Where can I get lightsheet?

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doug
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Where can I get lightsheet?

Post by doug »

Hey all,

I looked high and low before starting a new thread here, I hope I'm not rehashing an old subject.

I recently purchased an 8 inch diameter, clear resin Stargate. I want to light it and I'd like to use lightsheet.

My thought is to get a piece big enough to sandwich between the gate halves that would be able to light the chevrons and the event horizon all at the same time.

Does anyone know where I can get a lightsheet of this size?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated,

Doug
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DLMatthys
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Post by DLMatthys »

I am sorry to say the LighSheet is not doing business at this time so I get my EL materials nowadays from Miller Engineering>

http://www.microstru.com/Experimenter-Kits.html

Largest lamp they stock is 4 x 6. But it would not hurt to ask Chris Miller on how to get bigger sheets. His stuff goes good with model railroad but model craft it is.

I know larger sheets are made but seams they mostly come from overseas.
Last time I shopped around for EL materails I got a lot of hits on Google. Looking with the word "Electroluminesant"
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NNYGamer
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Post by NNYGamer »

You can check out http://www.beingseen.com/index.html for EL strips and EL cords.
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Antenociti
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Post by Antenociti »

Not sure If I am allowed to post a link to ebay (not my ebay stuff btw) but I get my lightsheet from a store who sells on ebay from Hong Kong.

The sheets are fine and very reasonably priced although the inverters are rather clunky sometimes with rather fragile wiring (the inverters are potted so you cant fix any breakages sadly), but overall I was pleased with them,

If you drop me an email i can give their name - although to be fair and honest I havent bought anything from them for almost a year now. Their ebay rating remains very good mind you.
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doug
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Post by doug »

Hey all,

Wow, thanks for all the input.

I'll check everything out.

Antenociti, I'll be e-mailing you shortly.

Question to all, if I can only get smaller sheets say 4X4 could I get 4 of them, trim them into quarter pie shapes and make my 8 inch diameter circle this way? Not knowing how this technology works exactly, would this leave me with a seam in the light when the sheets are illuminated or would the seam blend together OK and not be noticeable?

Keep in mind that the sheet will be behind a piece of thin blue, frosted wavy clear plexiglass to simulate the event horizons watery surface.

Doug
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DLMatthys
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Post by DLMatthys »

Good idea about the seam with sheets cut in quarters. If you have some stand off away from the SG event horizin and the EL lamps is difussed by translusent white paper of frosted acetate or white plastic sheet those seams should disapear.

And be carefull the the cut edges don't contact the other quarter cut sheets... After I cut my EL lamps to size, I laminate with clear tape with a little overlap to protect from moisture...this should also preclude a cross circuit contact and all that arcin' , sparkin' and clouds of smoke.

Carefull also for touching skin across bare wires. 60 volts AC comes off the converters with low amps. Won't kill you but.... If ya ever pee'd on a electric cattle fence you'll know what I'm talking about. :shock:
DL Matthys
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doug
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Post by doug »

Hey all,

I finally received my light sheet and wanted to pass on to you all where I got it from.

I ordered it from:

Electro Luminescence, Inc.
The Prunedale Center, #127
8001 San Miquel Canyon Rd.
Prunedale, CA 93907

831-633-2785

sales@electroluminescence-inc.com

What a great source! These folks responed to e-mails fantastic and sent my order right away!

They had the largest sheets available, I got an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet for less than $50.00 where others wanted twice as much for half the size sheet. They were the most reasonable priced source as well with the sheet, inverter and hook up wire only costing $74.00 again, where others wanted almost $175.00 when all was said and done.

One of the recommendations made above was for Being Seen Technologies and I hope the moderators don't stomp all over me here but I'd steer clear of these guys. They provided very poor customer service and indicated several times that my order was on its way and I still haven't seen or heard anything from them in a month.

Anyway, I'm off to put my Stargate halves together now!

Thanks again to everyone for your advice and input, I hope you find the above contact info useful in the future and tell 'em I sent ya!

Doug
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DLMatthys
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Post by DLMatthys »

Doug,
I'm glad to see you found a big sheet sourse at such a large size. I looked around in the on-line store there but I could not tell if these could be cut or chopped to paterns that has wireing leads on the edges like the smaller 4 x 6 inch Jumbo sheets at Miller Engineering.

He heh....I guess at 8.5 x 11 that size would be called HUMONGUS!
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doug
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Post by doug »

Don,

The sheet I bought had more than enough leads all the way around the edges. I was able to cut a 7 5/8 inch circle out and leave two leads right at the bottom that were about 1/4 inch wide total.

I was just so impressed with their customer service as well, they were really great to deal with, kinda like dealing with DLM!

They recommended using alligator clips to connect the sheet to the inverter wire but I'm wondering if there's a safe way to solder the wires to the leads? Needless to say, alligator clips would take up way to much room for my application.

Any thoughts?

Doug
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starmanmm
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Post by starmanmm »

Doug, no website for this company?

Wait, I think I found the site.
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doug
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Post by doug »

Hey all,

Sorry, here's the web site...

http://electroluminescence-inc.com/ELsheets.htm

Doug
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