Comments on: Cheap-Ass Tools: REALLY Cheap LED Lights

By: RedOregon

RedOregon — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:29:05 +0000

As a geek-for-a-living, this is really interesting… might just have to buy a bunch and give them away to co-workers. Look to be just the right size for those under-desk mining expeditions looking to plug that network cable back in to that jack in that far back dark corner.

By: Stuey

Stuey — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 02:00:38 +0000

Chris,

There are a lot of sources for bright blue LEDs. There are a few overseas suppliers (ledshoppe.com) and a few domestic supplies. Computer modding sites tend to have large selections.

Jab-Tech.com has 10 3000mcd blue LEDs, $5 shipped. Performance-pcs.com has 12000 mcd blue LEDs sold individually, 10 for $4.20, but shipping is a bit high.

Slap in an appropriate resistor, and voila, you’ve got your basic LED circuit. I doubt that these keychain lights have anything more sophisticated than an LED, resistor, & switch in there.

I hope this helps!

By: Toolmonger » Blog Archive » Toolmonger’s Top 5: The Week in Tools

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 01:10:10 +0000

[...] Cheap-Ass Tools: REALLY Cheap LED Lights It wasn’t enough when a reader found a 2-pack of 9-LED aluminum flashlights for $6. Another reader blew that out of the water with 10 keychain LED lights for $4.70 shipped. These would make great gifts — or even parts for a project. [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 14:02:50 +0000

Now they need the ones with the blue bulbs that cheap so I can strip them and build a moonlight for my aquarium

By: nrChris

nrChris — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 03:42:21 +0000

Those things really annoy me, but at the price you can buy them with the intention of stripping the LEDs from them.

I bet they would be halfway useful to have all over the workshop, particularly when you need to peer into the guts of a band saw or into a cabinet saw.