# How Do I Cut Down an LED?



## Ken_McE (Dec 4, 2005)

How do I cut down an led and still get the maximum light out of it? I tried just using a Dremel tool and got a milky/opaque surface 8-( How do I get back to a transparent surface? Can I cut the new end convex or concave to act as a crude lens?

I am working on low profile lights (think one inch by one inch by however many feet long) and the ends of my 8mm warm white LEDs wind up sticking out farther than I like. I'm after a light that's all but invisible when it's off, and I've got a row of glassy bumps sticking out of the housing. 

I don't go to smaller LEDs because an 8 mm/13 lumen LED is the smallest/brightest LED I've found in warm white. If I did find a smaller one it would get tedious soldering bunches and bunches of them.

Linkto LED: http://cgi.ebay.com/High-Power-LEDs...ryZ66952QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem :shrug:


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## 3rd_shift (Dec 4, 2005)

You are almost there. 
You need to break out one of the Dremel polishing wheels to finish the job on that. 
Good luck.


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## greenLED (Dec 4, 2005)

instead of Dremel to polish it, I'd use increasingly finer grade sandpaper (down to 1500 or so). Then use toothpaste on a very soft cloth. Works wonders with Luxeon optics.


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## nikon (Dec 5, 2005)

I've got a bench grinder with a stone on one side and a buffing wheel on the other. It only takes a few minutes to cut and polish an LED. I reshape Luxeons using the buffing wheel alone.


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## Ken_McE (Dec 5, 2005)

nikon said:


> I've got a bench grinder with a stone on one side and a buffing wheel on the other. It only takes a few minutes to cut and polish an LED. I reshape Luxeons using the buffing wheel alone.



What is the buffing wheel made of? What material is on it?


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## tvodrd (Dec 5, 2005)

There are "deburring wheels" (think "scotch Brite") that are amazing! They cost ~$40, but if you have a bench grinder, they are capable of "MJ-ing" a 5mm LED in seconds! (No additional polishing req'd!)

Larry


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## Kryosphinx (Dec 5, 2005)

With 5mm LED's, I put a small drop of clear epoxy on the top when I've sanded it down smooth (300ish grit). The epoxy fills the holes and makes it super clear. Plus it's really hard.


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## wwglen (Dec 5, 2005)

Rub it on some cardboard.

Does a pretty good job in smoothing out the dremmal marks.

wwglen


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## cmacclel (Dec 26, 2005)

tvodrd said:


> There are "deburring wheels" (think "scotch Brite") that are amazing! They cost ~$40, but if you have a bench grinder, they are capable of "MJ-ing" a 5mm LED in seconds! (No additional polishing req'd!)
> 
> Larry




Yup I have one of these baby's there great!


Mac


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