cheap led strip heat sinks?

What are you guys using for cheap frames and heat sinks for led strip style lights like the bridgelux EB series? I’ve got some EB at a inch width and some kingbrite style that are 2inch in width two strips in one. The last time I built my EB light I used aluminum flat bar that I ordered from the internet and chopped down to size for each strip. The two inch wide flatbar is expensive. I looked at heatsinks from heatsinkusa.com and dam $$. I was wanting to build a decent frame and have each strip on a heatsink to help make them last longer.

Definitely t slotted aluminum extrusion. You can get the 3 sided extrusion, and use the blank side to mount your strips.

Also, a spine build (one structural member down the middle) is easier and more adjustable than a frame build. Also cheaper. I was just looking at some of this myself. The extrusion is reasonably priced, but the hardware is friggin' rediculous. Like, $4.50 for a single L bracket. I figure I need 30 or so. It adds up quickly.

Even aluminum u channel is stupid expensive right now.

Heatsink USA has extrusions that will also work. Harder to mount on a spline, though.

Maybe a rectangular frame with a piece of flattened aluminum expanded metal inside it?

This is what I did before..stupid cheap and effective but the price doubled for the flat bar.

Hooda Thunkit said:

Definitely t slotted aluminum extrusion. You can get the 3 sided extrusion, and use the blank side to mount your strips.

Also, a spine build (one structural member down the middle) is easier and more adjustable than a frame build. Also cheaper. I was just looking at some of this myself. The extrusion is reasonably priced, but the hardware is friggin' rediculous. Like, $4.50 for a single L bracket. I figure I need 30 or so. It adds up quickly.

Even aluminum u channel is stupid expensive right now.

Heatsink USA has extrusions that will also work. Harder to mount on a spline, though.

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Thanks I'll look into it. Where did you get your slotted extrusion?

Befure you go and buy sinks from a online specialist id try where ever local construction source alu channel and angle. After looking around a lot what worked best for be was a local company doing alu channel for construction. Scarpyard might work as well. For 60w/2fopt strip imho youd need something like 50 mm U-channel 2mm thickness or about 150mm/2mm thick alu sheet. But this will vary somewhat whit diode count

Definitely local source any stock you can. Saves shipping and is often cheaper.

If you do source stock online, if you have access to a chop saw, order lengths (e.g. 92 inches), and cut to length yourself. There is a fee per cut. Usually $1 or so.

Lastly, 80/20 is the brand everyone knows, but I found alternative producers that are significantly cheaper.

Hooda Thunkit said:

Definitely local source any stock you can. Saves shipping and is often cheaper.

If you do source stock online, if you have access to a chop saw, order lengths (e.g. 92 inches), and cut to length yourself. There is a fee per cut. Usually $1 or so.

Lastly, 80/20 is the brand everyone knows, but I found alternative producers that are significantly cheaper.

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That's what I did in the pics I posted above; I got those bars from metal depot or something like that for way cheaper than my local lowes and cut them down with a cutting wheel on my drimel sourced from harbor freight. I'm going to look local this time first. Say, what kind of aluminum is this lad using?

Just use the strips as heat sink. Buy more, run them at lower current and the air flow in the tent is sufficient to cool them.

Lou66 said:

Just use the strips as heat sink. Buy more, run them at lower current and the air flow in the tent is sufficient to cool them.

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This is a good approach depending on the strips themselves. But ali strips might not be the best sinking. OP, once you get driver you can make some "naked" test without sinking. Also if you wanna be extra care full and have a metallic counter top you can try it out on top, to have some sinking handy

I use the bottoms of Garage door weather striping
You can get it at almost every home building supply store.

I also use 1/4 channel to screw it together

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Lou66 said:

Just use the strips as heat sink. Buy more, run them at lower current and the air flow in the tent is sufficient to cool them.

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Personally I'd rather just put some cheap sinks on them but I appreciate the input.

Canadain Closet Gardener said:

I use the bottoms of Garage door weather striping
You can get it at almost every home building supply store.

M-D Building Products 1-5/8 in. x 18 ft. Aluminum and Vinyl Garage Door Bottom 87668 - The Home Depot

To help prevent drafts, water and dust from entering your garage, the M-D Building Products 5/8 in. x 18 ft. Aluminum and Vinyl Garage Door Bottom can be used to close the gap between the door and floor.

www.homedepot.com

I also use 1/4 channel to screw it together

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I looked at that years ago when I built my first light, for me that is way too expensive. I used flatbar for like 1/5 of that price.

TNUTZ. Not cheap. But easy to use.

You should go to classified section and ask for any used heatsinks. I have a ton of tnutz I need to get out of the way, there probably is other ppl that have used ones also that may be closer to you. They are 1inch wide in most cases though. If you end up buying, the thinner tnutz bars work good, i have been using them on a veg light for awhile.