabond Elf]

Cool! Is that a custom mount, then?

One thing we've learnt on Astromech.net is that, if one wants to have the half-blue/half-red sliding effect on a PSI, putting spacers between the rows of LEDs helps. This is true with the custom-built circular LED arrays and I would think it's still true with this; you may want to experiment with that. Assuming the lens doesn't create too much diffusion for it to work out.

Very interested to see more!

 

[Dazza007]

Thanks for the info, yes its a custom mount, I will upload the STLs once I'm fully happy with it all.
Many thanks for the info re the spacers, I was trying everything, but no matter how I did it, it just came out blue/red pinkish. I'll try printing some spacers into the diffuser over the weekend.

 

[Dazza007]

The next one I am trying out is the Logic Displays, these are a little trickier, but here's where I am at the moment while I'm waiting for my Optics.

Basically 4 of the above LED Panels in a custom Light box, into which I will be plugging in some 2mm Fibre Optic Cable, (~10USD per 5m) to create light pipes to the Logic Displays - so the 4x4 is enough to cover the 2 front logic displays, I will be doing a 3x2 array to cover the rear logics.

So in total excluding print materials - 10 5x5RGB LED Matrix boards @ $2 USD each - $20USD + $10USD for the Light Pipe Fibre.

 

[3Dsf]

I think the fibre and controllable LED block approach has a lot going for it.

 

[Vagabond Elf]

Thanks for the info, yes its a custom mount, I will upload the STLs once I'm fully happy with it all.
Many thanks for the info re the spacers, I was trying everything, but no matter how I did it, it just came out blue/red pinkish. I'll try printing some spacers into the diffuser over the weekend.

If you want the sharp line, the trick is to put the spacers at the lights:

Obviously that's one of the R2 builder's clubs purpose-built LED boards, but the principle should be the same. It's hard to take a picture of it lit up without pro-quality gear I don't have, but it made a huge difference.

 

[Dazza007]

Here's a quick video - apologies for the quality - its really hard to get the lights showing well.
I ended up redoing my Mounts so there was minimal gap between the LEDs and the diffuser and it looks pretty good.