Popular Post Matthew Simmons Posted May 18 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 18 It took approximately 300 years, but I made my first candle arch. So. Much. Trial. And. Error. Debated painting vs spray lacquer up until the very end. Finally laziness won out, and they got the lacquer. I'm pretty sure the base is cherry. More photos Pattern: Regu https://www.ebay.ca/itm/262775400771 Jronn65, GPscroller, barb.j.enders and 14 others 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveww1 Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 terrific job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry walters Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 Very nice Matthew. One of these days I am going to tackle one. Maybe this is the year. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjweb Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 Excellent craftsmanship, RJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Simmons Posted May 18 Author Report Share Posted May 18 Thanks! This was my first try at something anywhere near this elaborate (and my first lit thing). I learned (hopefully) a bunch about tight corners and free-form wiring. The original plans are old enough to call for incandescent lighting, and are in German which I assume means 240V! Which, in an application like this, I don't even... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munzieb Posted May 18 Report Share Posted May 18 Nicely done Matthew. The cutting isn't as bad as mounting all the lights. Volker Arnold has some great patterns including pyramids. heppnerguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heppnerguy Posted May 19 Report Share Posted May 19 Very nice job. Taking the necessary time to do it right, really pays off as you just proved to yourself and us Dick heppnerguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatie Posted May 20 Report Share Posted May 20 300 years wow, that's a long time to cut this project but it was worth it. Excellent work, well done. Marg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Simmons Posted May 20 Author Report Share Posted May 20 On 5/18/2024 at 3:07 PM, munzieb said: Nicely done Matthew. The cutting isn't as bad as mounting all the lights. Volker Arnold has some great patterns including pyramids. The cutting proved to me (as if I needed more proof) that I need to refine my technique on sharp corners. Even with a #1 UR I'll chip off a little bit of the top ply far more often than I'd like. I *think* this means I'm pushing the work into the blade such that the blade rubs against (and lifts off) the top ply on the part I want to keep. The lights were .. thrilling. I started by thinking I wanted to put the LEDs in sockets, so I spent a bunch of time trying to drill the perfect angled holes, then mounting the sockets... Eventually I gave up and soldered them in. Future me isn't going to enjoy swapping them out, but I've never liked that guy anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Fengstad Posted May 20 Report Share Posted May 20 I cut this two years ago was satisfied with my results so it sits stored away and out of my sight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Knappen Posted May 20 Report Share Posted May 20 Awesome work on a delicate project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Crosa Posted May 22 Report Share Posted May 22 Something I would like to try someday. I was thinking instead of large leds I would look at something called Bright Lights. This is a Coppery decorative wire with small LEDS. You can do a search on Amazon for "Bright lights 6' starry" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Simmons Posted May 22 Author Report Share Posted May 22 I gave those some serious thought, but the original arches were meant for candles, so I aimed for lighting in the spirit of that. That meant individual LEDs in candle-like places and with candle-flame-like plastic hats on the LEDs. It turns out that the people who sell the tea light LEDs have figured out how to source flickering LEDs that are brighter than anything I've been able to buy individually. And I've tried! So my current "best" way to get flickering LEDs is to buy a 12-count of tea lights (the ones without remote control) and rip them apart. I keep the LED, the flame-shaped hat, and the battery (because who doesn't need more 2032s), and toss the rest. The waste makes me sad, but the dimness of the flickering LEDs I can buy by themselves makes me sadder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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