# Flicker thing



## krough (Oct 7, 2004)

Looks like John and Jon at EFX have a new product

http://www.efx-tek.com/topics/wickled.html


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Thanks for the link Krough, but 6 bucks each?!! I could build one for 1.50. I think I can. Yes, I'm sure of it.


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

Dr Morbius said:


> Thanks for the link Krough, but 6 bucks each?!! I could build one for 1.50. I think I can. Yes, I'm sure of it.


See, they're target is lazy people like me. I hate soldering circuits from scratch, so to me the extra $4.50 to save me the effort is well spent.


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## gmacted (Jan 18, 2006)

According to the documentation they require 12 volts to operate. That's fine if your using a prop-1 controller, but if not, a tough voltage to get with batteries. I still think it's pricey for three LEDs, a resistor and a capacitor.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

I have built them for $1.83, plus you have the option of driving normal diffused LED for point source, or you can use Ultrabright for indirect, brighter light. http://www.johnnyspage.com/LED%20Flicker.htm I have driven them from 6V and 9V. It is a little bit of soldering, but with 2 16 pin LEDs, the filelight flicker circuit is hard to beat, especially since it runs standalone without needing a controller. An intermediate step was provided by Otaku when he hacked the LED tea lights you can buy, adding a normal battery and an Ultrabright LED http://www.johnnyspage.com/otakuFlickerHowto/page1.htm


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## NecroBones (Feb 10, 2006)

Of course, you can get 12v with 8 batteries in series (AA, AAA, C, D). It's just harder to hide those than a nice little 9v battery.


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## krough (Oct 7, 2004)

Zombie-F said:


> See, they're target is lazy people like me. I hate soldering circuits from scratch, so to me the extra $4.50 to save me the effort is well spent.


My thoughts exactly.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

LOL I have not learned that lesson yet, I still want to build everything. Give me time, I will get lazy too.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

hehe..me too, HJ..(sigh)..me too.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I found it to be more work to justify the additional cost to my wife than it is to just build the darn things. She's much more amenable to my "hobby" if I can show that I'm trying to keep the costs down. Besides, it's way fun to put stuff together yourself.


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## krough (Oct 7, 2004)

heresjohnny said:


> LOL I have not learned that lesson yet, I still want to build everything. Give me time, I will get lazy too.


LOL, for me its not lazyness. Its just the fact that all those little wires and elcetronical stuff confounds me. I prefer to do things I think im good at LOL


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Otaku said:


> I found it to be more work to justify the additional cost to my wife than it is to just build the darn things. She's much more amenable to my "hobby" if I can show that I'm trying to keep the costs down. Besides, it's way fun to put stuff together yourself.


You see, Otaku, you hit the nail on the head..Happy wife= more props! LOL


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

LOL I must admit I think my wife's tolerance of my 'hobby' is directly proportional to how little money I spend.



Otaku said:


> I found it to be more work to justify the additional cost to my wife than it is to just build the darn things. She's much more amenable to my "hobby" if I can show that I'm trying to keep the costs down. Besides, it's way fun to put stuff together yourself.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Yeah, but it is a double-edged sword. Time spent building props and circuits = time NOT doing the things on her list. It's definitely a balancing act. I did get a bit disturbed when she once suggested that there are other "hobbies" out there and maybe I should try a change. Now THAT was a scary moment! LOL


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## Hellrazor (Jun 18, 2006)

Its a husband thing for me.... he just doesnt understand my "hobby" I do my props outside in the summer and he says stuff like..."you dont enjoy the summer" WTF???
I discovered buying stuff a little at a time is much less noticable to the "other half" then doing the prop in one weekend.... and raiding his garage for stuff that he used when finishing the basement (in the summer 2 years ago mind you) 

So its not just a nagging wife thing!!!Its a nagging hubby thing too!


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Hellrazor, I wasn't trying to portray this as a nagging wife thing at all - most of my friends don't get it, either. Please don't be offended. BTW, I also tried buying stuff a little at a time, but my wife's an accountant. She tracks every household expense and knows where every penny goes. The good thing is that I'm kinda forced to make sure that I do it right the first time. It's hard to explain why an expensive design doesn't work and I have to start over. But you know, when it's all done and the props are out on Halloween night, she loves hearing the compliments (and screams) from the TOTs!


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## Hellrazor (Jun 18, 2006)

I wasnt offended at all. I guess my exclamation marks did make it look that way. I think its funny cuz you described my hubby to a tee, I was just relating. I guess Nagging was not the best word to use. But I know how they are so hard done by with our "hobby" but when the night comes they glow in the enthiusiasm of others...
I hear ya, thats all...


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