Make your own Shard Light

In this video I will show you how to build a really awesome shard light.
To create this shard light you'll need the following materials.
Parts links:
Disclosure: These are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase from the various merchants they link to, DIY Perks may earn a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to the eBay Partner Network and Amazon Associates.
An LED light strip:
amzn.to/2j3E6LU
A piece of 12mm thick MDF
A 12x12 cm square of 1mm thick hardwood
A sheet of veneer
Two pieces of plexiglass
A 12v DC adapter,
two short pieces of wire,
and a decent length of thin two core wire (a cable from an old set of headphones is perfect for this).
You'll also need the following tools...
A fine toothed saw,
a fine knife,
a metal ruler, a pencil, and a right-angle ruler
a clamp,
some wood glue and a brush to apply it with, and also some silicon based glue though a glue gun will also be suitable.
You'll also need a soldering iron and solder,
Wire strippers and some scissors,
A drill with a small bit,
And lastly some finishing oil.

[@HooKt4]

Thanks for using the metric system! ;) Greetings from Germany

[@DIYPerks]

HooK2000 Metric > Imperial :)

[@AndThenCameThenC]

DIY Perks I live in the US and I personally don't understand why we don't use the metric system. We are the only idiots in the world that use this stupid system.

[@Henkeee]

Chris P Nugget I mean there is Liberia and Myanmar, but let's be real, Liberia and Myanmars influences on the world are fairly.... limited compared to the US.

[@alangreer3760]

Chris P Nugget Because 'Murica. Seriously, though. I think every American who works with numbers seems to feel this way. I don't get it either.

[@XxMrBakiXx]

Chris P Nugget Counting by 10s is SO much more efficient than whateverthefuck the Imperial system uses. (From the US as well)

[@k-2542]

i only have a pencil and ruler.

[@melmanvence8998]

an american Don't bullshit them come on.

[@varadgauthankar]

K-TWO i dont even have pencil

[@MrTruth111]

With that pencil you can write down the stuff that you need...

[@jjlatinopedia]

I have my finger in my ass. What's next?

[@maymunarahaman7443]

Lmao

[@TommyFenstermacher5150]

I love how the silicon glue tube says, "STICKS LIKE SH*T!"

[@TheMedivalBlast]

laughed when you mentioned this.

[@SuperJoseee]

laughed so loud when i see that x)

[@Laerei]

When he demonstrated the tools and the glue came up, I stared at it and burst out laughing for nearly 5 minutes.

[@pwnmeisterage]

There's a whole line of Evo-Stik "STICKS LIKE SH*T" adhesives. They're all strong binders, weatherproof, and an awkward ordeal to scrub off your hands. They need some time to fully cure. Can accelerate and harden dry with baking soda, but it won't look pretty. All solvents capable of breaking down this adhesive will also destroy transparent plastics.

[@620john620]

Sticks like shit on carpet...

[@uranglintau]

Hey companies from all over the world, please continue sponsoring this dude..!! we need him to keep making these projects..

[@DracoAstreus]

I think it's amazing that an accidental miscutting of plexiglass resulted in this cool light. If you just think about that for a moment, there is tons of potential for art in accidents... Something to consider whenever doing this kind of work. :)

[@DIYPerks]

I agree! It's quite amazing how "planned" the shards look, considering that they were a mistake by rubbish technique!

[@HenryTownsmyth]

happy accidents.

[@SonicXRage]

Who else wishes they could actually do this?

[@PneumaticFrog]

Me. I'm too much of a pussy and can't do shit with those led lights either. Let alone Windows 7 or 8 or 10. I'm too used to using a mac

[@Chiewrt]

+SonicXRage I made the same as a schoolproject when i was about 14 years old. You can do it too

[@OvhanDevos]

+SonicXRage You can, and you can probably do it better than him.

[@bikingmnviking3801]

+SonicXRage It'd be fun to see it sticking out of some one's chest, as if they were stabbed with it. Hint: Good prop for a movie. Make a large one and a small one on a vest and make two slits in the shirt the actor is wearing.

[@joesnow4079]

i have no problem with it , my only prob is i really suck at using the thing that connects wires

[@ComedyLoverGirl]

You could totally combine this with his other video on how to make mushroom lights, to create some sort of amazing decoration that looks like glowing mushrooms among glowing crystals. :D

[@MJs-85]

whhaaaooww ! u r innovative

[@aditya_patil]

Literally amazed by his ideas , I had this idea yesterday in my mind and wanted to make something similar and here I see his video from 9 years back then...

[@DIYPerks]

Make your own Shard Light

[@gustavkofoedclausen8226]

You're amazing! Keep up the good work :)

[@souljacker4570]

i made one of these for my mother following your guide she loved it keep up the good work i used blue leds and it looked quite good and instead of using a powersupply i used a 9v square battery

[@diaanite]

Let's make a camera obscura!!!

[@samwest7263]

hi, plz can u tell me what soldering iron u used because im searching for one and would like to know what wattage is optimal for this kind of work.

[@aeisen6715]

great stuff!

[@Wally17.]

I can’t stop my binge watch session of your videos! They’re very well done, and as a lifelong tinkerer I have several projects I now want to do.

[@CastorQuinn]

Phenomenal tutorial, thank you. The biggest problem we had was finding a way to keep the perspex held straight while gluing it in place. We ended up resting it on books, but we never got it exactly right, and it really makes a difference to the final product.

[@SnowfeetUS]

Holy shit so many tools required

[@adnanz25]

yes

[@squidinkRC]

Snowfeet what do you mean?

[@bustin9549]

Squidink R/C I'm not sure, it's very hard to decipher, they could mean anything.

[@thegoodhen]

Huh? He barely uses any tools o_O

[@paulosullivan3472]

Good to see a professional craftsman at work, and giving good safety tips along with proper working practices. Excellent product at the end too, you earnt yourself a subscriber with this video!

[@minanelee8197]

I've been watching your videos later and you had that amount of talent and hard worked skills in engineering, your family/friends/partner is very lucky to have you. *applauses*

[@pauls5745]

to make the light softer or dimmer, you might try using resistors on the voltage source. (12v seems high for 3 LED's) 5- 6v is nice. if 12v, try a 22 ohm, 33, or 50 on one side of the power source for desired brightness. I like to sand the shard edges flat to diffuse the light. Nice vid... +1

[@JRexRegis]

to add to this, of you're artistically talented, you can scratch a pattern into the shards beforehand to have them emitting light in that manner. When I built something like this, (thanks for the tutorial, helped me immensely) I scratched a futuristic circuit board looking pattern into the shards to have it look like some kind of storage crystal, and it looks fucking sweet on my table.

[@Nightingale_time]

+Derwan That sounds awesome! Kudos!

[@vb2050]

this project is officially on my bucket list. it looks super cool and i want to make one myself one day

[@BLUE-dw4tc]

You’re the only channel that makes GOOD diys

[@nandi6962]

This is called DIY, it doesn't have to be too complex but it's better than people who get five million hits for making fucking slime

[@dedasdude]

i thought fucking slime was made naturally and automatically?

[@nandi6962]

+sayan das 😂😂👍👌👌

[@rellko3900]

Nandika Chand I DO NOT RECOMMEND FUCKING SLIME. IT DOES NOT SEEM HEALTHY.

[@nandi6962]

fair point lol

[@alexucon]

saf

[@beartenon888]

Love it. I've been thinking about a similar lamp but larger. You answered a pile of my questions. I'm a woodworker and old-time electronics kit builder. Your description was perfect. Thank you!

[@ManniGaming]

Wow, looks amazing. Great work!

[@tias8912]

@Laura Brown no fuck off

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

I ordered a couple of rolls of LED strip lighting a few months back for $15 each on ebay and this stuff is AMAZING. I use it everywhere now. I just take an old 9 - 12 volt wall adapter and wire it up anywhere I need light. Like above my keyboard tray. Or under my desk. Or a closet. Or a book shelf. Or my car. Or... well you get the point. ITS AMAZING! I actually saw a roll of it in a woodcraft store the other day for $119.00 It was the EXACT same stuff I ordered for $15.

[@DIYPerks]

Yeah, it's good stuff! :)

[@nanothestrange]

why would you need all the extra steps with the veneer and mdf and stuff when you could just use a nice piece of wood?

[@ni_kabiu_john]

after watching your recent videos then watch this.. it shows how u have changed even in the voice over.. u r more sure n confident now.. still I LOOOOOVEEEEE UR DIY PROJs .. keep on Mr Brit... Greetings from Kenya

[@pHappyfeet]

I've used Plexiglas as a target for my BB gun before, found that it makes some interesting patterns, I'm gonna try this with a shard that has be shot full of holes. :P

[@Pile_of_carbon]

You could also try sanding the shard with 1200 grain sand paper until the shard is completely milk white. That makes the flat sides light up as well, not just the edges. It all depends on what effect you are going for ofc. =)

[@pwnmeisterage]

You can line metal foil along the hidden edges, direct more light through the plastic substrate. Take care to not short circuit paths with conductive metal, lol.

[@connorquincy7346]

This was harder to do than the video suggests. You make it look so easy, when I had trouble every step of the way. But I got it done thanks to the idea that was sparked by your video. Thanks!

[@WadeEvansMusic]

I would suggest sanding the shards with a fine sandpaper to get a soft, diffused look!

[@aaaa-di9ov]

A lamp that you can also use as a weapon. Splendid!

[@ODX171]

Great build video for a unique and interesting project. Your description is very precise and the instructions are very clear and easy to follow. I love that you've recycled the broken plexi for another project as this. I will definitely build something similar but will add an on/off switch to mine and some felt pads or cork on bottom to protect the furniture. Looking forward to your next video. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@MrDhanesh2nair]

Perks well done. Thats a gem out of junk.

[@JennAlessa]

Perfect as always, Mathew. This light is, indeed, awesome!! Thanks for sharing! Hugs*

[@DIYPerks]

Yay, free hugs! :) *returns hug* Just had a look at your 500px. I must say you've taken some nice pictures.

[@JennAlessa]

Awwww!!! >>Accepting Hug

[@tanvirislamrobin2874]

the tutorial style is awesome! I'm fully satisfied. The clearity of ur tutorial is just awesome...

[@xiaorishu]

Woah. Sick :D

[@rigenrahman2122]

so far the best thing i have even seen,I will make one for myself

[@TheLGomez]

1:34 Sticks Like Sh*t. Awesome. Great tutorial btw.

[@chrissteene]

I made this and used colored leds and instead of tape on the wires I used heat shrink tubing they came out great thank you for the idea BIG THUMBS UP

[@maymayeh]

I'm gonna make this in my brain.. DONE!

[@djaltims9037]

+Nathalie Fulgar Lol..same here

[@harpodjangorose9696]

Good job! Send pics.

[@XanderProduction]

Watching this again is really satisfying 🤣 you already improved a lot

[@skadigemini]

Oh my god. I'm glad I found your channel. :O Such amazing projects to do!

[@kjamison5951]

So glad you shard this, er, shared this! Fantastic project! Thanks Matthew!

[@BIGH1001]

Suggestion, instead of using all those different bits of wood for the base, try a solid piece of wood, drill into it the right depth multiple times, and then proceed to chisel out the excess

[@DeezMistaReez]

Yea a plunger router would be perfect for chiseling out the insides of a solid block of wood!

[@BIGH1001]

DeezMistaReez i didnt consider that. that is more efficient, and looks even better

[@Impetuss]

A dremel would do the job, something every DIY'er should have. I got a multitool for like 25 usd

[@Slovo7441]

after pretty much watching all of you content from your latest post until stuff from 2014 I just want to say that you channel as one of the bests! Your enthusiasm is contagious and I hope you never stop making videos! Oh and the best piece of commentary you ever spoke was in this video at 2:14 to 2:16 hahahaha Stay awesome man!

[@EzyCraft]

Amazing DIY project with LED light, so very well done.

[@KUPO510]

One person got burn while using the iron haha. Amazing work!!! Thanks for sharing step by step.

[@RBSTUDIOART]

Really nice job! very well explained! keep it up :)

[@ThePantherin75]

What a cool, nice and interesting DIY. 👏 I'm in love with your clear accent and voice. 😃

[@deathdragon6660]

glad your alive :D

[@markojee]

you're*

[@RandomGuy-st1kh]

That looks awesome! :D love your projects, good to see you again :)

[@yogadirumah2094]

hello, can i use acrylic instead? Thank you!

[@DIYPerks]

It's the same thing, so yes :)

[@gloup81]

+Stephanie Hilman plexiglass is actually a brand of acrylic , europeans tend to name it this way cause it was the 1st and still is the highest quality , of the few times americans got the name correct unlke europeans

[@Mattay20]

Tidy project. Very good lighting around the edges too most I've seen had a dull glow but this was nice and vibrant. Got this weekend's project

[@MatchaCrab]

Can I just buy these from you?

[@jayatkinson1152]

I wish you lived next door! I love your ideas :)

[@KurtIngamells]

That glue... "Sticks like sh*t" lmao

[@HabitualT33Ror43]

Gave one to my girlfriend she loved it thanx man :)

[@kortufflpaua]

dude great quality videos keep on doing, i especially like your computer stuff videos, for example the casemod video or the cpu cooler on gpu video. keep on doing

[@7mo2ash]

Clear video, simple instructions. Good job.

[@markem9415]

....You'll also need a first aid kit and possibly health insurance if you impale yourself on it.

[@markem9415]

In America you can sue the ground if you fall down.

[@LoLorelando]

+Mark EM +iooi Now those two made my day :)

[@drinkme9116]

+Mark EM A woman sued McDonald's because she spilled coffee she bought from there on herself... so yeah that is accurate

[@hnoobsho]

This is false, their is no need for any kits or insurance because if you fall on it and impale yourself, you will instantly die.

[@moonlitpost2635]

actually itd be a very slow painful death as your insides bleed out. Either your intestines fill with blood, or your lungs do. Either way you only have a couple of minutes of life left, no matter how extremely painful they may be.

[@drndarevicstefan2396]

The best creative channel!

[@Nalopotato]

424 dislikes from angry moms with dull kitchen knives :D

[@Calin89us]

Great! Now I have something fancy to trip into!

[@nimoon]

Isn't anybody going to comment about the glue that "STICKS LIKE SH*T"?

[@iTzzNinjaGames]

STICKS LIKE SH*T

[@mustafaaytas6027]

What a cool name!

[@quwaran.7264]

LUV it. looks like somethin out of Star Trek

[@matthewbim10]

This is really cool, but I would get a brand new piece of plexi and carve some hieroglyphs into it.

[@willcookmakeup]

As much as I would love to have this in my home and say I created it, I think I'm just going to have to buy one. hahah. This was AMAZING. It's incredible that you designed this from scratch, really awesome!

[@adamoneale4396]

Do you use an autospeech for the audio in the videos?

[@DIYPerks]

Man, that cut me :P that cut me deep. Nah, I agree... my narration was terrible back then :(

[@adamoneale4396]

+DIY Perks Sorry kat, I genuinely thought it was!

[@Ginsenguy]

+adam clark Autospeech doesn't breathe xD

[@adamoneale4396]

+Asianguyoftoday good point

[@yamarati]

+DIY Perks terrible!? I thought it was flawless.

[@oppositeworlds1460]

Wow! Great idea. It looks really good on a shelf. Thanks for this great video.

[@AyakaruJuuhachi]

Would it work if you snapped the glass lightly, so itd look like lightning in it?

[@neonfire9373]

deeply scratching the acrylic would work as this concept works via light refraction

[@MotoMarios]

Nicely done, presented and narrated.

[@tupi9999]

4:31. If you use paper tape where you wanna cut and use scissors then it will have a very good edge.

[@DIYPerks]

+Voidler I'll try that, thanks for the tip!

[@talkhtw55]

+DIY Perks Hey, great video. I just wanted to say that we have to make something related to light and its due to next month, I showed my physics teacher your video and he said it's a great idea. I never made stuff in my life like that, so where can you actually get the metal smoldering thing, can I use a lighter instead to melt them..?

[@jelco]

+talkhtw55 I think it's best to ask around your neighbourhood if somebody has one, or maybe one of your friends knows somebody with one.

[@GSimon850]

Fantastic I am always looking for stuff like this to fill my weekends love messing with LEDs, thanks for taking the time to make this tutorial, and Happy New Year to you and your family. cheers.

[@DivaAl96]

from the first you have to say bring your workshop !!! like srsly all of this !! >_>

[@DIYPerks]

***** You don't need a workshop. I did mine in the kitchen.

[@DivaAl96]

wow you are an amazing guy &_& SUBSCRIBE !!

[@biolinkstudios]

+john vergrone excuses

[@Chrisdaehan]

Somehow I tottally Love your accent and your videos man.

[@mush2938]

How to do it simply: Go to your friend's car and break his windshield. Take two glass shards and give them a round edge so nothing gets cut, other than your friend. Take a coaster and cut two slots that the rounded glass shards fit in. Flip the coaster upside down and put some LED lights that are facing the holes you made. Take the two glass shards and shove them into the holes. Scratch them with some metal scrubbers or sandpaper to have a little touch of art. Superglue the glass inside the holes and superglue the LEDs to the bottom of the coaster. Superglue the bottom of the glass shard to give it extra stability. Enjoy your art that you spent hours making and cutting yourself with. And the 20 minutes of time it took you to read this comment, take all the stuff to make this and do it. матегiаιs: Glass shards x2 Oval coaster or wooden stand LED lights Sander Sandpaper Hot glue or super glue Batteries for the LED lights Optional Items: Sharpie marker to outline the glass shards Colored tape to decorate Funny stickers to decorate even more

[@TheMedivalBlast]

Wow, it's cool that something very arty light source can be done! This would only cost you 10$ or less, when you only need to buy the LED strips and find wood by yourself!

[@kushalwalinjkar7134]

why did you put perks in your channel name

[@DIYPerks]

Because my surname is Perks, and perks has its own meaning too.

[@kushalwalinjkar7134]

+DIY Perks ohh so your name is Matthew perk . Nice name also you are a very creative person making nice video .just keep posting like this awesome video.

[@mihir1997]

I just recently found your channel and absolutely love your videos. Im very new to electronic work, and your videos provide a lot of contextual explanations that are super helpful. Now to actually try one of the projects. :p

[@notmyregret]

How did it get covered in scratches? It was fine when you were making it, but when you showcased the light, it looks as of it was a old xbox cd that was left outside its case for years.

[@jacknickels8341]

Supa Bambam the light exposes the cuts they were there all along

[@peterkovak7801]

Thanks for the video, sir. The lamp looks quite cool, I've liked the idea.

[@Arubedo]

Mine doesn't work, an error message keeps popping up saying invalid hardwood detected.

[@szerocools]

Love your work. Keep it up! Definitely making this little Shard Light.

[@yesitsdawid]

What about 3d printing as an option?

[@amarettoxxx]

What a cool video! And the result was really neat and professional. Congratulations sir!

[@demonetizeddemonetisedinmy1890]

What you will need for this project: The entire hardware store.

[@BenjiLS430]

+Anal Prolapse In My Bum When I'm Filled With Cum By Onii-Chan And His Friends While I'm A Cumdump nice name

[@ProGamerTEK]

Dude, your awesome bro...plz keep making more... Your voice is so smoothing and enjoy hearing you talk ... Maybe you can do some computer parts unboxing vids :)

[@pyrrha7124]

I put this on my pc case and hooked it up to my pc , it lights up everytime I turn on my gaming rig.

[@KryptonBLT]

what was the adapter you chose?

[@Cad6500]

***** he may have used his pc's power supply since pc psus have a 12v output...

[@Delzra]

this looks just so great. Now I think about making my own one.

[@conners4126]

Welcome to the stage of DIY where you have to buy half of the materials.

[@TheMordano]

what is the problem? DIY means "Do it yourself" and his instructions are awesome. Of course you have to buy some materials. Otherwise every DIY project has to be made of paper and scissors. That would be ridiculous. The materials are cheap and the instruction steps are easy.

[@fabricior.medeiros6155]

thank you man! thank you very much, it was amazing. I'll try it out.

[@ssabykoops]

I really like your videos .. I think i need a new soldering iron because its so hard to get the solder to behave like i see yours doing in all your videos .. mine goes into mercury like balls that the wire just pushes around and is impossible to get it to stick

[@AnaCarolina-fk4ei]

+ssabykoops ooo elfen lied

[@ssabykoops]

+Ana Carolina points for you!!! :)

[@FirestormX9]

This is classy. I'm gonna make this. Although i won't be having the same kind of tools but i think it can still be done. Thank you for the idea!

[@1ncept10n]

1:34 Sticks like Shit ? Thats pretty damn good name for a glue

[@owenscott3284]

Really well done! compact, short, informative!

[@zenastudio900]

how can I buy all of that stuff..

[@harpodjangorose9696]

Use a credit card.

[@NewAgeStudio]

in hoby store of corse ! are you alien !!!

[@zenastudio900]

no, im jo'on jo'on

[@pwnmeisterage]

Any hardware store sells all this stuff. Except maybe the plexi plastics. You might be able to buy scraps/cutoffs from local workshops. And the LED strips. Which can be purchased cheap from a thousand stores online. You might be able to salvage materials from cheap thrift store junk, if you're lucky.

[@mirovalerious990]

Great Job, keep it up big love from Bulgaria

[@hosu-nyanpasu9963]

That was too much of an exaggeration with all those equipment ... And in the end joining the end of wires with electric tape

[@hennochoi]

i too noticed that part was a little poor made, but maybe he has his reasons for not soldering it or using some clamps (i don't know how they are called in english but in my country we call them "morsetti mammut") maybe he wants to add other lights to the same power supply

[@siriuskndfgsegg7495]

hennochoi they are called alligator clips (the more you know)

[@hosu-nyanpasu9963]

seriuskndfgs egg oh really didn't kmow that

[@xxvodanhxx]

If you're going to be soldering, you should go ahead and use shrink tubing and solder the power supply leads. Electrical tape comes off and becomes sticky over time. If you don't stagger the leads to begin with it could be a fire hazard when it slips off. This is a simple and fun project.

[@FlixTV101]

tried to make this, looked like shit...

[@dxkhoi]

Please tell me more, i'm planning to do this but i only have 1 try, do you have any experience to share?

[@Naxarine]

Madara Uchiha forget the first half of the video and just use a solid block using w/e wood you like. also use real wood working tools instead of trying to do it in a kichen

[@DIYPerks]

Naxarine If you use a solid block of wood, where are you planning on putting the LEDs? Also, how many people do you think have workshops? Doing it 'in the kitchen' opens up the project to all.

[@SuspectBeatle65]

DIY Perks Chisel it out. I have done some pretty amazing dove joints with old fashioned wood tools.

[@Naxarine]

it also opens it up to someone slicing their hand open because they are trying to use a kitchen knife in place of a utility blade. you put yourself at more risk of harm when you use other tools instead of the proper ones. i cant believe you couldn't spare 2-4 dollars for a disposable xacto knife for the video and warn against dumb stuff like that. a drill bit or a cheap set of chisels is infinitely better then the damn steak knife like your using, neither of which require a wood shop.

[@prasannabiswas503]

Gooooood idea bro and nice job.👔

[@Ryuuken24]

A quartz crystal would look better than sharp pointy glass, where people can cut their hands on.

[@DIYPerks]

Ryuuken24 Plexiglass is actually pretty blunt, even when broken like in the video. Don't use real glass obviously, that would be super dangerous.

[@Ryuuken24]

DIY Perks You know.. Plexiglass isn't actually made out of glass, it's solid plastic. I seriously doubt it'll be that easy to break it by hand, without some kind of hand injury. I have watched enough movies to know glass shards are a deadly weapon in the right hand.

[@Miniac]

Ryuuken24 While you're probably right about glass, you probably shouldn't take everything you see in movies as fact. Also, I'm pretty sure this guy knows that Plexiglass isn't glass.

[@BIGH1001]

With the right prep, it is very easy

[@AFXGaming]

Plexus glass dosent cut you

[@johnsega9734]

I did that at handcraft skill test at school (thought I modified it a bit) and I got an A+... thx for the idea man :p subbing for sure :]