Does anyone have any suggestions on a thin diffusion material for an 8x8 matrix of WS2812?
At the moment I’m using dark tinted acrylic and that works really well as you get good light transmission but you still clearly see the LED light. I’m considering seeing what it looks like if I laser etch some circle shapes in to it to diffuse it locally.
I tried some thin white frosted acrylic but it blocks too much light and diffuses too much. This probably would have been perfect if it were 1mm instead of 3mm thick. I have an issue where I can’t use too much power.
The tracing paper I found still looks like tracing paper with a light behind it - so not great.
I’m searching for similar effects.
Want to have a solid “black” front, but diffuse pixels when lights are on.
So I think the best is to have 2 acrylic plates. one near the LEDs (milky) and one with little space on top in “black toned” >>> but the light emitting is really bad on this solution.
Hope someone can help >> think we searching for the same diffusion material.
Normal milky acrylics are “white” but I want it looks like black
@Jurgen_Skrotzky I tried tracing paper behind the dark tinted plastic but it didn’t really work. I’m going to head down to the laser shop today and etch me some circles. I think it’ll be the only real way to have crisp outlines and blurred insides. Might be a bit costly though!
I want to have the acrylic pressed against the WS2812 — and blur the light — so I’m thinking this might work. I’ll try some different patterns inside the circles - concentric circles — star shaped etc
Problem is time — it may take an age to do 64 of them — so thinking what will be most efficient.
I may need to mass produce this so efficiency is key.
I’m not bullseye sure what you are after for final product, but diffusing light worked well for me in the past with parchment paper. Other than that, I would take a LED light with me to the store and have at it…till I found the material I would have never thought of before. I call those moments, happy accidents, or #happydance.
[edit]
Velum paper
diffusing film used in stage/film for lighting effects. I’ve been using some lenticular material, that i discovered in a cheap “light sabre” style toy:
@Stuart_Taylor : that stuff from the cheap light saber toys is AMAZING for diffusion… I totally want to find a source for that stuff! Have you seen what it does for a laser?!? Seriously, I want lots and lots of it and have no idea where to get it – except by dissecting cheap toys from the store.
As for general diffusion, you generally need two things: (1) a good translucent diffusing material, and (2) some distance between the light source itself and the “output” side of the diffuser. If the diffuser is film (or other basically very thin material, like parchment paper or photo light diffusing film), you’ll get best results if you can leave a little space between the LEDS and the film. The more space, the better the diffusion.
@Mark_Kriegsman no, i’ve not tried a laser (makes mental todo note), and i haven’t found a cheap source, which there must be for them to be able to put it in cheap (made in china) dollar store toys - which is where mine was sourced. Having kids, has some benefits - “let me see that toy you have there”
“Let me see that toy” turned into “Can I have this when you’re done with it?” and then into buying a case of cheap dollar toys from the Walgreens just for the film… It’s a slippery slope, I tell you.
The plastic from a 4-liter/1-gallon milk jug or windshield washer fluid jug? The stuff can also be heated and vacuum formed. I’m looking into using it as a custom-fitted cover for a grid later this year.
Hello all
I have a good light effect by using this method:
Use 1 1/4 hole saw to cut holes on 1/2 thick styrofoam
Cover the hole with white shower curtain
Set a window private film on top
Layer from bottom up like this:
—cardboard
----ws2811 led trip
----styrofoam with hole
----white thin plastic table cloth or shower curtain – window privacy film