Modified SlikStik illuminated ball-top handles for color control

[iamgeek]

I like the illuminated ball-top handles from SlikStik, but I wanted to be able to control the color of the ball instead of it just cycling though the colors.  I did this by replacing the 2-leg color cycling LED with a 4-leg RGB LED.  Since, with the new LED, the handle needed four wires instead of just two, I also replaced the jack at the bottom of the handle.  The jack and plug I found is often used to connect digital or video cameras.  I found the jack and plug at Action Electronics.  The part number for the jack was CR-30-705 (In-Line Cable Mount Jack).  The part for the plug was CR-30-702 (Right Angle In-Line Cable Mount Plug).  You can probably find these parts elsewhere, just google for "3.5MM 4 conductor".

[Pict 1]
Here is the original handle after being disassembled.  The ball at the top and jack at the bottom of the handle both unscrew.  You will need to either desolder or cut the wires of the jack.  After you do that you can pull out the LED from the top with a pair of pliers.

[Pict 2]
The 4-leg LED will not fit in the hole at the top of the handle until you sand down the base of the LED.  I used my dremel's grinding wheel.  Just like the original, 2-leg LED, the lens at the top of the LED is removed.  I used my dremel's cutoff wheel to remove the lens about 1/16 inch above the LED's light emitter.  Removing the lens has the effect of increasing the LED's viewing angle and making the ball-top light up more uniform.  The LED I used has legs which are each a different length.  From longest to shortest they are: ground, green, blue, red.

[Pict 3]
I soldered wires to the ends of the LED's legs and put 1/16 inch heatshrink over each leg.

[Pict 4]
The new jack had a long crimp terminal for the shield connection.  I clipped off the crimp part (but not the entire terminal) so the jack would fit into the handle shaft.  I also sanded the plastic of the jack a little bit so it would fit better in the handle shaft.  Just be sure not to sand the screw threads of the jack.  The jack had four terminals: 
     shield terminal (the one that I removed the crimp term) - used for ground
     short silver terminal - used for red
     short brass terminal - used for green
     medium silver terminal - used for blue

[Pict 5]
I passed the LED and wires down through the handle shaft from the top.  I slipped 1/16 inch heatshrink on each of the wires, soldered the wires to the jack, and then heated the heatshrink.  The length of wire used to connect the LED and jack should not be so short that its hard to solder the jack, but not so long the wires get bunched up in the shaft when everything is put together.  After the soldering the wires to the jack, I screwed the jack into the bottom of the handle.  I pushed the LED into the top of the handle where it sits on a little shelf inside the shaft.  I had to twist the LED while I pushed it in so the wires would twist and shorten a little.  Because of the size of LED's legs and heatshrink the LED fit snugly into the shaft.  I didn't, but if you're worried about the LED coming out, you could use a little bit of super glue to secure it.

[Pict 6]
Here is a picture of the new plug.  The outer most conductor is connected to red, then green, then blue, and finally ground.

[Pict 7]
Here is everything back together.  The handle on the left is the unmodified version and one on the right is the modified version.  Note: I haven't soldered wires to the plug on the right yet.

[quarterback]

Nice job.   

If you want to embed the pics into your post, you can copy/paste the below

I like the illuminated ball-top handles from SlikStik, but I wanted to be able to control the color of the ball instead of it just cycling though the colors.  I did this by replacing the 2-leg color cycling LED with a 4-leg RGB LED.  Since, with the new LED, the handle needed four wires instead of just two, I also replaced the jack at the bottom of the handle.  The jack and plug I found is often used to connect digital or video cameras.  I found the jack and plug at Action Electronics.  The part number for the jack was CR-30-705 (In-Line Cable Mount Jack).  The part for the plug was CR-30-702 (Right Angle In-Line Cable Mount Plug).  You can probably find these parts elsewhere, just google for "3.5MM 4 conductor".

Here is the original handle after being disassembled.  The ball at the top and jack at the bottom of the handle both unscrew.  You will need to either desolder or cut the wires of the jack.  After you do that you can pull out the LED from the top with a pair of pliers.




The 4-leg LED will not fit in the hole at the top of the handle until you sand down the base of the LED.  I used my dremel's grinding wheel.  Just like the original, 2-leg LED, the lens at the top of the LED is removed.  I used my dremel's cutoff wheel to remove the lens about 1/16 inch above the LED's light emitter.  Removing the lens has the effect of increasing the LED's viewing angle and making the ball-top light up more uniform.  The LED I used has legs which are each a different length.  From longest to shortest they are: ground, green, blue, red.




I soldered wires to the ends of the LED's legs and put 1/16 inch heatshrink over each leg.




The new jack had a long crimp terminal for the shield connection.  I clipped off the crimp part (but not the entire terminal) so the jack would fit into the handle shaft.  I also sanded the plastic of the jack a little bit so it would fit better in the handle shaft.  Just be sure not to sand the screw threads of the jack.  The jack had four terminals: 
     shield terminal (the one that I removed the crimp term) - used for ground
     short silver terminal - used for red
     short brass terminal - used for green
     medium silver terminal - used for blue




I passed the LED and wires down through the handle shaft from the top.  I slipped 1/16 inch heatshrink on each of the wires, soldered the wires to the jack, and then heated the heatshrink.  The length of wire used to connect the LED and jack should not be so short that its hard to solder the jack, but not so long the wires get bunched up in the shaft when everything is put together.  After the soldering the wires to the jack, I screwed the jack into the bottom of the handle.  I pushed the LED into the top of the handle where it sits on a little shelf inside the shaft.  I had to twist the LED while I pushed it in so the wires would twist and shorten a little.  Because of the size of LED's legs and heatshrink the LED fit snugly into the shaft.  I didn't, but if you're worried about the LED coming out, you could use a little bit of super glue to secure it.




Here is a picture of the new plug.  The outer most conductor is connected to red, then green, then blue, and finally ground.




Here is everything back together.  The handle on the left is the unmodified version and one on the right is the modified version.  Note: I haven't soldered wires to the plug on the right yet.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Awesome.

Now if someone could only figure out how modify these sticks to work in a T-Stik Plus. 
There just has to be a way.

mrC

[iamgeek]

I forgot to mention one more thing...

The original 2-leg LED had a current limiting resistor soldered to one of it legs.  After replacing the 2-leg LED with the 4-leg LED I wasn't sure if I could fit four resisters in the handle shaft.  I just decided to leave them out and attach the resistors to the external cable.

[Tahnok]

I forgot to mention one more thing...

The original 2-leg LED had a current limiting resistor soldered to one of it legs.  After replacing the 2-leg LED with the 4-leg LED I wasn't sure if I could fit four resisters in the handle shaft.  I just decided to leave them out and attach the resistors to the external cable.

I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to get all the resistors in the shaft. Just stagger them so they aren't all at the same point (don't create a bundle of resistors).

[squirrellydw]

I waiting/hoping Randy from GGG comes out with some

[Grasshopper]

Nice. Can we see pics of the handles lit?

Actually, whilst they look good, I'd prefer it if the handles were transparent instead of semi-opaque. I realise you have to diffuse the light somehow but transparent looks cooler IMHO. Perhaps a bubble-effect like you see in the Ponyboy handles might produce a more pleasing result.

[Kremmit]

Sweet.  People have been wanting this, and talking about doing it, since SS introduced them.  You're the first, as far as I know.  Congrats! 

[Knievel]

Nice job. Thanks for showing us the 'guts' of these things.

I'm waiting on Randy's offering as well.