Ignignokt/Err LED display

motman241

motman241

Well-Known Member
I'm just starting this thread, so nobody else has to.

Make a run of these? Why?? They're so freaking cheap, and would require so little knowledge, why would someone not try to make their own? That's why this thread is here.

For my display, I'm not going to have any of the light-sensing circuitry. I don't want it to turn on and off by itself. I will turn it on and off when I'M ready. ;)

The hardest part of this project will be deciding if you want to make Ignignokt or Err. :thumbsup

step 1 - decide character, and print design.

step 2 - buy plexiglass. Found at any hardware store. You can probably use thin wood, metal (have to watch grounding/short issues, though), other plastics, real circuit boards, etc.

step 3 - buy the LEDs. Probably the next hardest step. Depending on what character you picked, you should pick appropriate LEDs. Radio Shack will have some, but it will cost a small fortune for as many as you need. It is cheaper to buy the LEDs online. Besides, mall Radio Shacks don't carry parts any more. :unsure

step 4 - transfer design to plexiglass. Cut the LED holes out, and paint the plexi black.

step 5 - wiring. This is an easy one. the + side of the batteries (or other power supply) go to all of the long LED leads. All of the short LED leads get soldered together. Now, depending on what specific LEDs you got, and you power source, you need a resistor. This thread might be the best place for help on this, as there are too many variations to list something definitive. The resistor will go from one of the short leads to the - on the power source/batteries. Oops, I forgot the switch in there. Put that on one side or the other of the power supply. It really doesn't matter which.

step 6 - finishing Probably want to tack loose things into place with some hot glue or electical tape. This could be when you super glue a hanger on the back, too.

done

Please post progress pictures, new ideas or designs, questions, cries for help, etc. :)
 
In Ignignokt, there are 80 green LEDs, and 105 blue/purple LEDs.

In Err, there are 68 red LEDs, and 109 blue/purple LEDs.
 
I heard on the radio this morning that these were made with actual Lite-Brites. Has anyone else seen or heard the same and can confirm that?

It would be ridiculously easy to replicate if that were true.

Bruce
 
From the news footage I saw last night, they looked like they were built upon a semi-flexible piece of material with magnets on the back. Much like the proposed construction Motman suggested.
They were not light brights.
 
I didn't get out to pick up a set, but looking at the close up pictures on various sites, these look like super bright LED's and no lite-brite sets. You can see the resistor patter next to the LED strings on top of the "sinister device" (Which is the name I would market these under).

I may be wrong, but at far as the board, I was thinking about using a piece of black ABS. I bought some sheets a couple years ago when I was working on my trooper armor 12"by24" sheets were around a dollar a piece from the online plastic supplier I used (I don't know if I have my receipt to see who it was., the name IPS rings a bell). i still have acouple pieces lying around. My problem is I don't know anything about wiring LED's, but i need to learn for a couple projects I am working on.

If you check out the Nytimes opinion section, even outside of our little community, there are tons of people that want these.
 
Yup, I so want to put one up on my campus.

I'm going to grab some styrene for the backing. It shouldn't be hard at all to rig up something. Just going even simpler than they did you could wire them all in series to an on/off switch.

From all the vids I've seen it seems they have a pressure sensor or maybe something like one of those knife switches to sense when it's placed on a wall. It would seem to have light sensors too to not waste batteries during the day.
 
yeah they just look like ultra bright LEDs, you can get em in Radio Shack, just not sure what colors. So you just solder them to a board like that attached to a battery source ? Ive done some electronics, but nothing on a board..
 
Yeah, if you wanted it stupid simple. You'd just solder the positives to the negatives, a resistor, switch and battery pack.

They obviously went to a bit more work. LED's in series will dim at the end. They probably also had something to run them at constant brightness.

I too am looking at LEDs now. Radioshack would work... but I'd like to use some of the larger and diffused LEDs like they did.
 
I worked for the Shack for seven years. I know what they have, and what they can get. You will pay a couple bucks for the 5mm LEDs (2 at best). You'll need near 100?.? Check online. They sell them in bulk for WAY less.

From various pictures I've seen, the real things were on actual printed circuit boards.

Like I said, if you toss out the light-activated circuitry, the electronics are VERY easy.
[image]http://propaholics.wolfchasers.com/uploader/users/motman241/LEDsBasic.jpg[/image]
 
These things are selling for about $300 on eBay. One that claims to be an original from the Boston stupidity is selling for almost $700.
 
What looks cool about the original board is that either character can be made with it. Looking at the pics on many of the ebay auctions you can see extra holes that would be used for the other character.

Good idea, so that if you can mass produce on board and get two characters out of it.

Nick
 
I thought about something along those lines, initially - "wouldn't it be cool to have the light blink between the two characters. Or have the middle finger's lights extend. Or have words blink on at the bottom. Or have their mouth move. Or.. Or.... "

I'm gonna start simple.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(motman241 @ Feb 2 2007, 03:28 PM) [snapback]1410400[/snapback]</div>
I thought about something along those lines, initially - "wouldn't it be cool to have the light blink between the two characters. Or have the middle finger's lights extend. Or have words blink on at the bottom. Or have their mouth move. Or.. Or.... "

I'm gonna start simple.
[/b]
Click to expand...


LOL...

yeah lets get a board with lights with all the same holes cut out first. LOL.

that would be awesome, havin the finger pop on, or switchin between the 2.
 
I wish that I lived in one of the cities that had these all over. I would have snagged one. Now I will have to either make one or be lazy and buy one. I think I will try to make it, more fun that way.
 
Me too. I would have loved to have snagged one - but it'll be fun to make a couple. In Baltimore, we had anti-terrorist expert Jack Baur keeping the streets safe:

w73822959.jpg
 
Heres a template i whipped up in photoshop

I did it for 10 mm LEDS but it could be resized. I just winged the spacing though
 
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