I have just recently completed building myself a couple of light boxes and I am very pleased with the results. If anyone is interested in me building one for them, PM me and I can discuss price etc, one thing is for sure, they are going to be at least a third of the price of imported ones, and IMHO work just as well. The two attached images will give you some sort of idea of my construction. My method of construction allowes the light box to fit over the front of the telescope/dew shield, much like a cover so one does not need to balance it on the scope.
I use a 12v lighter type connector for the power, and each LED is rated at between 6000mcd and 12000mcd depending on the size of the box required.
If interested please feel free to ask any questions.
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Thanks Pete, appreciate your thoughts. I am working on a light box at present, and was soldering, cannot even hold the soldering iron properly, so it is most definitely time for the operation.
Just for information some tech information on the LEDs I use in these light boxes. They are rated at 15,000MCD and 20mA and 3.1vdc. To get full rated current I use a 470 ohm voltage dropping resistor for a 12vdc input. Having said that I have tested them on a LED tester that I have at a rated current of 50mA. They really glowed extremely bright, but did not blow. However I stick to the rated current for longevity. I believe that they would not last very long at the higher current.
As I have my right hand operated on Wednesday, the construction of these will be on hold for at least 2 months and possibly more depending on how I heal. If the op is successful, I will get my left hand done later on.
In my attempts to improve these, I have come across an external plug in type dimmer that works a treat. So now when I do a box with dimmer, it will not be hard wired, but instead the plug in dimmer will be used. This will give the individual the choice of either dimming or straight in power. I tested it on my non dimmed TOA130 light box and the dimming appeared to be very linear.
Hi Pete,
I hope the op went well. I have 2 of your light boxes for a RC8 and ED80 both without dimmers but I need a dimmer. Can you advise what external dimmer you have found works so I can get one.
Thanks
Rod
I had a guy email me for a light box today, really I cannot even hold a pencil at present, it is extremely painful to try anything with the right hand. It is still in a splint and that has at least another 2 weeks to run and then I start exercises. As I told the guy today, at the very earliest it would be 2 months from now before I would even entertain trying. The left thumb is just as bloody sore as it is doing everything and it needs the same op when the right is usable. Not in a great hurry to have another operation, that is for sure.
I feel for you Pete hope it all gets well very soon to anyone out the wanting a light box they are well worth the wait till Pete is better all the best my friend
cheers Pete
Thanks Pete, I appreciate your thoughts. Probably the last 20 or so I have built have really been a challenge as my thumbs are really stuffed. Decided I had to fix the problem, so one at a time, the repair begins. Look forward to getting into full swing. The first one is the worst as I also had the knackered broken finger same hand fixed and the end joint frozen, I suppose I am a masochist to get 2 done at once, as they say in for a penny, in for a pound..
It is coming up 7 weeks since the op and the recuperation is very very slow. I cannot see myself even attempting any light boxes for at least another 2 months, but things may change, I bloody hope so as the constant pain is p1ssing me off to the max.
Thanks Steve, I appreciate your feedback. As a matter of fact the condition is much more common with women for some odd reason. I saw my hand therapist today and he is very happy with the progress, but says it may take up to a year to be fully functional Bloody hell I hope not..
Just an update, the hand is slowly improving and with any luck I should be able to hopefully start lightboxes again on a limited scale in around 4 weeks, assuming Murphy does not get in on the act. At least until I get the other thumb done then it will be back to square one.
I did a pinch test at the hand therapist this week, the left thumb and forefinger got 9kg and the right one was 3kg, long way to go, but 6 weeks ago it was an effort to touch the two together.
Another update, pretty well ready to try a light box. Thumb is sometimes a little touchy, and no where near full strength, but I can do most things now as long as I do not try to use too much force, then it lets me know to back off or suffer the pain. As I said previous, the left one is actually more painful than the operated one, so that is all positive, but indicates obviously that the left one needs the op as well. This will not be happening until next year, I need to get the right one fully operational first.
As I said previously it is all improving slowly actually managed to do up a fairly large "nut" on the underside of a leaking cistern today without too much grief, so the strength is coming back. I reckon the right thumb is at about 70% and in my opinion that is excellent considering it was at about 10% before the op...
I have noticed in recent times that some people are not having the decency to acknowledge when I give them information on Light boxes, as in prices etc. Common courtesy would be nice so that I at least know if they are receiving my responses.
I am about 75% through my first light box since the operation, all going well as long as I am careful. The right thumb is pretty well normal now which is all good, as I said before, it is lacking in strength, but hopefully that will return. One thing is for sure it is a far cry from what it was like. Once I am 100% happy with it, I will get the left one done and the process starts again. Bloody hell, getting old is the pits...