diff --git a/content/blog/2024-01-14-shelf-lights.md b/content/blog/2024-01-14-shelf-lights.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b4b7830 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2024-01-14-shelf-lights.md @@ -0,0 +1,62 @@ +--- +title: Custom lighting for my bookshelf +description: For when Ikea is slightly too much effort +date: 2024-01-14 +tags: + - electronics +draft: true +extra: + auto_center_images: true +aliases: + - /blog/shelf-lights +--- + +Beside my desk, I have a bookshelf. While this *"book"shelf* barely contains any books, it is a key part of my hobby work as it contains all kinds of electronic components, a server, some networking gear, and my 3D printer. + +![Office Layout](/images/posts/shelf-lights/office-layout.png) + +A few years ago, I semi-permanently affixed a strip of PWM-controllable RGB LEDs around the frame of my desk to make it glow at night, and since then I've been looking for more things to LED-ify. Thus, the next logical step was to light up my bookshelf! + +![The lights on my desk](/images/posts/shelf-lights/desk-lights.jpg) + +

Lights on my desk

+ +## The plan + +My bookshelf is laid out as follows: + +![Bookshelf Layout (side)](/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-side.png) + +I only wanted to light up the top row, since the bottom row has very little room for light to bounce around in, so after a few hours of tinkering, I settled on the following wiring layout (top-down view): + +![Bookshelf Layout (top)](/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-top.jpg) + +***NOTE:** In both images, the purple lines represent the LED strips, and the red lines represent the wires connecting them.* + +I opted to use some WS2812 LED strips, and a small Arduino to tie everything together software-wise. + +Of course, in real life, the wiring looks a.. um.. appropriate amount of sketchy. + +![A photo of the wiring](/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights-left.jpg) + +

A photo of the left-most section

+ +## A custom LED controller + +The LED controller that came with my LED strips isn't awesome... mainly because it doesn't even power on :laughing:. So, equipped with an Arduino and a soldering iron, I set out to make my own. + +The software isn't really important here, since its basically the [NeoPixel](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_NeoPixel) example code, but I did opt to make my program function with one button. + +I can tap the button to cycle through a few different preset colours, and I can also hold it for a few seconds to turn the whole thing on and off. + +The controller itself is 100% function and 0% aesthetic, but that sums up most of my personal harware projects, so it fits right in. + +![The controller](/images/posts/shelf-lights/led-controller.jpg) + +## The results + +So, how does it look? + +Great actually! + +![The lights on my bookshelf](/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights.jpg) diff --git a/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/desk-lights.jpg b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/desk-lights.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cd40db6 Binary files /dev/null and b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/desk-lights.jpg differ diff --git a/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/led-controller.jpg b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/led-controller.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..221cca9 Binary files /dev/null and b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/led-controller.jpg differ diff --git a/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/office-layout.png b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/office-layout.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..94192d0 Binary files /dev/null and b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/office-layout.png differ diff --git a/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-side.png b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-side.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b502f37 Binary files /dev/null and b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-side.png differ diff --git a/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-top.jpg b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-top.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3845a97 Binary files /dev/null and b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-layout-top.jpg differ diff --git a/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights-left.jpg b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights-left.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2dd1ec9 Binary files /dev/null and b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights-left.jpg differ diff --git a/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights.jpg b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4528a13 Binary files /dev/null and b/static/images/posts/shelf-lights/shelf-lights.jpg differ