by Steve Manley: Retired. Rewired. RGB-Inspired.
I’ve always enjoyed creating projects that incorporate RGB LED lighting, from LED strips inserted into a hallway skirting board, complex analog-style clocks, and—more recently—a bespoke digital clock.
My journey with LED clocks began with an analog-style clock, where I developed a technique to isolate adjacent LEDs or groups of LEDs using 3D-printed shells. These shells, typically 10mm in depth, feature a thin white diffuser to evenly distribute the light. The shells must be both opaque and reflective. White filament is ideal for this purpose, but it isn’t fully opaque. Consequently, I print using darker materials and paint the internal surfaces white to enhance brightness, though painting is my least favourite part of the process.
In early 2020, during the pandemic, I joined the Smart Sockets group (bit.ly/3Iqs6Ub), a talented community of makers dedicated to transforming retro displays into smart, alphanumeric devices. One of the group’s main protagonists, John Smoute (sadly, now deceased), was working on recreating a 21-segment display patented by George Laffiett-Mason in the 1890s. Inspired by this design, John envisioned a modern RGB LED version, with each segment measuring 50mm wide by 64mm tall.
While John worked on a Smart Socket version, I pursued a different direction, linking multiple 21-segment displays into a single chain, all powered by a single microcontroller. Though I never saw John’s version, I was the first to adapt Laffiett-Mason’s design using modern LED technology.
My display consists of 10 characters, each with 21 segments. The 2mm square RGB LEDs are mounted on custom PCBs, one PCB per character. The components are small surface-mount devices, all of which are soldered by hand. Initially, the displays were wired into a single chain, attached to individual shells, all linked mechanically using 3D-printed link bars along the tops and bottoms. Also, a 3D-printed brass-looking bezel in two parts. A video of the build process is available here: bit.ly/40ndtHn
I later upgraded the display with a custom control PCB, which added an audio codec, light sensor, IR remote control, and parallel output capability. This allowed me to drive multiple displays more efficiently, speeding up refresh cycles. Since mid-2022, the display has been running continuously, showing the time, date, scrolling messages, and even functioning as a crude VU meter or spectrum analyser. While I didn’t design the uppercase letters, I created a functional lowercase set for the 21-segment format.
Recently, I noticed some of the blue LEDs were beginning to fail. After trying to replace them with new LEDs, I realised the original LEDs were somewhat deteriorated, so it was time for an overhaul. I’d planned to replace the two-part pseudo-brass bezel with a single-part, real brass version, which I’d already had fabricated. The display’s linking bars also broke during my recent house move, so I redesigned both the shells and PCBs for improved durability.
The new shell design comes as a mix of 3- and 4-character sections. The LED PCBs are now each two characters wide, thus removing mechanically weak points along the length of the display. With the new brass bezel, now attached with magnets instead of screws, the display is more rigid and robust, and looks fabulous.
Next, I plan to design a wooden case for the display and update the software to include automatic time changes for daylight saving, etc.
You can see where I’m currently at with the software implementation here: bit.ly/4kFMHBa