Evan Designs News and How Tos

This comprehensive guide helps scale model hobbyists choose the right LED size for their projects. The post features an extensive reference table covering scales from 1:12 (Standard Dollhouse) to 1:220 (Z Scale), detailing common uses and specific LED recommendations for each scale. The content emphasizes flexibility and experimentation, encouraging makers to break guidelines and discover creative lighting solutions. A helpful search tip lets readers quickly navigate to their scale using keyboard shortcuts. The guide draws on collective experience from customers and makers across the hobby community, making it a practical resource for both beginners and experienced builders working with everything from action figures and diecast cars to model railways and aircraft. Continue reading →

Energy-Efficient Lighting Solution: Miniature LEDs, also known as micro-LEDs, are incredibly energy-efficient lighting solutions. These tiny light-emitting diodes are designed to operate on minimal power while delivering bright and consistent illumination. Unlike traditional incandescent bulbs, miniature LEDs produce very little heat, which makes them ideal for battery-powered applications. This energy efficiency not only prolongs the lifespan of the battery but also ensures that your devices or projects can run for extended periods without the need for frequent battery replacement. Whether you're using miniature LEDs in portable gadgets, model trains, or DIY craft projects, their ability to maximize battery life is... Continue reading →

Flickering, flashing, blinking, oh my! Fast Normal Slow Evan Designs carries a variety of flash rates to fit every hobby need. In this blog post, we are going to compare and contrast all the different types of flashing LED lights sold by Evan Designs so you can choose the perfect fit for your hobby project. There are 11 flash patterns available at EvanDesigns.com and we will go over each option in detail. Normal flashing Slow flashing Fast flashing Breathing Flickering Strobe High brightness MEGA flashing LEDs Synchronized Heart Beat Single LED Alternates between 2 colors Red- Blue, Red-White, and Blue-White... Continue reading →

Connecting Evan Designs LEDs to power, adding additional wires, wiring switches, and more. How do I wire my mini LEDs? This is one of the most commonly asked questions at Evan Designs. In this article you will learn everything you need to know and more about wiring our mini LEDs in your project. Whether your goal is to wire 1 chip LED in a diecast police car or 100 MEGA LEDs for dollhouse lighting, following the simple steps below will ensure your modeling success. 1. Choose a Power Source In order to light your LED project, you will need a... Continue reading →

Halloween is right around the corner and it's one of the most popular holidays with hobbyists and model builders alike. Whether your goal is to add a spooky green glow to a goblin scene, use orange to light up a pumpkin, or take first place in a contest by adding lights to your costume, here at Evan Designs we’ve got you covered with the perfect mini LEDs and battery supply options. In this blog post, we will go over some general Halloween LED light kit recommendations as well as share some of our favorite horror-themed customer creations for your Halloween... Continue reading →

Weight and Size Measurements for Use in Slot Cars, Small Drones or other Weight Sensitive projects. Evan Designs LEDs are very small, however questions on size and weight specs are commonly asked by our customers and hobby enthusiasts. In hobbies such as pinewood derby racing every milliliter and ounce counts when making the car as fast as possible. Due to this, we have decided to create an article dedicated to Evan Designs LED Specifications. Weight Of LED Lights Due to their small size, our surface mount Chip LED lights have a relatively low weight. Unlike the bulb LEDs, they do... Continue reading →

Gundam models, also known as Gunpla (Gundam plastic models) are models or figurines based on the Japanese military fiction anime created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise. Evan Designs Gundam Lighting Kit Our LED lights were so popular with Gundam modelers that we decided to start carrying a Gundam lighting kit. This Master Grade Barbados Master Lighting Kit includes: 1 green nano LEDs for the eyes 1 blue nano LED for the backpack thruster 5 red nano LEDs for the shoulders, knees, and chest a coin cell holder with on/off switch a coin cell shrink tube for the connections All the... Continue reading →

What is a Book Nook? Book nooks are a relatively new type of hobby project that has just recently gained popularity in the modeler community. A book nook is a shadowbox about the size and width of a standard book that is meant to fit into a bookshelf between other books on the shelf. Although sizes can vary, the standard book nook is 10” tall x 8” deep x 5” wide. The box can be made from chipboard, wood, or even cardboard. This box is then decorated in such a way that it gives the effect of a miniature world... Continue reading →

Comparing, History, Mechanics and Usage Welcome to another educational blog post by Evan Designs. In this post, we will be learning a bit more about the history and functionality of both incandescent and micro LED lighting. We will then compare incandescent lighting to LED project lighting so you can better decide what lighting fits your hobby needs. History of The Incandescent Light The incandescent light bulb was the first light bulb invented and available for commercial use and purchase. Incandescent light bulbs dominated the lighting market and still to this day are a popular choice in many households around the... Continue reading →