How can I diffuse LEDs?

I'm working on a prop now that lights up. But the LEDs seem to be creating more of a "beam" than just a glow. How can I diffuse the LEDs to make them look more like a ball of light?

This prop will remain nameless until I can show it off :P

a while back i reworked and added LEDs to the eyes in my Jin Roh mask, and to diffuse the light i used half of a ping pong ball mounted in front of the led behind the red lens. seemed to do the trick for me.

First, buy the right LEDs. Every good vendor should have them in many varieties, with different angle of light dispersal and different plastic for the lens (clear, colored or diffused).

I guess you could also sand the LED, with some 400 grit (or so) sandpaper.
I have painted LEDs with a thin layer of acrylic to diffuse them.

If you use a reflector or a housing, make it matt white inside.
Put some diffusing paper or plastic film in front of it. A drawback with paper is that you will also illuminate the grain in the paper and that might not be the effect you are looking for.

thanks for the tips guys. i think i have the info i need

You can also file/sand down the round tip of the led making it flat, leave it rough, and sand the surface of the rest of the led. Dont polish the hazed surface. Seems like you have point source leds as opposed to diffused. Point source is a beam, diffused is a glow.

This comes up quite a bit on the R2 Builders group. Here's some of the tips:

Use a piece of milk jug plastic, florescent light fixture diffuser material, sanded clear plexi, white nylon cutting board etc in front of LED with some space.

For my own R2's red/blue blinkies I have a piece of flourescent light fixture material placed about 3/4"-1" from the LED then some 1/4" thick UHMW (basicially cutting board stuff) another 3/4-1" all placed in a pill bottle.

Some builders have lined the inside of their tube with alumium foil or chrome paint to reflect as much light around as possible.

Hope this helps

Heath

Here is another cheapie idea.

Get one of the gumball-toy holders that are in the machines and wet sand it to make it a hazy opaque condition. Then you can get a candy paint to put on there to make it a different color if you would like. Something like a candy red is translucent but will still show color while letting light thru. The haziness of the scratched plastic will difuse the light.

The neat part is if you mess up you are only out a quarter or so.

If you have kids, let them go crazy with their allowence and then snag the little holders! lol

I agree with things said already. There's some great tips here.

You never said how big of an area you want lit.

You can go from just sanding the LED lightly (for a small area of diffused area) , to lighting tiles or lightyly sanded plexiglass for larger areas.

Let us know what happens, either way.

I agree on the different type of led's... They come diffused from the shop.

Oh and one major question. Where do I know that avatar from?

I'm dying to know.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SiR&#045;ROUND &#064; Jan 13 2007, 01&#58;05 PM) [snapback]1396639[/snapback]</div>

I agree on the different type of led&#39;s... They come diffused from the shop.

Oh and one major question. Where do I know that avatar from?

I&#39;m dying to know.
[/b]

If you&#39;re talking about creamedgeezer&#39;s avatar, its from a Twilight Zone episode called Nick of Time starring William Shatner in his pre Trek days.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH&#33;

Thanks a billion. Sorry for the offtopic.

look for wide-angle LEDs. These will throw a diffused light pattern vs. a typical beam. They work right out of the box&#33;

A dab of silicone might work, depending on where the LEDs are placed.

Sean