Tag: light

DIY Dental Light with Elastic Headband

Created and updated 2/26/2023

What: Dental light worn like a headlamp with no loupes or safety glasses or face shield. Dental light mounted to elastic headband.

Why: For those who don’t have or don’t want to use their loupes plus light. Suitable for those who wear glasses. When operatory lights fail. Power outage. I personally have trouble with loupes when I suffer from sinus issues (makes me nauseous), but find I want the light, so this is a workaround to that. Plus, it costs 4x less than my loupes + light.

Supplies: Dental Light system (with battery pack), elastic headlamp strap, mounting kit (came with system), drill, drill bit, ruler, clamps, safety glasses, marker, cord ties (opt)

Cost: Light system ($595) + headlamp strap and bracket ($11.70) = $606.70

Time: 30 minutes

*Note: Not intended for dogs!*
*But they do look cute wearing it!!*

Process

  • Acquire supplies
And safety glasses!
Mounting kit/hardware
Elastic, adjustable headlamp band with plastic bracket
Backside. It’s decently thin
Used a 5/64″ bit

  • Measure and mark drill holes. Be aware that if there are nuts to secure the screws, then to leave enough room on the opposite side for them
Marked midpoint and holes
Dry test. Looks good

  • Clamp, wear safety glasses, and then drill (be careful, I managed to make mine lopsided)
Don’t clamp too tight that it breaks
Twisted the bit in to help the drill find footing and not wander
It’s drilling time!
One down!
Uhhhh…how’d it get lopsided…
Oh well. Tightening the screws
Nice
Oops…didn’t take into account the nuts. Would drill lower next time.
Solid in there, even without the nuts
Ready
Set
Boom!

  • Optional: Use cord organizing ties to secure the cord to the side of the elastic headband
Although the light comes with a clip for your clothes, a second one in the back works well to keep the cord out of the way

  • Done! Test it out!
Unwilling demo patient
My loupes with light is better, but also costs 4x as much.
It’s pretty comfortable. Made sure that the fuzzy side of the cable ties faced my skin

DIY: Replacing 2012 Subaru Outback Brake Light Bulb

03/22/2018

One of my brake lights went out, so I needed to replace it.

Difficulty: Very Easy!

Time: 5-10 minutes

Tools: Philips head screwdriver(s), replacement bulb, gloves (important!!) and optional ratcheting socket wrench

Here we go!

  1. Open the trunk and you see this:
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2. Use the screwdriver to unscrew, and you’ll feel it click twice-ish

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3. It’ll pop out like this, so carefully twist/pull it and the ring out. Repeat with the 2nd one

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4. Carefully insert a thin screwdriver or pry tool around the side closest to the outside and gently loosen the part until it pops out

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5. Now you see this

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6. Take your bigger screw driver and locate these screws. Mine happened to be stripped from last time and replaced WAY too tightly, so I needed the socket wrench to help

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8. And with a little pull towards you, the whole housing comes off!

9. The one we need today is the middle grey one where the lines connect. Just a little twist and off it comes

10. There’s the old bulb. Just give it a tug and replace it with the new bulb

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11. New bulb! *Important* Wear gloves before putting the new bulb in!! So, everything now goes backwards. Put the bulb in and twist until it locks in place

12. Replace the brake housing. There are two tabs on the side where the housing will slide into.

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13. Slide it in…and…

14. …push! It’ll click into place.

15. Do everything backwards and VOILA!!!

All done. Make sure the light works, but that’s all there is to it!!!

This is what happens, by the way, when you touch the bulbs with your bare hands. The upper bulb has a burned spot where the oil from my finger got, heated up, and *poof* burned out the bulb.