LED light question

[Mark Gibney]

I want to make a reading lamp from a piece of a branch that I have. I am hoping to either embed LED diodes into a section of the branch, and if that's not possible, to use a small a surface mounted LED bulb, or several of them, to provide the lighting.

My reference here is a 100 watt incandescent light bulb, which I've read gives of about 1,600 lumens. My eyes are happier with strong lighting.

When I research LEDs online I get lost in the avalanche of vendors selling what to me look like similar coils of LED strips, but I don't know what's quality and what isn't. I become a bit overwhelmed with trying to figure out what might work, and what's just flashy hype.

If anyone has some experience with LEDs similar to what I'm trying to do I would really appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

[Malcolm McLeod]

Mark,
I used flexible LED strip lights from SuperBrightLED (https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/flexible-led-strip-lights/) to create up-/down-lights in some display shelving recently. I am not sure exactly how this might integrate to your 'branch' lamp, but might get you close - maybe? You could perhaps cut a dado into the bottom edge of the appropriate limb and recess the 5mm strip (what I used) into that? They are easily cut to length. Routing wires may be your biggest challenge...?

You'll need the light(s), a power supply, and switch. The SuperBright site has a number of how-to videos and tutorials; enough that my first attempt with them worked easily. They offer complete kits, individual components, numerous LED color options, and a variety of switches: from simple toggles, touch on/off/dim, remotes, and even WiFi-enabled for your phone app.

(No connection to SuperBright, other than customer ... there are lots of other sources.)

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks Malcolm. I’ll look into that this evening.