Backlight a surface mount spinner

[Green Giant]

After digging around for hours, I have come to the conclusion that nobody has applied LED lights to a surface mounted spinner the likes of turbotwist and spintrak.  I think I have seen one amazing LED addition for an undermounted old slikstik spinner where acrylic tubes were illuminated.

If I want to apply some sort of LED lighting to a spinner is purchasing an older undermount spinner the only option? 

As an alternative I was wondering about having an acrylic disk embedded into the wood and applying an LED light which would glow underneath the artwork.  Or has anyone come up with a clean surface mounted LED ring of sorts which would highlight the spinners use?

[Ond]

I've done what you're looking for 





The day is coming my friend.......

[Green Giant]

I've done what you're looking for 

Don't tease me I need more.

Was this from your crazy project a while back with the rotating monitor and wood that looked like finely crafted marble?  Like from several years ago maybe.  I seem to remember the curved upper part.

Is that wood?  If the led ring is wedged in there, how do you avoid too much pressure from the spinner/led ring wedged in between it all?  Was that made from some sort of solid piece of acrylic that you drilled a hole in?

Update:
I remember this ridiculous work of art you call an arcade cabinet.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,88912.msg1047208.html#msg1047208
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,88912.msg1033565.html#msg1033565

Went digging around the 39 pages and found these gems about the inserts.  So they are made out of sheets of PVC that you embedded in the wood.  How on earth did you embed it into wood?

Namely these two pictures I found:


I know you are a god when it comes to building anything, but how did you manage to merge wood and plastic into a single material with no screws?

[Ond]

You found it! The fit between MDF and PVC is very tight, the underneath of the unit is also Bondo'd flush with the underneath of the CP panel.  The downside to this is that if any LEDS fail..I gotta dig the whole thing out (which isn't happening).  This may not be the only CP I ever build for this machine.  The LED brightness should be toned right down for actual play, just a nice subtle diffused glow.  Glowing inserts under various controls is part of the overall Retro-future theme of this cab.  I think the trick to attempting this is finding thick PVC material to adequatley diffuse the LED light to a single glow.  Soft semi opaque PVC is perfect for this.

[lamprey]

There are lots of examples in the Project Announcement section about adding a clear/opaque bit of acrylic to a control (joystick/spinner/etc).

Here is a sample:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,141562.120.html

[Green Giant]

There are lots of examples in the Project Announcement section about adding a clear/opaque bit of acrylic to a control (joystick/spinner/etc).

Here is a sample:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,141562.120.html

Thanks, maybe I should have searched edge-lighting instead of backlighting or just led spinner.  I have seen many ways to light a joystick since they are much simpler in terms of the mounting methods; even applying lights to the older under-mounted spinners.

That is now the second one I have seen of the surface mounted spinners.  Now I have to figure out how a normal person can do what these two did.

[lamprey]

I was going to add a link to some Electroluminescent Panels (and completely spaced it). That is another option that some have used.
http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/subcategory.asp?CategoryID=188&SubCategoryID=178

Here is a build using the EL Panels:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,116519.0.html

[wp34]

EL Panels are going to give you a different kind of light which you may or may not want.  Here is a picture of it lit up.

I was going to add a link to some Electroluminescent Panels (and completely spaced it). That is another option that some have used.
http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/subcategory.asp?CategoryID=188&SubCategoryID=178

Here is a build using the EL Panels:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,116519.0.html

[yotsuya]

I love those pictures, wp34. 

[Green Giant]

I was going to add a link to some Electroluminescent Panels (and completely spaced it). That is another option that some have used.
http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/subcategory.asp?CategoryID=188&SubCategoryID=178

Here is a build using the EL Panels:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,116519.0.html

That is really slick looking.  So from what I can gather, you routed out just enough space for the EL pad to sit flush with the wood and ran the cable through the panel underneath.  Was any sort of filler added where the cables penetrate the panel to ensure the overlay does not show any imperfections under the plexi?

Looks like you just held it in place to avoid sliding around with scotch tape and then sandwich it all together correct?  Seems like a rather slick solution that could be pretty easy to implement using something like this EL panel:  http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/item.asp?Category=188&SubCategoryID=178&GroupID=&SKU=FELP-BH-NI
I should be able to find a 5V inverter which could receive power/signal from a pacdrive I hope.

[wp34]

That is really slick looking.  So from what I can gather, you routed out just enough space for the EL pad to sit flush with the wood and ran the cable through the panel underneath.  Was any sort of filler added where the cables penetrate the panel to ensure the overlay does not show any imperfections under the plexi?

Looks like you just held it in place to avoid sliding around with scotch tape and then sandwich it all together correct?  Seems like a rather slick solution that could be pretty easy to implement using something like this EL panel:  http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/item.asp?Category=188&SubCategoryID=178&GroupID=&SKU=FELP-BH-NI
I should be able to find a 5V inverter which could receive power/signal from a pacdrive I hope.

That's exactly right.  The laminate I used on top (underneath the plexi) is the stuff rated for horizontal use so it is a little more ridged.  It looks completely smooth.

I'm pretty sure that's the exact panel I bought for the spinner.