Oh man, I completely forgot about this thread! I actually made a simpler light-up wand using scavenged electronics from an AliExpress wand, and making a shell the usual way I do, with rolled paper. It could definitely be made better though, and I might make an improved version, as I now have a 3d printer so I can make a more robust shell. Do SMD LEDs work without a PCB? I don't think I have the budget for a custom PCB.
Sorry for the long wait. I have moved countries and started on an education, so my time was a bit low on projects like this for a while.
Looking to ramp up work on this, since I now have access to a lot more resources than I had before, via the school.
Scavenging is a great way to cut down on sourcing. As for SMD's, depending on the place you buy them and the amount you need, you might get away with something very affordable.
If you are still interested, I can hook you up with some soldered boards of mine. I am planning on making more advanced ones because I want to push the limits of this, but if you have use of the older boards I can put together a package for you.
really enjoyed reading this thread and seeing the results, i love the detail and lengths you went to to share your work.
im sure you will have looked into it already but there are pipe bending springs i have seen as small as 6mm but possible could be available smaller... its simply a stiff spring that you feed into the tube you want to bend and it stops the walls collapsing and kinking. it could be a useful solution for your curved wands maybe? although i guess drilling a hole through a curved wand to receive the metal core is the challenge but then maybe you would have to make it in 2 halves and join together?
Thank you! Again, apologies for the long pause.
I've always liked when people show the steps of a build, so I thought I'd give back. Happy that you enjoyed it.
For the pipe spring, that is a great idea. I found something very similar by accident, but never thought of using a proffesional tool. I think what I found is meant to be a kind of adjustable curtain hanger, but it would probably do the work just as well as a pipe spring.
My first idea is to fill it with sand, as this is what the flute book describes for the krumhorns. It has the benefit of not being able to get stuck, so I thought I'd start there and move onto springs if it didn't work out.
The idea right now is to try to make a bent wand using the flute techniques, use a custom diffused led string inside to show where I am getting too close to the fibreglass, since precision turning will not work with a bent shape.
There will be no metal cores going forward. I am trying to create an internal electronics system with signals running bellow and above the battery, so wires would have to pass by the side of it anyways. Might as well do away with the metal part altogether, so that there are no blind spots for potential capacitive sensors.
I will try to document the progress going forward. I have work on top of studying, but this project has been laying around for far too long with far too much potential, so it is high time to dust it off and get going.
