I'm no genius but I am curious. As a kid I started taking apart things just to see how it works and try to figure it out. AVE on youtube is a genius at taking apart stuff and explaining the pros and cons of many power tools. There's other guys that do electronics and expose some cheap Chinese electronics scams.
A couple years ago I built a wooden sculpture from an interesting tree and wanted to install a light so I had to purchase a 12 volt LED power source. All I could buy at Lowe's was a small Chinese power supply that turned out to be absolute junk. Even the instructions couldn't be used and it came with no diagram in the packaging. As well, the power source couldn't be opened as it had been embedded in resin. No way in to figure it out. I returned it to Lowe's and advised them to stop marketing it as it could hurt someone. A week later when I checked back the junk was still on display. I did however find a small supply store in town that had dozens of various power sources for me to choose from. These were legitimate power sources with diagrams and instructions plus they had LED bulbs I could use in my housing for my light. In the end, it turned out great and I sold my sculpture for $600.00. My next sculpture is all finished and waiting for the light installation.
Originally when I started taking apart electronics a couple years ago it was for magnets in microwaves. I kind of cringe when I think of all the other components I simply tossed in the trash but I learned quite a bit about microwaves and how they work. TV's I took apart for the gold plated fingers and wiring. I'm looking forward now to maybe when someone drops an old OLED display on a sidewalk for me to snag. That will be fun.
I admire that. The amount of electronic scrap people throw away is absurd. Noone brothers to fix anything because it's cheaper to re-buy than to repair. Plus gadgets get redesigned and people no longer want the old model. Yes, you can repurpose alot of electronics. I often repurpose old or outdated electronics because many of the components are still good. It's sad I can't repurpose ICs anymore because of the way they're soldered on the PC board. I much preferred DIP packages to SOIC. On the other hand, I can buy new ICs for under a dollar now. Discreet components are so cheap now you can't buy one, but have to buy lots of ten or more. Even if I only need one part, I have to buy ten. I've discovered a microcontroller called an ESP32. It costs $4. It's insanely cheap. I design overly complex devices using it because to build a simpler device would take me longer to design and cost much more.
Hey, thanks for the comment. Yes, I noticed that if you go to home improvement or some other places they want you to purchase an entire kit for lighting rather than components so I had trouble at first designing a light. Then I found a supplier downtown that had shelves full of exactly what I needed. I did sort of want advice but I just read the labels carefully to make sure I had enough to at least get a light working.
What I'd like for my next light is a housing that can be screwed onto a 1/2 plumbing fixture. It doesn't exist. Previously I had gotten one housing for an exterior light but the threads didn't quite match. I sanded down the threads a bit so I could at least get a couple turns in before it bound up but still had to find my power source at that supply store. So glad they were there as I was stumped.
I'm thinking can take an aluminum light housing that has too small of a female end and then rethread it for plumbing. Then install my own LED mini bulb and wiring. But, I want this one to have a controller that can be timed and change colors like an aquarium light.
I made a happy mistake last time when I accidentally broke my large glass store bought lens for outdoor lighting. For a couple days I mourned the loss but then decided to cast a resin lens. I added micro glitter and it worked perfectly to spread the light much better and provide a pleasant glow.
For the aluminum housing I turned an olive wood housing to cover that to match the sculpture.
Awesome! Many LED light ropes have sophisticated controllers. Look on ebay. You can also use Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP32 micro controllers and what not to control the LEDs. Ebay also sells inexpensive power supplies for LED ropes too. I have a 10 amp 24 volt supply I bought and it was under $30. Good luck!
Just looked up the ESP32 controller. Looks like that would be ideal to control a light from a cell phone as it's also for using with LED lights? So should be able to run 12 volts into it and out to the light? I just need to make a housing for it that goes with my sculpture?
BTW, one reason I wanted to scrap old TV tubes and other electronics is for the wiring to use in making wire wrapped jewelry since I'm too cheap to just buy wire from the store.
Only issue I've had is how to dissolve the varnish off of motor windings. I like bare copper because I now know how to make my own chemicals to oxide the copper black and then rub off a bit of the oxide to give highlights. Also I chanced on some sort of high grade cable made from I think nickel and copper. It looks like silver but is a bit heavier, stiffer and only takes a slight oxide. Great for making multi colored wrappings.
Sounds like you're having fun. Too bad so many people are totally absorbed in the new China virus religion. Like you, I enjoy playing with what's already around me. I wish other people could do the same thing and leave us alone instead of badgering us with nonsense.
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