Arduino project: Acrylic 'N'' LED sculpture

This week's arduino project starts with the letter 'n'.  Well, and it ends with the letter 'n', as well.

While the image to the right doesn't do the end result justice, it is a fairly good representation of what you should get, when done.

It is unclear why a person would want the letter 'n', created as a "multi-layered, acrylic and LED sculpture, with variable lighting levels", hanging on the wall.  The instructables user slight does not appear to touch on the reasoning.

All we have as an explanation is, "This n is an art work and experimental and these instructions should be treated as such!"

But, one can imagine that if there was another letter, or perhaps even a word or something else that might be more appropriate, it can probably be made as an extension of this instructables.  So, let's look at it, closer.

As described on this instructables by the user, "The n takes the form of 5 layers of laser cut acrylic, 3 of which have LEDs in them. The front panel has the outline of a letter n etched in it. 3 knobs control the LEDs and fade them between the ones inside and outside the outline of the n being on, on each layer."

This is, certainly, a more involved project that may not be for the feint of heart, although it does touch on a lot of things that are probably useful for one to learn and adapt to other project.

Here's a run down of the parts:

Electronics
150 x LED's - Yellow, 150 x carbon film resistors - 0.5W 68ohm 5%, 6 x transistors, 3 x 22k pots, 3 x knobs, 1 x arduino decimila, 4 x stripboard, pin strip

Stuff
5 x 3mm acrylic sheet 610mm x 610mm, small white cable ties, 4 x 400mm M10 stud, 38 x M10 nuts, 4 x M10 dome nuts

Power
1 x regulated power supplies 4.5volts 1400ma, 1 x regulated power supplies 7.5 volts

Consumables
solder, super glue, araldite

And, here is the tool list:

tools
soldering iron, damp sponge, solder sucker, snips, screwdriver, tape measure or ruler, strip breaker, work surface, 'steady eddie'

multi-meter, hacksaw, spanner, cable stripper (though I prefer just to use the snips)

So first, you need to create the proper artwork with associated vector files that will work in a laser cutter.  Now, there's a question in the instructables comment area, whether a laser cutter is required.  It wasn't answered, although it probably can be done without a laser cutter.  Either way, it is good to design what you hope to make.

Next of course, you have to prep the laser cutter and have it produce your work.  Again, if you aren't using a laser cutter, then you will hand, or otherwise, produce your cut, acrylic sheets.

Now, it's time to work on the electronics.

While this may be a bit of a tedious job, just wait.  This is still a fairly straight forward part of the project.

Once assembled, it is time to program the arduino code and then attach the arduino to the circuit board.

As detailed by the instructables user, "We are using 3 analogue inputs from the pots and 6 digital outputs to the stripboards, with pulse width modulation (pwm). There are 3 grounds coming back to the board from the 3 stripboards."

Now, for those of you who might be in to knitting or crocheting, then this part of the instructables is for you.

Yes.  All the wires need to be threaded through the sheets and to the acrylic, so that the LEDs can actually do their intended job.

If you weren't committed to the project up until this point, the you will be now.  Or, after trying to get this task accomplished, you probably should be committed.

Depending on the dexterity of your fingers, you might have this task accomplished in short order.  If you are not, then this might be the most time consuming part of the project.

Just keep reminding yourself that that all that time and effort is worth it.

By the time you have completed the steps to this project, you should have yourself an amazing piece of art that you can showcase to all your friends as a great conversation piece.

"Yes, I made that!"

And even if you do not have a lot of friends to show it off to, because who can have a social life when one is doing a project such as this, at least you should be able to enjoy this piece of work, while eating supper alone.

Have fun with this project!