some news
Jack-O-Ledtern
Psydeshow Roductions is pleased to announce our first commissioned glowbot, the Ledtern, seen here as part of a Jack-O-Ledtern.
The Ledtern will light up any small space, without generating heat, and without excessive battery consumption. In fact, the 9V battery in this pumpkin will keep it lit for weeks.
You can make your own, here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
4 bright white LEDs
2 270 ohm reistors
film canister
9V battery snap
9V battery
You'll need a soldering kit, handtools, and a small drillbit-- or a finishing nail. Freeform solder requires moderate skill with a soldering iron.
Drill eight evenly spaced holes in the cap of the film canister for the "legs" of the LEDs, and two holes in the bottom of the canister for the battery leads.
It helps to mark the tip of the positive leg (the longer one) of each LED.
Pass the battery leads into the canister and out the top. Tin the stripped ends with solder.
Insert the legs of the LEDs through the lid, and solder them up according to the diagram. Then add the resistors-- this was the trickiest part, it takes a lot of patience to get them in there and wrapped around the LED legs.
Solder up the battery leads and test it out. I used some loose change in the film canister to make it tip resistent.
Lynn added some tissue paper to diffuse the light a little, which makes nice glowing brains for Jack. The light is a bit blueish on these "white" LEDs, so be wary of the urge to try yellow tissue paper, you'll probably get green.
By Psydeshow on October 30, 2002 at 10:03pm