Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #09254



To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Bob Shannon bshannon@tiac.net
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 10:03:46 -0500
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: cutting LEDs


This is not too hard to do, with the right tools..

There is an easy (expensive) way, and a cheaper (takes hours) way to do this.

The easy way allows you to cut and shape the LED (or phototransistor) in
any way needed. I've done this to FLEDS for size, and phototransistors as
well, so I could build-in a switching transistor in the same space (the smart
cap circuit on Vore-n-more).

All you need is a dremmel tool, and an assortment of bits. Clamp the LED
down, and you can cut the dome right off the top with the edge of a cutting
wheel.
Next use the surface of a find sanding disk to get the cut surface flat and
smooth.
Lastly use a buffing or pollishing wheel, and a small ammount of fine
pollishing compound and you can buff that baby crystal clear in no time at all.

The hard way is similar, but you use a series of files and some time to get the

shape and side you want.

I reccomend you use clear LEDs for this, as its easier to see the tiny gold
bonding wire, which must not be dammaged in the process.

Another similar trick is to modify a dremmel tool chuck to hold an LED, and
spin
it fast. Using this trick and a bit of emery paper, you can add diffusers to
clear
pin-point LEDs, or pollish that cut down LED in a heartbeat.

Bumper314@aol.com wrote:

> How do you cut an LED to make the lens completely flat and still shinny? I
> keep trying but they just crack or are scratched so bad the light is barely
> visible. Anyone know
>
> Steve

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