Tag: Instructions

This blog has instructions for making your own light hats. The first instructions were for the bucket Eliza, but the Cossack design is far superior. There are instructions for the Cossack, plus a video.

Cossack movie update

Make your own Cossack red light hat.

Making the Cossack Hat Frame*

Michael provided additional information for the DIY Cossack movie.

MEASURE THE CIRCUMFERENCE.

Take a generous length of the hat padding being used, and

  • Fit around the head like a head band.
  • Adjust to fit comfortably around the head and stick together with adhesive tape .
  • Don’t cut the foam yet!
  • Mark the join,
  • Add 2cm to make the band a bit looser, then
  • Cut the padding and tape the ends together to form a circle.

Adjust this head band for easy slip-on comfort and  for it to have a jaunty tilt towards the back of head. Once satisfied with this, measure the final length. This is the final basic circumference for the preparation of the wire mesh frame.

MEASURE THE HEIGHT OF THE HAT.

Like the circumference, this will depend on the individual.

Typically, 9 squares deep (=120mm) is a good height and allows for either an elastic suspension, or for some 6mm foam pads stuck to the top.

A simple paper or cardboard pattern helps to determine these dimensions.

  • Cut a paper pattern 150mm high and the above circumference.
  • Mark the 9 square(120mm) position, and
  • Tape the pattern into a hat shape.
  • Check the height to the top of the head, and
  • Cut the paper to the height needed to fit a padded top for the hat.

         * Wire ends are sharp and can cause cuts. So please wear gloves!

LED lights versus Laser lights

I’ve had a few queries about the use of laser lights. I can understand the allure of a laser, as its coherent light with such total focus is pretty impressive.

LED lights used to be very expensive. In the last decade the costs of LEDs have really dropped, and we can now buy them easily and inexpensively. LED lights are not coherent like lasers – the light from the average LED lights scatters and shines over a bigger area.

Question: For lights on the head, are lasers better than LEDs?

Answer: Nope.

Both have their place, but the previous dominance of laser lights is being whittled away by practicality and safety of LED lights.

For trans-cranial use, you want the red lights to scatter – you want coverage of the lights over the head. You also want to use the lights daily, safely and at home.

Lasers are a pain to use, they come with safety issues and they are not suitable for home use.

LEDs are the best.

DIY – practicality beats perfection

I’ve had lots of emails from people making a DIY light hat from the blog instructions. The tricky part is finding the best red LED strip.

670nm is hard to come by, as is 660nm.

The tendency is to stop work on the light hat, on the basis that it can only be made with the best possible LED strip.

Wrong approach!

The best thing is to get any old red LED strip and make a light hat as soon as you can and get it on the suffering head every morning – as soon as you can.

Then, and only then, start hunting for the elusive 670nm LED strip. And when you find it, make another light hat with the new LEDs. And give away your first one – there is always someone who can put it to good use.

It is far more effective to have red lights on brain than it is to have no red lights. Every day counts.

And remember – the Cossack is a far better design than the bucket Eliza.