A question about LEDs from a reader
Given that this is typically the kind of email I receive,
HI I WANT TO BE THE GREAT GEEK OF WORLD ,WILL YOU HELP ME OUT ?
–
ASHISH KUMAR RANJAN
IT,NIT PATNA
I really appreciate the people who take the time to email me with praise, constructive criticism, their personal geek stories and geek test suggestions, and serious questions about a range of topics. I recently received an email with questions regarding the making of one’s own Christmas lights and don’t really know what resources to suggest. If there’s anyone out there who can help out Celia, please leave a comment. I’d appreciate it!
Yvette,
Your web site is delightful; a bright beacon of geeky goodwill.
I just spent way too much time cruising Craig’s List looking for a local electronics shop and/or resources. What I found instead was some surprisingly mean-spirited bickering (reminiscent of some of the troglodyte emails you posted on your web site – your responses were hilarious, by the way). I feel the need to embrace more of my inner geekiness through playing with LEDs (I’m not, however, ready to enlist in the Navy to study electronics, as suggested by several helpful individuals on Craig’s List). I want to learn how to safely make my own christmas lights, basically. Can you suggest any links or other resources? I’ve got “Electronics for Dummies” but I’m not ready to build a robot, just make some cool bling for my living room. I couldn’t find a links page on your web site (was I imagining that there used to be one a few months ago?)
Thank you for offering such playful, welcoming energy to the countless geeks out there who may not realize how desperately they need it (myself included)!
Celia
I consulted my husband on this matter while he was busy playing with wires and electricity and power tools upstairs. He said there’s a booklet series he’s seen at Radio Shack called “Electronics Handbook” that looked as though they were written on graph paper and featured small circuits that might be useful if you’re looking for timing circuits or driving LEDs. So that might be a place to start.
If you want to purchase LEDs in bulk, there are lots of websites out there like Mouser Electronics where you can find those. However, if you just want to create strands of LEDs like the ones that you can find at the store… it will be much cheaper and easier to purchase them at the store.
Hope that helps, and if any other readers have comments I hope you’ll post them here for Celia to see. Thanks!
