Concrete LED Light Cube

I wanted an accent light with a unique design so I used some concrete, lexan and 5 volt led strip lights to create a portable lamp.
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Darbin Orvar
PO BOX 1101
Goochland, VA 23063
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Products Used - Affiliate
5 Volt LEDs - amzn.to/2jxvE6C
Micro USB Female - amzn.to/2jeXy6e
Hookup Wire - amzn.to/2kt4X7k
Soldering Iron - amzn.to/2jf320N
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Dimensions - Overall
3 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch (90 x 90 x 90 mm)

[@cnl1213]

I like what you've done with your lighting projects using LEDs. LEDs puts out a rather harsh and unpleasant bright light, but you have a way of treat the light and pairing with concrete here, and wood in your desk lamp that creates a softer tone of light and inviting ambiance. Great project. Thanks Linn!

[@user-hs2yr3gp8m]

Love this book! kzbin.infoUgkxpCNxqmAkyjN6NPx1fyB7QiEFWyO5mUWL it is simply one-of-a-kind! I really love it, because karah explained all tools required to have the job done, not mentioning the fabulous diy pallets ideas. I'm pretty sure this will be a fresh start in my new endeavour. Amazon was great, they delivered on time. Thank you!

[@everythingexplained]

Very cool build! Paper behind the lexan was very clever for diffusion. I've made some lights with opaque plexiglas, but unless the glass is about 5 cm or more away from the LEDs the single light sources are visible.

[@PunakiviAddikti]

The light is absolutely stunning. For future projects, you might want to know that there are premade micro USB breakout boards that consists of a small piece of PCB that takes all the pins and spreads them out a bit to standard through hole pads with the standard pitch, found in LED legs and pin headers. Some even come with male pin headers that you can solder in.

[@Jesse-xb7mp]

I'm making this right now. I'm making 2 garden-lights. So the bottom part is 30cm and I have to say, It's really easy to do and the results are fantastic! Everyone who likes this video should try this project! Thanks for the amazing video!

[@gohoulden]

It's brilliant, the USB jack was a great touch. I never thought of sanding the lexan to achieve frost. Well done, I wouldn't change a thing.

[@anthonyi6572]

Nice project. I like how your project videos are not only about the end product, but also about the step to the end.

[@goodgoat6019]

Very, very, cool design. I could see a similar but taller design with a central support made of PVC pipe, a 12 volt LED strip with a wall wart, and an in line dimmer. Or even an RGB LED strip with one of those trick controllers. Very cool as is.

[@_Luci.AnA_]

Love love love the result!! I have to try to make this. Looks AMAZING

[@goodgoat6019]

I had a thought about the diffusers for this project. Home Depot and other big box stores sell several varieties of acrylic diffusers that are normally used for the grid dropped ceilings under fluorescent lamps. They are 24" x 48", are available in frosted and clear material with a variety of molded in textures, and sell for about $10.00.

[@RedfishInc]

Love this project and the look of industrial simplicity.

[@alexworks9659]

Nice work Linn! Simple with great results. I didn't know about the 5 volt LEDs. That's a great solution.

[@Armosus]

This lamp is so simple and beautiful!

[@Excalibure666]

Beautiful as usual! Thanks for the share. A humble tip about concrete, you can use vibration sander over the wood mold to achieve super smooth surface as vibration removes air bubbles on the surface. 😉

[@noxim_]

Gökmen Emre Keskin I actually prefer the look of the bubbles

[@JasonAguirre]

Ya I like the bubbles too but that's a really good tip!

[@philindeblanc]

vibration removes the bubbles by having the lighter airbubbles float to the top as the more dense material settles...But of course that's likely understood.

[@resbalonso]

Perfect! I think sinking the lexan into the wet concrete was a great call as you can't see a gap. Wasn't sure why you'd want to go through the trouble of using a mini-USB connection, but when you looked it up to the power bank it made sense. Not that a concrete lamp is super portable!

[@mattburrows2615]

Such a versatile design and would be great for making decent solar garden lighting too. Thanks for making this video.

[@tonyrider3]

The best cement for casting is tile cement, it dries relatively fast and makes a very smooth cast. As it is a wet mix it can get into very intricate shapes

[@1402teddybear]

Nothing to change! Looks very nice!!

[@DerKater85]

Hey, this is really a brilliant idea. I think the mini USB plug represents an extra point. I come from Germany and here we have to comply with much more stringent guidelines with regard to working with electricity. But this solution is easy to implement. Thanks for the Insperation. Just awesome

[@BigFatTonys]

Excellent project. I am thinking of many variations, none better nor worse just different.

[@ellsworth5841]

I love this. Just the way it is. It's a beautiful mix of industrial, practical, modern, geeky, minimalistic, inexpensive and utterly functional... plus it's cute. An easy project, low in materials count, and looks great when completed. I wouldn't change a thing, were I to make this exact version. So I think I shall. But I I'll also make a taller, skinnier cylinder to match. Bravo, Ms. Orvar.

[@darbinorvar]

Thank you - let me know how it turns out!

[@blabityblabblab2]

You're so creative. I love everything you do! These are gorgeous!

[@richyardades]

It is a beautiful piece of art with a resistent material. And you are very creative with good ideas. Thanks for sharing.

[@akilfoderingham2944]

I love your creativity! Beautiful design.

[@RolfeDlugyHegwer]

Lovely design! Thanks for inspiring us! To save on power consumption, eliminate the paper, frost both sides of the lexan, spray silver/white paint on the inside surfaces of the concrete, and use fewer LEDs. If the individual LEDs still show, create recessed cavities in the concrete and embed them there.

[@jpmcdonald4921]

this is an awesome quick concrete project. Love it!!

[@jparra4766]

Cool project. I like simple and elegant.

[@michaelhopkins6841]

Thanks for helping me find these products!

[@SycPaintMan]

Wouldn't change a thing. Looks Awesome!!

[@anitamavlyanova5252]

Really good idea! With some changes, I think, it would be perfect for my porch or my backyard. Thanks for sharing this.

[@JustinDeRosa]

Love this project! So easy imagine modifying to either scale up (or down) or mix/swap concrete with wood or even add some facets to change the geometry. Oh my gosh... might be my favorite thing I've seen in 2017 so far!

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks Justin!

[@Larstube]

I would not change it. Perfect simplicity design and very cool with concrete!

[@luant12345]

Looks awesome Linn! Have a great week! Cheers!

[@Kyle-uu4mr]

I love it! you could get the ones that change color, and resolder on a LED color changing receiver!

[@sjscreations2608]

Well done Linn, very creative and you explain how in simple and clear terms, you must be wrapped with the end product!!! 😀😀😀 Cheers Sean

[@joshallen7785]

I think this is awesome! When I first saw this I thought of it as coffee table size, I think that I may try one.

[@jcmakes5977]

Love it as usual! Going right to the shop to make a few with some scrap wood....

[@T70781]

I enjoy the variety of project types that you explore. I probably won't build a concrete accent light but your creativity opens my mind. Thanks for sharing!

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks for watching Tony!

[@OldManTony]

Great job! To get a smoother finish with your concrete a wetter mixture is better and also try vibrating the mould with an orbital sander or similar, this will remove the bubbles. You could also line the mould with cling film (Saran wrap in the USA).

[@hajarmohamedshebl8094]

Can you tell me what are the exactly components to get concrete like in the video please .. I wanna make it

[@AlaskaSkidood]

That looks super cool. It would be interesting to do it with some blacked out stripes or maybe blacked out corners.

[@Womynxx]

This is pure badassary! I'm so inspired to play with concrete and glass and lights woo!

[@electronicsNmore]

VERY nice job!

[@julianvidal7361]

Really cool Lynn! A nice addition would be to have different color LEDs (maybe Arduino hidden on the bottom?).

[@techobsessed1]

Nice! For future reference, if you apply the orbital sander to the mold with the wet concrete, the vibration should help reduce the small voids in the concrete. This includes the obvious bubbles, but I think it will also bring more of the fine particles out so the sides are smoother, even with drier concrete.

[@varneyivideos]

I really really liked this idea and video. I found a stained glass spray paint at Lowes and it could be added to the frosted lexan for color splash. Paint is translucent.

[@MrSandman982]

Really cool project! I'm going to try and make a smart one with usb C. Good hint for the concrete molds is use cooking spray instead of paint. Comes off really clean.

[@tubybubi]

The light looks really amazing. I love the simle shape and the combination of materials. But i would probably build it with the 12V light strips as they are more efficient. You have a loss of 10% on the resistors on the 12V version while in the 5V one the resistors consume 28% of the energy taken by the strip.

[@stevedoubleu99B]

You even moulded the concrete yourself!!! That's what I call dedication to the task.

[@WesleyTreat]

I do a number of lighting commissions for clients, so I watch of a lot of lighting projects on KZbin. This one I really liked.

[@arnljotseem8794]

Very cool. I'm think I will make some for my Italian terrazzo, but I think I will integrate a power bank into the build so that I don't need power to use them. Of course this will require a different USB for power and charging. Thanks for a great channel with lots of good ideas.

[@Bence507]

Search for usb breakout board. They are premade connectors on a tiny pcb with solderpoints, much easier to handle than the bare pins :)

[@ericvauwee4923]

Like these ones www.aliexpress.com/item/10PCS-CJMCU-Breakout-Power-Supply-Module-Micro-USB-Interface-Power-Adapter-Board-USB-5V-Breakout-Module/32789480622.html they cost like nothing, 10 of these for 2.33$

[@techobsessed1]

I was going to suggest the same. Also, because those connectors can be annoyingly delicate, it might be a good idea to construct the lamp in a way that allows the wiring and socket to be added after the concrete cures. A straw could be used to make an interior tube, or a scrap of acrylic could be used to form an open channel in the top or bottom of the block.

[@Renaldo015]

Beautiful! Oh the lamp is beautiful too.

[@grinnerschic]

Awesome project, thanks Darbin

[@rafaelx.418]

Nice job! Btw. for projects like this, I like using self-leveling mortar, usually sold for floors. It floats like a thick syrup. No need to sand.

[@peterswerkstatt9853]

Beautifully built

[@ladykenja2700]

- You always have such great ideas. Thanx for sharing.

[@tedbonbrake1967]

You nailed it. I love it just the way it is...

[@woodscrew5612]

Looks nice and simple. An awesome diy project

[@rthomp03]

I'd use your sander (without sandpaper) to vibrate the molds and release some of the air pockets from the concrete mix (wetter mix works better). That would make for a smoother finish.

[@PingCrosby1]

Very good idea and looks cool, well done

[@user-gu7ip9jd6h]

looks so cute and gorgeous. i think it could be formed in triangle by example thanks for this! maybe i’ll try to do domething like that

[@andrewshaman4306]

Girl with soldering iron is "something"!!! Keep on!!! Thumbs up, all 4! Hello from Siberia! 🙋

[@gingercholo]

this is a great little lamp! great work!

[@HackingAxe]

Just found your channel. Great stuff! Will definitely try some of your projects. My daughter will enjoy some of these.

[@Friox31]

nice and i love it THANKS for the instructions and tuturial on how to made it THANK YOU VERY MUCH😁😁😁

[@mouradmir8399]

Wonderful artwork at the top

[@dlednirg]

I love it. WOW! Concrete and LEDs! It's very unique and so cool. Tnks

[@mikebeacom4883]

David Grindel

[@dporrasxtremeLS3]

This is a Great idea! My goal now is to make these for the top course, spaced at 10,' of my block wall that is going to be built next week! Thanks!

[@dsbeesapiaryupdate8759]

Yes, this is so cool! Yes, I would do this differently. No, I have no idea how differently I would do it. Looks great!

[@luistentindo6334]

Wonderful project and the video is great. Keep up the great work.

[@MattMurphree]

Really love this one. Two thoughts: 1. could a switch be added to that USB line to have it on at night? 2. could it be split somehow in the concrete, so there are two places for plugs? One to the wall to supply power, and the other as a power output, and it could charge my phone?

[@dgidgi6]

OMG, another amazing project!!! Congrats in yours skills and amazing creativity, you rock!!!

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks Gilian!

[@bluestone-gamingbg3498]

Gilian Lopes I love your accent

[@dgidgi6]

I'm sorry, Bluestone, you meant Darbin accent, right? (I actually have some videos on youtube & I'm also not american or british, so it sounds a little confusing to me that you marked my name and reply over my coment... )

[@bluephreakr]

I dislike how high-pitched she can get sometimes, but that's something she can't help when she speaks so excitedly.

[@bryangilbert5999]

I love her accent!

[@valveman12]

You have some really great DIY ideas.

[@vikings1289]

Very magnificence will I do like it, but the base of the timber. Thank you for creativity

[@a.k6839]

This is video that will make boredom go away .i made circle one with glass stand to hold it took my whole day for this project but its really cool now although the led you used are not sticking to my usb neg side so i used the whole wire so i can wrap that wire inside or out.

[@maxziebell4013]

Super! Love your Design.

[@videojoy88]

Good project and nicely filmed too!

[@dataspa]

Great project. Just wanted to mention, if you sand down one side of the plexi you are using and put the sanded side facing the led strip, it will go from clear to translucent and you won't need to add the paper.) Nice job Darbin!

[@maximilianibel]

Very nice and easy to replicate or modify. Might be fun to add some color to the concrete itself, like titanium dioxide pigment etc.

[@outlawrallyrob]

Love it ace looks so good

[@matthegedus6513]

I love it! I'll be making several with hardwood tops and bottoms next week

[@darbinorvar]

Cool - let me know how it turns out.

[@HolzwurmTom]

Hey Linn, i really like the idea and the design is so simple and because of that so nice! Have a good day, Thomas 🖐🏼

[@hansroemerszoonvanderbrikk7626]

The lamp is very cool, straightforward designed. An idea came form your last scene in which you can see some blue remained inside the concrete pores. A thing that should be tried is to play with air bubbles by mixing the concrete with more water and more power. Then paint two different ways the pores and the surface. This could be obtained by sprying the inner paint, sanding the surface and then painting it by a different technique like stamping or somewhat similar.

[@augustinusbayuindrawulungg214]

Simple yet beautiful

[@danharold3087]

Great idea. Thinking larger version would be nice as outdoor pathway lights. Maybe even larger ones that can double as a place to sit.

[@philindeblanc]

I thought of that too, or even a coffee table, but the corners would need more support, and even clear arcrylic would cast darker shadows in the corners...What solution can you think of other than changing the look and closing corners?

[@mariana_gb9440]

I want ten of those! haha The connection seems a little bit complicated for me, but i'll try to make something similar. Great project!!

[@gsilcoful]

Very cool! Nice work.

[@TheNormalUniverse]

Cute design!

[@alexaxline6093]

Wow. Lots of things one could do with this. Tint the concrete, put texturing sheets in the mold for a textured surface to the concrete surfaces. The possibilities are near endless.

[@johnaurand4090]

I think it would look good with the concrete colored different colors like some kind of pattern. you could even seal the concrete and then airbrush stuff on the concrete that is really nice.

[@njrworkshop]

Turned out nice! You can also use super plasticizer or water reducer to increase the workability of the mix without losing much strength as you do with adding more water.

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks for the tip Nick!

[@kevculmstock1]

The end result is sooooo satisfying. nicely designed ;}

[@OntarioLakeside]

Very nice design.

[@alpaykasal44]

Beautiful!!! Great job!

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Great project. Very imaginative.

[@pnwmeditations]

That's a gorgeous light! I'd recommend a couple of slight design tweaks to improve longevity: 1. Don't encase the connector/wiring in the concrete. Reasoning: As soon as the connector wears out, the light is functionally "bricked". Maybe carve a channel through the concrete and feed the wire through. 2. Go with a 12V system instead of a 5V USB system. Reasoning: there's more power available. It's less versatile, but you're also not limiting yourself to 2.5W, and 12V adapters are easy to find. 3. Instead of coiling up the the LED strips, stick them to a thermally conductive surface (for example, thick gauge steel/aluminum sheet metal or PC heatsinks. Reasoning: LED longevity is highly dependent on keeping the diode junctions cool. By conducting away the heat, you keep the junctions from overheating over the long term. Keep up the good work!

[@jackwu7248]

thanks for sharing, funny and beautiful home-made light

[@MidwestManMountain]

Cool project! I appreciate the mixed mediums.

[@darbinorvar]

Thank you!

[@sunshinemind7708]

Respect the creative think and success

[@noahsaxenian12]

Awesome! It would be cool to add rgb LEDs to the inside for a multicolor display.