Suggestions for under-table lighting please.

[Nick]

I'm in the process of converting an old window frame [1] with iron grill into a table. It will be covered with clear 10mm toughened safety glass which will sit in a narrow rebate. A pic should be visible here:

Perspective is squiffy but it really is as bent as it looks. Not a straight edge or square corner in it. Rebate to take glass is about 10mm in width. Should be a challenge for the glassmaker.

SWMBO rather fancies some very subdued lighting beneath the frame to accentuate the grill. The frame sides are about 100mm in width. Table is approx 1.2 x 1.1M. White lighting with fittings not (too) visible from above. Any fittings can be mains powered or battery if led.

Any suggestions please?

Many thanks, Nick.

[1] She thinks it is 19C North African. I'm inclined to think it is Asian. Any inklings on date & origin?

[spuorgelgoog]

I think I would use perspex / acrylic on top of the grille as it's slightly flexible, lighter, and easier to lift off for cleaning underneath.

To accentuate the grill use another panel of opalescent perspex under the g rill and have white light shining up through it. How much light depends a l ot on ambient light levels and whether you can make a box under the opales cent layer to contain and reflect the light upwards.

600 x 600 mm modular ceiling light panel would be the sort of thing. Fit th e driver to the wall and have an (extra)low-voltage flex to the table for t he LEDs.

Owain

[Chris J Dixon]

True, but its practicality would depend on the amount of abrasion it was expected to experience, as it scratches quite easily.

Chris

[Tim Watts]

Sounds like a perfect use for LED tape - the sort that can be dimmed and (in some cases) colour changed by a little remote.

They're tough enough, (extra you pedants :) ) low voltage and very thin.

[Nick]

that sounds like the kind of stuff. Never heard of it, do you have a link? Nick.

[spuorgelgoog]

Owain

[News]

In message , Nick writes

Absolutely none with any authority, but my first thought was Morocco. Beautiful, wherever it originated.

[Chris French]

Search for LED tape or strip. It's very versatile for hidden lighting type things

I got some RGB tape from these people, DD2's bedroom

Though you can just have single coloured tape or white. (I got a different remote though from Owains link as that type is IR and I wanted RF.)

You'll need to a driver of course as well - some places will seel you the kit - but getting the tape and remote/driver etc. separately worked out cheaper for me

Note the tape comes with different types and numbers of LED's

[newshound]

Similarly, I wouldn't like to cast a view on provenance, but it would

*certainly* be better with a substantial glass top than polymer.

[Tim Watts]

This sort of stuff:

But available on ebay for less money. May be subject to "get what you pay for". It's rather popular for special things like you're doing or ceiling lighting (where it might be put on top of a pelmet shining upwards).

Some of the versions are quite bright, but generally it fits the "mood lighting" category of lamp rather than the "practical illumination".

[Nick]

I collected the glass yesterday. One of the most complicated templets I have ever made. Heart in throat as I tried it in for the first time. Fits like a glove. Breathes huge sigh of relief. I've sent my thanks and compliments to the glassmaker. Nick.

[Nick]

I'll try to find out a little more of this stuff. Perhaps go and have a looksee. I'm definitely after 'mood lighting' as opposed to illumination.

[Nick]

Thanks Chris, I will have a butchers, I think I have a bit to learn in this dept. yet. I'll get there. Eventually.

[Nick]

Thanks Owain, certainly along the right lines. Couple of downers, I would prefer white light and definitely don't want a remote. Table will be used by all, inc. tiddlers, another remote is just another to be lost somewhere. Dimming by a more fixed means might be useful, but probably not essential.

[Nick]

I think I would use perspex / acrylic on top of the grille as it's slightly flexible, lighter, and easier to lift off for cleaning underneath.

To accentuate the grill use another panel of opalescent perspex under the grill and have white light shining up through it. How much light depends a lot on ambient light levels and whether you can make a box under the opalescent layer to contain and reflect the light upwards.

600 x 600 mm modular ceiling light panel would be the sort of thing. Fit the driver to the wall and have an (extra)low-voltage flex to the table for the LEDs.

Owain

Thanks Owain,

I am definitely using glass. Much more durable and I collected it from the glass company yesterday. Any lighting is my option but also needs to be very subdued. Nick.

[RayL12]

Sticky back LED ribbons such as this random search I did...

...Ray.

[Chris French]

In message , Nick writes

They come in white, usually a couple of different colour temps.

The remote is just for the RGB colour changing really (though it will turn them on and off as well) you wouldn't normally have one with just a white LED strip. You can just switch them with a standard switch. You would just need somewhere to put the LED driver

As long as you use dimmable led strip you can use a suitable fixed dimmer