HydroDC
Well-Known Member
Aluminum is pretty soft. I used an 80 tooth 10" carbide blade on the table saw.
CXB3590 DIY Light
- Thread starter HydroDC
- Start date
Aluminum is pretty soft. I used an 80 tooth 10" carbide blade on the table saw.
DoctorDelta9
Well-Known Member
I stand corrected
bicit
Well-Known Member
Veritas® Optical Center Punch
To keep a twist drill from skating on metal (and leaving you with a hole in the wrong place) you should always use a center punch, especially when using small flexible bits. The dimple created by the punch holds the bit point true.
The Veritas optical center punch simplifies the procedure at the same time as it substantially increases accuracy. Even with wood there is an advantage to using a center punch; it creates a small crater that readily centers a brad-point drill.
After you have carefully marked your spot, place the punch base and optical post over the spot, adjust it until the crosshairs on the 8X magnifying post are exactly on the mark, then replace the post with the A2 hardened steel punch and tap the punch with a hammer. A high-friction O-ring in the gold-plated brass base keeps it from moving during this exchange, ensuring near-perfect accuracy. It is simplicity itself to use.
As an added bonus, you can use the 8-power optical post as an inspection monocular in your shop. It has excellent depth of field and is easily focused freehand.
Made in Canada.
Veritas® Optical Center Punch
05N59.01 $39.50
[Edit: There is also a Flexbar brand optical center punch.]
Great stuff, HydroDC! You almost had me ordering tools I don't really need.
I really want this....
HydroDC
Well-Known Member
Would love to see a beamshot of the pattern those lenses put down.
As I mentioned at the start of this thread, your knowledge and experiments were of great help in getting me on the right track. Thanks again.
Here are 4 shots of the light hanging 32" above a piece of reflective insulation. If you look toward the edges of the pics, there's a 72" wood ruler hinged at 36" to give an idea of a 3x3 space perimeter. The lenses are advertised as being 80 degree lenses (LINK). First pic is all 6 COBs on hi, next is 6 on lo, next is 4 on hi last is 2 on hi. Both in the pics and in person, can't really see much if at all of a beam spot. Just looks like a fairly even circle of light.
HydroDC
Well-Known Member
Double sided tape will work after a fashion, but you're right, some sort of mounting provision would be good. By the by, I used some old fluorescent ballast wiring as the wire for the COBs in my project. I had swapped a magnetic ballast for an electronic one and had saved the old wires - 18 gauge, 600V, solid core. Worked great.
medicinehuman
Well-Known Member
Time to get growing. Cool looking light HDC.
