A light fitting for a log!

[Nail]

Good evening,

I’ve meant to ask this for a while but kept forgetting. I had planned to do a little sketch but perhaps text will suffice.

Essentially, I’m wondering if anyone has a view on a type of light for recessing into a log as a feature light.

A standard bit of strip LED would be too narrow and I’m conscious of the outer appearance. I could use multiple lengths to increase the width ( no set width yet - trying to be good and plan it first!) but then there is the appearance issue.
I’ve seen side emitting LEDs used for one but again, narrow.

I have wondered about cannibalising an LED baten for inner parts and also the diffuser but before I got into it too far wondered if anyone else had solved this problem of mine!

Thanks!

 

[Bingy man]

I often find the best solution to these types of issues are to just get stuck in and see what works best for you. Plenty of options online for supplies for a few ££,s

 

[paulrbarnard]

Good evening,

I’ve meant to ask this for a while but kept forgetting. I had planned to do a little sketch but perhaps text will suffice.

Essentially, I’m wondering if anyone has a view on a type of light for recessing into a log as a feature light.

A standard bit of strip LED would be too narrow and I’m conscious of the outer appearance. I could use multiple lengths to increase the width ( no set width yet - trying to be good and plan it first!) but then there is the appearance issue.
I’ve seen side emitting LEDs used for one but again, narrow.

I have wondered about cannibalising an LED baten for inner parts and also the diffuser but before I got into it too far wondered if anyone else had solved this problem of mine!

Thanks!

I made a pretty reasonable diffuser for a light box simply by sanding a sheet of acrylic. This would let you make a diffuser to suit the log (it can be bent with a former with fairly low temperatures). Just make sure the leds are far enough below it so that the light puddles overlap on the diffuser.

 

[Agent_zed]

as above I made a bathroom shelf in oak that has led light strips under each shelf and used clear acrylic pieces that I sanded to diffuse the light. I think you can get led strip that has more leds per inch etc so you get a more even light, so you might want to look into that.

Not sure what you want it to look like etc but you could play around with fibre optics (or similar idea). Using clear plastic rods you can take the light from a central light source set inside the log and only have small round ends showing on the outside of the log. Easy enough to drill round holes to take the rods.

 

[Nail]

as above I made a bathroom shelf in oak that has led light strips under each shelf and used clear acrylic pieces that I sanded to diffuse the light. I think you can get led strip that has more leds per inch etc so you get a more even light, so you might want to look into that.

Not sure what you want it to look like etc but you could play around with fibre optics (or similar idea). Using clear plastic rods you can take the light from a central light source set inside the log and only have small round ends showing on the outside of the log. Easy enough to drill round holes to take the rods.

So the look is a piece of yew, trimmed to this sort of shape:

Then the light recessed in like this:

Wood Beam LED Pendant Light Chandelier Wooden Chandelier - Etsy UK

Making a diffuser sounds good! I am concerned about the slight wiggle of the log versus what goes in.

 

[paulrbarnard]

So the look is a piece of yew, trimmed to this sort of shape:

Then the light recessed in like this:

Wood Beam LED Pendant Light Chandelier Wooden Chandelier - Etsy UK

Making a diffuser sounds good! I am concerned about the slight wiggle of the log versus what goes in.

Looks like a nice project. Cut the recess 30 to 40mm deep with a router and as wide as you want the light ‘bar’ to be. Route a second recess to the depth of the acrylic plus the depth of a double sided sticky foam strip and the width of the strip (probably 10mm is a good width). Then use the adhesive foam strip to fix the acrylic in place. The LED will never need replacing and there will be plenty of give in the foam to cope with seasonal movement of the wood.

 

[Agent_zed]

As above or you could put 2 very small screws either end to ensure it stays put. Or maybe just leave enough space to add a screw either end incase it doesn't want to stay in. My diffusers kept falling out as the glue didn't want to stick to it, seem to be staying in now with some glue I had to fix a shoe sole.

If you are using the 12v led strip light you will also need a 240v - 12v dc transformer, which you may have already thought about. They are only small for the size you'd need so you could hide it in the wood or in the ceiling space.

 

[Richard_C]

so you could hide it in the wood or in the ceiling space.

My general rule, if you can, is to keep the 240v as far away as possible from humans in any self made project. So a transformer in the ceiling means you are only getting 12v near the DIY bit. Plus transformers, even if lightly loaded, do get a bit warm so yiu have to think about vents and risk of nearby adhesives softening.

 

[Agent_zed]

My general rule, if you can, is to keep the 240v as far away as possible from humans in any self made project. So a transformer in the ceiling means you are only getting 12v near the DIY bit. Plus transformers, even if lightly loaded, do get a bit warm so yiu have to think about vents and risk of nearby adhesives softening.

I'd generally agree. The only thing I'd be nervous of is if the transformer is not obvious and in the future someone removes the light fitting and someone then reuses the light by wiring direct to 240v there is going to be a bang. If the top of the light is not going to be visible when it's hanging I'd put a plate next to the incoming wire with it clearly marked with the required voltage and a tag on the other end of the wire with the same, just to be sure.