Clamping LED Arch Worklight
Description
PDFThis model was inspired by this design by Spudinator (Spencer Owen). My design uses the same PVC trim from Lowes which is $7.31 at time of writing. ("Schluter Systems Rondec 0.313-in W x 98.5-in L Bright White PVC Bullnose Tile Edge Trim") Spudinator's design, while subjectively better than some of the LED arches because it didn't require you to print the whole arch, still had 2 things that didn't work for my purposes:
- The trim doesn't fit very snugly in the end of the pieces.
- The holders need to be screwed to the table to not come lose and slip off the end of the table from the spring force of the trim.
I fixed both of these by redesigning the concept from scratch with the following key features:
- The trim clamps into the end of each piece with two M3x20 screws that thread into M3 hex nuts in a mating part. You may need to drill out the holes with a 3 or 3.5mm bit to make the screws go through smoothly after printing. Also there's a thin skin covering the hole so it can print without supports gunking up the hole.
- The mounts are now dovetail reinforced machine vise clamps that connect to the table with friction.
As seen on TicTok or Instagram, music-less version above. Watch to see rough assembly process in 1 minute.
Project Cost
BOM cost minus printed parts is about $87.54 assuming you have the screw assortments, misc wires, solder, and a soldering iron, but nothing else already. Just the PVC trim + screws + leds +power supply is $67.37. Printed pieces are about 236 grams total or $8 of PETG where I'm located if you use Prusament as I did.
Mechanical/electrical Vitamins needed:
| Item Name | Comment | Qty | Cost per | Cost Extended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M3 x 20 SHC screw | About $.02 if you have an assortment (otherwise $28 to get the assortment) | 2 | ~$0.02 | ~$0.04 |
| M3 Hex Nut | About $.02 if you have an assortment (otherwise $28 to get the assortment) | 2 | ~$0.02 | ~$0.04 |
| High-CRI rated white LEDs | Doesn't use a full 5m of led but I do recommend getting the higher CRI white LEDs. Trust me, they're worth it. About $10 of used LEDs in this project. | 1 | ~$10 | $39.99 |
| PVC Tile Edge Trim | From Lowes | 1 | $7.31 | $7.31 |
| LED Dimmer | If you don't always want them full brightness add one of these in. | 1 (optional) | $12.98 | $12.98 |
| 12 V 3 amp power supply | Can also be recycled from old stuff for free but may be lower efficiency | 1 | $19.99 | $19.99 |
| Crimp U or ring connectors for the dimmer | May already have. | 4 | ~$0.03 | $0.12 |
| Heat shrink | To finish soldered connections. Probably already have. Only used for the barrel connection. | 2 | ~$0.04 | ~$0.08 |
| Barrel Connector | To mate the input of the dimmer to the power supply | 1 | $0.70 | $6.99 |
| Misc solder, crimp tools, stranded PVC or silicone insulated 22awg wire as needed | Assuming you already have but if not you can probably get cheapest at the local big box stores. Maybe $1 of wire used. | ? | ? | ? |
| Sum: | $87.54 |
Tags
Model origin
The author marked this model as their own original creation.