Curved circuit Boards

[TomoHawk]

I think I will try to build a high-mount brake lamp with LEDs on a printed circuit board, but I want the circuit board to be curved to fit inside the lamp housing, which has a curved, chrome reflector for the bulb that was there before.

Is it possible to bend the epoxy circuit board into a permanent curve? After etching the circuit on the back, I would use the heat gun to warm it until it will bend, then let it cool in that shape, then solder the parts to it, add some aluminum foil to reflectorize, and glue it into the housing.

[Oiluj]

I could be wrong, but I don't think heat will soften epoxy/glass fiber PCB's, because the epoxy has been cross-linked. That doesn't mean you can't use other plastic to do the same thing, just hardwire the LED's. In fact, you might be able to use thin, mirrored acrylic sheet.

[TomoHawk]

I have PC board that is just plain epoxy resin. I will try to bend a sliver of it. I prefer to use a printed-circuit board because it is faster, neater, and more repeatable than point-to-point connections.

[Captain Obvious]

I've seen plenty of flexible of PCB's but never out of fiberglass/epoxy. Nothing wrong with trying, but I don't think it'll take enough of a set unless it was molded like that originally before the epoxy set.

The thread reminds me though... I've got a buddy working on a LED third brake light project. Maybe I should poke him and see how that's coming along.

[djwarner]

Phenolitics are thermoset rather than thermoplastic and won't soften with heat. Might I suggest you form a piece of acrylic plastic to shape and mount LEDs with crazy glue feeding the leads to the back. Use silver paste you can get at Radio Shack to ink your own circuit. Failing that, run jumper wires from LED to LED.