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Of Lanterns and Lighting


Mary Diamond

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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. 

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  • 1 month later...

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/

2023 CRAZY CROW BRAN 01.jpg

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.

2023 CRAZY CROW BRAN 04.jpg

2023 CRAZY CROW BRAN 05.jpg

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.

2023 CRAZY CROW BRAN 06.jpg

2023 CRAZY CROW BRAN 07.jpg

2023 CRAZY CROW BRAN 08.jpg

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

“A fellow with no wish to be governed, inspected, indoctrinated, preached at, taxed, stamped, measured, judged, condemned, hanged, or shot.”

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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!

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  • 1 month later...

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.

PXL_20230312_040051350[1282].jpg

PIRATES!  Because ye can't do epic shyte wi' normal people.

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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.

PXL_20230312_040051350[1282].jpg

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.

MDtrademarkFinal-1.jpg

Oooh, shiny!

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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.

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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.

PIRATES!  Because ye can't do epic shyte wi' normal people.

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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

 

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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.

 

MDtrademarkFinal-1.jpg

Oooh, shiny!

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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!

MDtrademarkFinal-1.jpg

Oooh, shiny!

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  • 5 weeks later...
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.

 

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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!

MDtrademarkFinal-1.jpg

Oooh, shiny!

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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...

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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…

MDtrademarkFinal-1.jpg

Oooh, shiny!

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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. 

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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!

MDtrademarkFinal-1.jpg

Oooh, shiny!

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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.   

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