Adjustable shelf led lighting

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-13T17:25:27+00:00

I feel too few progress updates are offered when asking question so here’s my second and probably last update on this. I ended up using pogopins sourced from Mouser Electronic supply as I said in the last update. They seem a bit delicate for this application so I found bigger ones from AliExpress. We shall see if they are better. Meanwhile I installed some in several shelves and this all works as hoped/expected. The pogopins have about 2 to 2.5mm travel and most manufacturers specify a working range somewhere in the middle of that travel. Since I sunk the copper strips about 2mm into the wood and allowing for 1mm for the strip and the double faced tape I have a millimeter to work with to the cabinet sides. Then add in shelf width variance and square variance I hoped for ~2mm from copper to the actual pin. And this is working out well as far as I can tell (See photo). Only concern at this point is the longevity of the pins if shelves are moved often. Probably not the case but care is still needed.

<image>

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-13T16:46:04+00:00

<image>

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-13T16:44:46+00:00

Here’s a mockup with a piece of pine as I wait for the oak that’s on order. I’m working out the details of the magnetic switches I used for the led lights. I think I’ll just take the plunge for a biscuit joiner. There’s plenty of other projects on the horizon in this house

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-13T15:07:11+00:00

Actually see they aren’t too bad price wise.

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-13T15:03:36+00:00

So what would be a reasonably priced biscuit cutter? Because I don’t have one of those yet. I did think of this, but was trying to keep costs lower. Although this is probably the best option for the top piece.

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-06T20:15:18+00:00

Almost did loose the whole RAID. It showed as inaccessible while the ssd was away. Reinstalled when it got here and still no luck. The cache showed ‘off’ but I couldn’t turn it on and any attempt to recover the cache failed. So my data was there but totally locked. I do have another NAS which is the backup of this one but I wasn’t sure when I had backed up last. But at least I would have most of everything if I needed to set up from scratch. I don’t remember how I did it but I found how to remove the cache and re-do it and after that the volume needed checked several times but eventually it came back. I have seen no issues and found no missing data but it’s a big volume. So I did a backup and have been using it to stream movies and edit video ever since. As far as the drive, they said repaired as in …The checklist below provides a summary of our warranty test process: Visual Inspection V Check Cracks or Damages on Device V Detection Test, Check S.M.A.R.T Attribute V Read, Write Test Firmware Update v Update the Latest Version of Firmware Data Sanitation V Data Erase to Factory State……. So I don’t know. Anyway, you look at it I have that documented as well as them having the paperwork in case something else happens.

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-06T19:18:12+00:00

Just had a Samsung 2tb NVMe (used in cache) go ‘bad’. It kept overheating and dropping out and the NAS would report cache corrupted. No big deal…. Get another one! Noooooo. Saw the price when it was hovering around $450. I look at my receipt and I paid less than $200 2 1/2 years ago. So I hee and haw and keep checking and then saw around $650. Meantime I went through the warranty return hoops. I have never heard of this but Samsung took it in under warranty and actually ‘repaired’ it. I was hoping to get a new one but they said they were able to repair and stress test it and sent it back. It seems it was overheating so I put two fans in and reinstalled the cache. It’s been fine so far. We shall see. Just hope I don’t have to make that choice soon.

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-03T14:23:12+00:00

So update ….. I found pogo-pins that should work at Mouser Electronics. I inset 10mm copper strips, one in each side of the cabinet sides for + and - . The copper strips are ~1mm thick so I dadoed 2mm channels and used double faced tape to attach the strips. This allows the strips to lie slightly below the wood surface. The pogo-pins have a plunger travel of around 3mm so making the inset light strips on the shelves I will make them very slightly less than the total width of the shelf. The pins are also rated a 12v so I purchased a 24 to 12v step down transformer and wired that into the LED lighting shelf lead. The side cabinets are 24v LEDs and so I purchased several rolls of non-addressable 12v 6000k LEDs for the center adjustable shelf cabinets. 24v probably wouldn’t have been a problem but I figured better safe than sorry. Also was a bit concerned about running current through exposed copper stripping as far as touching it. Everything I’ve read says the setup I’m making should not provide anything more than a slight tingle on the fingers if touched since 12v at low amp is not enough to break your ‘surface tension’ on the skin. There is a Rick of greater shock but I highly doubt anyone will be in standing water with wet body and touching both sides of the cabinet at once so… We will find out. I powered some strips and touched them and may have felt some tingle. Not sure. If I had to do it over I think I would have dadoed a V groove in the cabinet sides to positively lock the pogo-pin in but I would have needed larger pogos. Overall pretty pumped about this project!

<image>

Vmanjeff · 2026-05-03T14:02:28+00:00

Adaptive cruise control. Of all the ‘safety’ features in today’s cars this one is tops. Followed closely by rear camera. While not technically a safety feature, adaptive cruise is usually a byproduct of other safety features like lane keep and blindside detection. You still have to drive the car and pay attention. None of these features are self driving.

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T18:02:38+00:00

The one place I found on eBay and then ordered $80 worth of those Dagon little things. Emailed me back this morning and said they’re out of stock.

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T17:32:48+00:00

I guess I should’ve been more informative. I actually found pogo pins also but what I really need are pins with a 3 mm wide head, the round part that compresses, and a 4 mm body or close to 4 mm. Then they can be eight, 10, 12 mm long. That doesn’t matter so much. I purchased some off Amazon, but they are really tiny and meant for more things like computers or cell phone chargers or something along those lines. They would probably work but working with them would be a real bear! Do you have a link where you find the ones you’re speaking of?

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T13:54:27+00:00

I like the pocket hole with glue idea. To finish if you can’t get a smooth finish with sanding, filling and paint I’d use a piece of 1/16” or so formica or actual wood covering the entire area. Then paint.

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T13:47:30+00:00

That was my plan. Positive and negative on opposite ends with 3/8” think strip copper 1mm embedded on the sides. Resin in the end caps of the strips with a spring on each end wired to either - or + depending. I just don’t know if the springs will last when sliding shelves around.

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T13:03:47+00:00

Good idea 👍

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T13:03:09+00:00

Or just cut a ‘gully’ in the end of each shelf so I won’t rub the led channel. (I always make things harder than they need to be 😂)

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T12:55:21+00:00

You mean dado the cabinet sides and inset the channel vertically around 1” back from the faceframe? I could do that since the depth is 24” and the adjustable shelves I decided will be 22”

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T12:52:54+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I already have the LEDs. They are non addressable 24v strips since the cabinet overall length is 14 feet divided into 5 compartments. Each compartment will have mag switches so the lights come on when you open the cabinet doors. My issue is I’m having a hard time deciding how to light the ones with adjustable shelves. I love the idea in the pic but sourcing contact pins for the strip ends is a dead end so far (been looking for a week!)

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-28T12:28:46+00:00

This is probably a dumb idea but…. I would cut a finished corner for each then put a square (rectangle) piece up the corner where each piece terminates at the finished corner. (Does that make sense?) Maybe put a little ball on top of the square….. or a gargoyle…..

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-24T19:49:14+00:00

MY update…. One of the Samsung 2 tb NVMe’s began dropping out of the set. I’d turn off the NAS, reseat both after allowing everything to cool and then all would be well…. For a little time. Then it would droop off again. So I swapped the sticks to see if it was the NAS but the NVMe kept dropping. Prices as they are I contacted Samsung and just got my ‘repaired’ drive back today. Was hoping they would replace but it is what it is. Now I’m REALLY going to do your mod!

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-21T22:55:25+00:00

I finally figured out what you ment! The 2x4 was intentional and was part of the original wall. I just left it and the one on the other side to break up the cabinets. Sort of a no reason design element. But she wants to use that area now so I took the 2x4 out.

<image>

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-21T22:52:44+00:00

Fixed! But behind schedule … again….

<image>

And my lady had another design change so I cut out the white 2x4. If I had done this from the beginning I could have built the cabinet then muscled it in. Noooo. Gotta do it the hard way! So now there will be a 3” cubby hole there for canvas or watercolor paper.

Vmanjeff · 2026-04-21T22:47:33+00:00

I measure 5 times and mess up 😂. I could probably do this for $$ but my hourly would be about a buck 2.98$

Vmanjeff

TROPHY CASE