guy man color gel/chassis help...

[alivenbreathing]

I have a few questions about fitting the rainbow color gels to the chassis. this is indeed proving a little difficult to get it 'perfect'. part of my problem is that the chassis that I have is not bent perfectly to shape already, with an underlying support structure to keep it that way; instead it wants to be flat and I have had to bend it into shape and use tape in an attempt to keep it in this shape. this creates problems in trying to line up the color gels just right.

this is where I'm at right now. I have it close, but the gels are all attached together and keep bending when I bend the array to fit the inside of the helmet:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3135061...in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3135061...n/photostream/

I have it close, but the gels are all attached together and keep bending when I bend the array to fit the inside of the helmet.

1) how perfect do the walls for each separated LED on the chassis have to line up with the bottom of each color gel? if it isn't perfect won't colors run into the next one a little, or is it all about the colors on top?

2) do you attach each color gel separately then put the pinstripe tape over the seams, or do you attach them all together with the pinstripe, then attach them to the chassis?

3) do you leave the white backing on the color gels, as part of the light diffusion effort underneath? or do you peel the backs off so that the color gels are clear, then only do light diffusion underneath?

any help with these quandaries would be greatly appreciated

one digital love

[alivenbreathing]

Bueller... anyone?

I did get some help from someone through email outside of the site, but I'm curious as to what anyone else thinks.

danke

[something awesome]

Don't worry...Some one will reply with some good information for you soon :P

[alivenbreathing]

all good. I'm sure I'll figure it out, got some great help from a few so far. thanks!

[djvinx]

Ok first of all what are your arrays made of?

Here's my arrays and how I made them:


I made mine from coroplast so I could heat and curve the bottom as needed. Then hot glued the separators on them.

Once I finished the arrays I used sliced up "magic cleaner eraser" Sponges to put over the leds inside to diffuse light.

Over that I glued covers made from a translucent frosted plastic portfolio. Those covers follow my arrays tightly and are glued to the walls.

Then you peel back the gels and stick it to that and after that you can easily pinstripe.

Also, I used rare earth magnet on brackets glued with epoxy to snap everything in place in the helmet. It holds great and still be taken off if needed.

Hope it helps!

[alivenbreathing]

awesome, thanks so much, that helps. I love the magnet idea, but that really holds it in place with no shifting or moving? that's crazy that works without messing it all up.

[djvinx]

Rare earth magnets are super strong. It doesn't move at all. You epoxy 4 in the helmet and 2 by brackets.

[Ed Banger]

Ok first of all what are your arrays made of?

Here's my arrays and how I made them:


I made mine from coroplast so I could heat and curve the bottom as needed. Then hot glued the separators on them.

Once I finished the arrays I used sliced up "magic cleaner eraser" Sponges to put over the leds inside to diffuse light.

Over that I glued covers made from a translucent frosted plastic portfolio. Those covers follow my arrays tightly and are glued to the walls.

Then you peel back the gels and stick it to that and after that you can easily pinstripe.

Also, I used rare earth magnet on brackets glued with epoxy to snap everything in place in the helmet. It holds great and still be taken off if needed.

Hope it helps!

BRILLIANT.... magnets and a braket... ridiculously simple... you sir are a genius...

[djvinx]

Thanks!
It works great. Stays in place tight and fit. I had to repair a defective LED last week and I had no problem removing the array and snap it back.

[Rabid Irish]

Mind posting an image of the inside of your helmet to show off how it works?