Building your own lights with LED Strips

**Rotbart** · 09-24-2016, 09:43 AM

So when I first saw the RedUser Group Buy for High CRI LED Strips after hearing about it on the WanderingDP Podcast I was hooked.
I had to wait for my student job money to arrive but I have now ordered two YUJI BC daylight strips and when they arrive I will start building away.
The cool thing is, there are so many powering and cabling options already for cheap on amazon and ebay, so that it is really plug n play.

I d love to start a conversation about that, maybe even have a thread where we can share builds. Let's see where it takes us!

I will attach some photos from the Reduser Thread (I hope that's ok?) and also an amazon list with articles I've found and will share one idea I had.

https://www.amazon.de/registry/wishl..._QbP5xbM399YDQ

One idea I had is to build a simple 50cm by 50cm panel from coroplast and LED strips, attach screws to each corner so I can attach filters, diffusion and most importantly:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00...f_rd_i=desktop
One of those grids. So I could basically have a cheap, flat, 500g chimera that is batterypowered and basically rigged everywhere with velcro.
Watcha thinking? You may have noticed, I am quite hooked on these strips.

**Howie Roll** · 09-24-2016, 11:32 AM

That first shot looks like a booty trap........No don't pick up that sandbag!

**Roman** · 09-24-2016, 12:22 PM

Haha, just made a thread similar to this. I'm very interested in creating practical lights with LED strips. It's amazing what you can do with them. In terms of just making interesting lights with LED strips, I just copied that China ball setup that you posted from REDuser. Note did the same thing, wrapping all those strips around a plastic bottle inside the China ball. It's working out really nicely so far. I think it's fucking awesome how I can walk around, booming a China ball powered by my V-mount for nearly 3 hours. So much utility in something like that.

**Marshall Harrington** · 09-24-2016, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Roman

Haha, just made a thread similar to this. I'm very interested in creating practical lights with LED strips. It's amazing what you can do with them. In terms of just making interesting lights with LED strips, I just copied that China ball setup that you posted from REDuser. Note did the same thing, wrapping all those strips around a plastic bottle inside the China ball. It's working out really nicely so far. I think it's fucking awesome how I can walk around, booming a China ball powered by my V-mount for nearly 3 hours. So much utility in something like that.

Hey Roman, Was just in SLC BTW. Would you show us what you did with the China Ball? I've been wanting to do exactly that with the boom and all and would love to see how you handled it. Thanks a bunch as always.

**Note Suwanchote** · 09-25-2016, 09:11 PM

Great thread. I have those group buy strips. Thanks for the links, I was looking for new materials to try them out with.
Will post something soon (on here or the Fb group).

**Rotbart** · 09-26-2016, 03:29 AM

Is there a bmcuser fb group or do you mean the group buy group? Please post here aswell!
Also, are you buying the controller? Still debating for myself.

**Rotbart** · 09-26-2016, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by Roman

Haha, just made a thread similar to this. I'm very interested in creating practical lights with LED strips. It's amazing what you can do with them. In terms of just making interesting lights with LED strips, I just copied that China ball setup that you posted from REDuser. Note did the same thing, wrapping all those strips around a plastic bottle inside the China ball. It's working out really nicely so far. I think it's fucking awesome how I can walk around, booming a China ball powered by my V-mount for nearly 3 hours. So much utility in something like that.

How much strip did you use for your china ball?

**Note Suwanchote** · 09-26-2016, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Rotbart

Is there a bmcuser fb group or do you mean the group buy group? Please post here aswell!
Also, are you buying the controller? Still debating for myself.

It's the Ursa Mini facebook group. There's one for the Cinema camera too.

And yes, I'll see if I can post something about that later this week.

**vicharris** · 09-26-2016, 10:13 PM

I've been using a battery like this for about a year on a China Ball with LEDd strips.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019IFIJW8?psc=1

Got the idea from the grips and DP from American Hustle awhile back. Just thrown the battery in a pocket or in something around your waist.

**Marshall Harrington** · 09-26-2016, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by vicharris

I've been using a battery like this for about a year on a China Ball with LEDd strips.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019IFIJW8?psc=1

Got the idea from the grips and DP from American Hustle awhile back. Just thrown the battery in a pocket or in something around your waist.

Pretty interested in making one of these. What's your thought on time and distance? And what did you mount the LED's on? A plastic bottle? Thinking out loud that we should do a group project for a LED/Boom/China Ball/BatteryPowered Light here at BMCUser? Guess it should be a separate post.
After I digest the debate will revise.

Thanks for the heads-up.