Of Lanterns and Lighting

[Mary Diamond]

Yet another option for the creative Pirate, which can be modified in so many ways (flame LEDs, in particular) - a Mary Rose lantern.

http://www.oocities.org/firespiter/lantern/lantern.htm

[LadyBarbossa]

That's pretty cool! Awesome find. 😊

[Stynky Tudor]

On 3/22/2023 at 11:00 AM, Mary Diamond said:

(flame LEDs, in particular) - a Mary Rose lantern

This is such a simple-cool idea. With all the spare time on your hands (LOL), you've got to make one - please share your process. 

[Mary Diamond]

😊 I will definitely share if I get to making one.

[Stynky Tudor]

Not to hijack any Mary Rose Lantern conversations, but here's how I cruded  up the brass Barn Lantern that I purchased from Crazy Crow Trading.

https://www.crazycrow.com/primitive-candle-lantern/18th-century-solid-brass-barn-lantern/

First I gave it wipe down with acetone to remove any varnish and remove the double stick tape adhesive.

Then I used an old toothbrush to apply a splattering of vinegar to the brass. After several applications, I gave it a good water rinse.

For the glass panes, I first wiped them down with acetone to remove the remaining tape adhesive and applied (probably too much) glass etching fluid with a sponge.

[Picaroon Lagoon]

That looks great mate! And the process seems so simple and straightforward! Thank you for sharing! 

[Mary Diamond]

Oooh, I love it! Very nicely done!

[madPete]

nice job!

[Stynky Tudor]

20 hours ago, Picaroon Lagoon said:

That looks great mate! And the process seems so simple and straightforward! Thank you for sharing!

10 hours ago, Mary Diamond said:

Oooh, I love it! Very nicely done!

50 minutes ago, madPete said:

nice job!

Thank you for all the kind words!

[LadyBarbossa]

👍😉🏴‍☠️

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

I like Stynky's etched glass idea, looks better than pebbled plastic. 

Here be an over the hill lantern converted to solar flickering LED. Lasts about 4-5 hours after a full days sun. Not enough light to read by though.

[Mary Diamond]

10 hours ago, Morgan Dreadlocke said:

I like Stynky's etched glass idea, looks better than pebbled plastic. 

Here be an over the hill lantern converted to solar flickering LED. Lasts about 4-5 hours after a full days sun. Not enough light to read by though.

I wonder what the plastic looks like when reversed, and finely sanded? Perhaps a quick and easy ‘mica’? Lightweight and less breakable would make me consider repurposing those panes.

[Stynky Tudor]

On 7/11/2023 at 11:40 AM, Morgan Dreadlocke said:

Here be an over the hill lantern converted to solar flickering LED. Lasts about 4-5 hours after a full days sun. Not enough light to read by though.

That lantern looks great and weathered. How long ago was it converted to solar?

I'm just wondering if newer technology guts and batteries might up the brightness and longevity.

15 hours ago, Mary Diamond said:

I wonder what the plastic looks like when reversed, and finely sanded? Perhaps a quick and easy ‘mica’?

Actually I like this idea too, reversed panels, lightly sanded to look like decorated/engraved mica panels - very cool.

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

32 minutes ago, Stynky Tudor said:

That lantern looks great and weathered. How long ago was it converted to solar?

I'm just wondering if newer technology guts and batteries might up the brightness and longevity.

 

Originally built around '09 ish, might be a pic or two somewhere in the Pub archives. Conversion was last September just before the Tucson comic con circus, couldn't have flame and didn't want glass near so many people. Conversion was really easy, bust off the decorative plastic shell, remove the white diffuser tube and drop the whole mess into the hole in the top of the lantern. Az sunlight eats up the little solar panel so a newer unit will last a few hours longer. Brightness is still about 1 candle power. The glazing plastic is 2' x4' sheets for fluorescent shop lighting. Have to experiment with a scrap to see how it looks after sanding and/or a spritz of some narsty solvent.

[Stynky Tudor]

As for solar florescents, I purchased these a few years back for a camping trip. I really like the fire like flicker, but it's been years since I used them, I'm not sure how bright they actually are.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PQG8QBS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Mary Diamond]

Some years back, I purchased LED collapsible, flickering orange/alternating to bright white, lanterns from American Science and Surplus (sciplus.com), a fantastic resource for all the bits and bobs creative folk need. While they don’t seem to have them at the moment, Amazon has a similar lantern here: https://www.amazon.com/Lichamp-Lanterns-Collapsible-Flashlight-Emergency/dp/B08T9WLDSJ/ref=sr_1_8?crid=35CMCY0NVMHH7&keywords=Flickering+collapsible+lantern&qid=1689229069&sprefix=flickering+collapsible+lamgern%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-8

I bring it up because it is a neatly arranged tower of flickering LEDs, with significant brightness, at an affordable price point. It may be of interest as a drop-in unit for larger lanterns, or as a starting point for the more experienced electrical folk.

 

[Mary Diamond]

7 hours ago, Stynky Tudor said:

As for solar florescents, I purchased these a few years back for a camping trip. I really like the fire like flicker, but it's been years since I used them, I'm not sure how bright they actually are.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PQG8QBS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Oooh, I like those!

[Stynky Tudor]

On 3/22/2023 at 11:00 AM, Mary Diamond said:

(flame LEDs, in particular)

Speaking of flame LEDs, I just bought a few of these bulbs and 9volt battery connectors. I'm not sure I'll have anything assembled in time of Massacre Island, but we'll see.

Amazon Link to Bulbs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098DQWS7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

This video does a break down and repurposes that I think is applicable.

 

[Mary Diamond]

9 hours ago, Stynky Tudor said:

Speaking of flame LEDs, I just bought a few of these bulbs and 9volt battery connectors. I'm not sure I'll have anything assembled in time of Massacre Island, but we'll see.

Amazon Link to Bulbs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098DQWS7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

This video does a break down and repurposes that I think is applicable.

 

Oooooooooohhhhh, the possibilities! Great find!

[Stynky Tudor]

7 hours ago, Mary Diamond said:

Oooooooooohhhhh, the possibilities! Great find!

Thanks!

I like the idea of running it off a 9v battery as opposed to a hand full of AAs. The first thing I want to test is to see how long will it runs off a fresh battery, minutes, hours, days...

[Mary Diamond]

12 hours ago, Stynky Tudor said:

Thanks!

I like the idea of running it off a 9v battery as opposed to a hand full of AAs. The first thing I want to test is to see how long will it runs off a fresh battery, minutes, hours, days...

Or perhaps a rechargeable USB battery pack…

[Stynky Tudor]

11 hours ago, Mary Diamond said:

Or perhaps a rechargeable USB battery pack…

That works too. In fact Amazon has usb rechargeable 9v batteries...

[Stynky Tudor]

Well I've happily destroyed one of my new fire bulbs!

It appears the bulbs I purchased are different from the bulbs in the video example and aren't very happy with 9v/12v - especially when you try and by-pass the ICs (integrated circuits). I did get the bulb to light up/come on with a 9v battery, but only for a few seconds (not in animated flame mode) before burning out completely.

I've now ordered some 12v specific bulbs, we'll see how that goes. 

[Mary Diamond]

On 8/17/2023 at 10:55 AM, Stynky Tudor said:

Well I've happily destroyed one of my new fire bulbs!

It appears the bulbs I purchased are different from the bulbs in the video example and aren't very happy with 9v/12v - especially when you try and by-pass the ICs (integrated circuits). I did get the bulb to light up/come on with a 9v battery, but only for a few seconds (not in animated flame mode) before burning out completely.

I've now ordered some 12v specific bulbs, we'll see how that goes. 

Gotta love those “learning experiences” - thank you for sharing your newfound knowledge!

[Stynky Tudor]

On 8/18/2023 at 9:15 PM, Mary Diamond said:

Gotta love those “learning experiences”

Well I blew out a 12v bulb this time...

Looks like I was wrong, I didn't actually blow out the build, it turns out the life of the rechargeable 9v battery is for sh*t.

Now I'm looking (back) into solar powered fire bulb lights. These have a solar panel, that I assume charge/run off 1.5v - 3v batteries. I'll let you know more once they've arrived.