Experimental pinball-style illuminated inserts.

Thanks for your help Clive. I'm on my third print now!

Tony Weavers

Yes. Openscad is a free download. You copy and paste the script into the empty text box and press the build button (I think it's a double arrow). When happy with any adjustments, press the button with an hourglass on it, and it will make the STL file. Then press the STL button to save it. Once you have that file saved you can use it in your chosen slicer like cura to make the gcode file for the chosen printer.

Big Clive

I'm a 3D printer virgin. Do I have to convert the scad file to stl in order to print? Help!

Tony Weavers

The printer I current use is an FLsun Q5, but this is a very easy print for most printers. The time taken depends on the size of the insert, but can be around 10 minutes for typical pinball sized ones.

Big Clive

Perhaps a resin printer could be used, but program/design in a diffuser pattern (like sawtooth or fresnel) to experiment and give more options? Two questions…. 1) What 3D printer would you recommend for small pieces like this abs 2) How long do each take to print?

Simon York

Couldn't you have both the concentric circle pattern and the radial supports together? Should give the best of both designs. Not sure how easy it would be to do in OpenSCAD though.

I def think the concentric circles ones look better, the lensing effect could be adjusted to suit as well. One wonders how they would look with the christmas light side Emitting leds too??

Anton

Hey guys Big Clive got a our a shout on Photonicinduction https://youtu.be/Ig4NK2xeboI check it out 0:53 WE ALL LOVE OUR BIG CLIVE

Michael Thompson

Hello Clive! Just became one of your legion of followers and wanted to thank you for the years of terrific videos, and ideas that you given me. I did just order 10 of the USB LED boards to make some of your lights for around the house.

Agreed, but get the brad-point version, NOT the screw-point, or you're in for a nasty surprise.

Chuck Kirchner

Really Great Project. :) I would Use a forstner drill bit. That is what we call them in the US

Jonathan Hughes

It could, although white often makes a better diffusing reflector. So a touch of white paint in the holes could be good.

Big Clive

UV LEDs with glow-in-the-dark PLA? I wonder if the best way to protect these on a table top is to drill them a little low, then top up with epoxy? It doesn't bind well to PLA, but it will to the wood around the cut out, giving a strong surface.

Would it enhance the effect even more if you stick some aluminum foil in the bottom of the hole before placing the insert?

I ordered some of those earlier when I was struggling to get a clean hole with the flat bit.

Big Clive

If you have a drill press, what you want to use is called a Forstner drill bit. They drill a perfectly clean hole - at least in solid wood - but they cannot be used with a handheld drill. A drill press also gives you precise control over the depth of the hole. You may be able to get away with a hand drill mounted in one of those jigs, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Charles

Wow - I like them, I like them a lot. As a down light over my coffee table. Hmmm I need to order more transparent filament.

Zeedijk Mike

Oh NICE! This is really cool!

Michael Thompson