Lit From Within

The purpose of this workshop is to give the participant a guided hands-on experience in the new IDC maker space, doing soldering and having pieces laser cut, to build a small project that incorporates electronics and art. Specifically, the participant will build a 2.5-inch-diameter cylindrical light box, which is battery-powered, rocker-switch controlled, and contains 20 small LED lights, such that the light radiates out of the enclosure through artistically designed laser-cut holes. The enclosure is constructed by stacking two medallions and four rings, each laser cut from a colored opaque cast acrylic sheet. Two versions of the prototype, one without braided wire and the other with braided wire, are shown below in Fig. 1. The finished enclosure can be displayed on a table top, suspended, e.g., in a window (see Fig. 2), or hung on a holiday tree. The participant has many choices in designs, materials, and colors. Look over this document for a full tutorial.