LED HELPING HANDS (lcd Monitor Base)

OK, here we go.for my first instructable. I recently disassembled an old lcd monitor (don't toss'em there is all kinds of goodies inside). i decided to make a set of helping hands with a 20,000 MCD white LED using the base from the monitor. it's very stable and impossible to tip over.

Sorry, i had removed the base and disassembled the monitor before decideing to make an instructable. The base is not hard to remove,just pop the top off of the base to gain access to the screws that hold the monitor to the base.

To take the base apart,gently squeeze the vertical tabs together and wiggle the top portion of the base.

TA-DAH !!!!!!

This section of the base is hollow and is where i put the 9 volt battery and 470 ohm resistor.

Remove top of base.i just wiggled it back and forth and it popped right off.

At the top of the slots where the mounting bracket came through drill holes,i used a 3/8th" bit. These holes are for the wires with alligator clips attached to come through. we'll get to that step in a minute.

rEMOVE THE NUTS FROM THE BOLTS AND REMOVE BRACKET.

OK here's what i did next. The bolts i removed from the bracket would not work for this step so i drilled out the remaining part of the bracket so i could use my own bolts. Next i removed some 12 ga. wire from a piece of 12-3 houshold wiring and cut two pieces two foot long and bent them in the middle to form a V shape. Next i put my bolts through the holes i drilled out and put the wires between the bracket and washer and tightened the bolts.

Feed the wires one at a time through the bracket slots and into the holes you drill in the top.

Like so.

Next cut the wire to the length you want and solder on alligator clips

For this step find a bolt that you can drill a hole through just large enough to fit a two foot piece of 12 ga. wire through. i ground a flat spot on the bolt with my dremmel so my drill bit would have a place to start.

Like so.

Next drill a hole in the back of the hollow section of the base.Do some measuring and be sure you have enough room inside the hollow section for the nut and washer.

Next put the bolt through hole and tighten from the inside.

Next drill a small hole for LED wiring

Next run the wiring for the LED through hole. i used the wire from an old wall wart.

Next solder a 470 ohm resistor to a 9 volt battery clip. Add a couple pieces of wire about 1 foot long each for your switch.

Next attach the wire for the LED to the 12 ga wire which is mounted to the back of the hollow base (the wire through the bolt i drilled the hole through). I used a few pieces of heat shrink tubing to secure the LED wire to the 12 ga. wire then taped it up with electrical tape. i also put a piece of heat shrink tubing at the end of the 12 ga wire to cover the end. leave the LED wiring a little long.

This is how i soldered the LED to the wall wart wire. First i tinned the wall wart wire and soldered on a single strand of wire from the wall wart wire, i don't know what ga. it is it's not much larger than couple strands of hair. Note in the pic. i soldered it to the tip of the wall wart wire. I use this to wrap the LED leg. it makes it alot easier to solder the LED to the wall wart wire. (SEE NEXT STEP)

Wrap and solder the Led leg to the wall wart wire. DON'T FORGET THE HEAT SHRINK TUBING.

Like so. Now that's a nifty solder joint.

Shrink your tubing. we're almost done now.

Next cut a peice of 22ga. wire about 8-9 inches long wrap several times around the end of the12ga. wire. cut off the excess 22ga. wire leaving an inch or so sticking out past the end of the led

wrap the excess 22ga. wire below the base of the LED for strength. the 22ga. wire will make the LED more flexible and easier to aim at your work.

Finish by tapeing the LED to the 22ga. wire.

Add your switch and you're done. i had an old blade type switch from an old train set. The silver color didn't do it for me so i took it apart and painted it black.lol

A couple other nifty things i found inside the lcd monitor include a piece of plexi glass that my helping hands are sitting on and a holographic/ reflective sheet of plastic the photo doesn't really show how nifty the reflective plastic sheet is. i'm gonna try to make a holographic LED box. You know where 12 LED"S look like hundreds of them.