Curved LED strip extrusion

[Paesanojed]

Hi Guys,

I am looking to make a floor lamp with an "industrial" look. I am wanting to use 12V for simplicity and compliance and will be using an LED strip as the light source.

LED strips aren't at all attractive and will look cheap and nasty left exposed, is anyone aware of any curved lighting extrusions (in a spiral shape) where you can just slide the LED strip into or any ideas on making my own.

Would love to hear your ideas!

[MitchellM]

@Paesanojed I think I'm going to need a sketch of what you'd like the final lamp to look like, in order for me to muse over what you could build the spiral from.

Is it a tight/loose spiral, how tall will it need to be, how thick of an extrusion etc.

[Jason]

Hi @Paesanojed,

Welcome to the Workshop community. Great to see you make your first post. We are looking forward to seeing how this project comes together. 

Let me tag some experienced members in @MikeTNZ, @Seaton, @Brad and @r23on to see if they might have some suggestions for you about ensuring a safe but attractive build.

Jason

[r23on]

Hi 

Have you considered using extruded clear acrylic half round strips or spiral if you are in melb I can give you a few places I have delt with on the other hand you could buy a bunch of 3ft LED tube lights pull them apart and use the tub and defuser. I have a old tube pulled apart which I will post a photo shortly

to link the tubes get clear acrylic tube extrusion cut a spacer to link all the tubes together 

     or           

I have striped down an 3ft LED tub 

The aluminium section can be used as the heat sink as it is for the tube. when the LED's are striped you left with a glue which can be used to hold the LED tap in place to the heat sink then slide the defused back on then it up to you how to hold it in place.

the other method could be use c channel lat the LED tape in it and place the clear acrylic over the top.

 

[MikeTNZ]

Hi Paesanojed,

Welcome along, mate.

Like MitchellM said below, a sketch (with possible dimensions?), would be really handy to visualise what you want to achieve.

If this is going to be a spiral (helix shaped) construction, it is going to be extremely difficult to slide the LED strip into such a tight arrangement.

Oddly enough, curved pipe is known in the trade as rolled pipe, where it is put in a rolling machine and the two rollers rotate at different speeds.

I would imagine that trying to make a helix-type arrangement would be quite difficult and expensive, especially if you were going to use aluminium, as it ripples quite badly when you try and put any sort of curve on it.

I hope that this of some help to you.

Cheers,

Mike T.

[Brad]

Google to the rescue perhaps.

https://materialdistrict.com/material/bendywood-2/ 

You would have to cut your groove before bending it. Info is sketchy on it as how well it will hold it's shape.

Bright idea is a plastic strip that you have cut the groove on that is bent around a cylinder with the help of a heat gun. I would imagine that it would be difficult to freehand the spiral neatly around the tube, a more advanced jig for a one off may be seen as not worth the effort.

Bright idea 2 3D print the shape you want, depending on sizes you may have to do some joins.

Downsize and buy a table lamp.

[Jason]

Loving this fascinating thread.

Many thanks for your input @r23on, @Brad and @MikeTNZ.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with @Paesanojed!

Jason

[Paesanojed]

Evening All,

Thanks for the suggestions to date.

Apologies for the super basic drawing, however i would describe it as a spring coil, but maybe 15-20mm thick. so i can hide the LED strip on it. 

To hide the strip, i would like to make another one to act as a backing or second skin and then have it bolted together at the top using threaded rod.