A few days ago, the author presented his first draft. The first reviews received a request to highlight more details in the preparation of the following products. After a little thought, detailed instructions for making a pleasant and universal steampunk flashlight.
So, you will need lampholders from E14 lamps, acrylic tubes and copper adapters. Later, the author will tell you how to make an ingenious glow from a drinking straw with two LEDs inside.
Materials and tools:
• Cartridges from broken or damaged lamps;
• Acrylic tubes;
• Copper adapters;
• Pliers;
• gloves;
• Protective glasses.
Step one. Training
First of all, you need to get bullets out of broken bulbs. Wear glasses and gloves to protect your eyes and hands from splinters. Then break the bulbs to remove unnecessary glass from the cartridge.
Step Two Cartridge cleaning
Next, clean the remaining glass. Inside the cartridge there will be a bit of “mounting material”. It also needs to be removed. To do this, it is best to use pliers and an old screwdriver.
Step Three Assembly of parts for the tube
Divide the parts into two groups. Some are needed to assemble the tube itself, others are for the lamp or e fillings inside. For the body you will need:
• Two cartridges E14;
• Copper adapter with an internal diameter of 15 mm. It will be used to connect the tube and cartridge;
• Acrylic tube with external and internal diameters of 15 and 13 mm, respectively. Its length depends on what you want to put inside. To begin with, it is recommended to choose a part of a length of about 5-6 cm;
• Cork cork from a wine bottle;
• Copper bolts, M4 nuts and washers.
As tools, you need a water pipe cutter or a small saw with a metal blade like copper.
First cut the adapter in half. Its two parts should go up to the cartridges. Put them on the ends of the acrylic tube, it should go to the copper rings in diameter. Steampunk flashlight is almost ready if you fold everything right now. However, this is only the beginning, see the next step.
The fourth step. Let there be light!
To make the tube glow, you need two 5 mm LEDs and a white straw to fit into. The color of the straw is not important, you can choose any coloring. The author prefers to combine red and green for a yellow glow inside a small tube.
LEDs can be connected to the electronics separately or together (this affects the glow). If you want to connect them together, you have to stretch a small, almost imperceptible wire inside the straw. The wire that connects the LEDs and the electronics can be stretched either along one or two sides at once (the author prefers the second). In general, it depends on the design of the general form of the steampunk product.
If you do not want to solder the contacts of the LEDs to the lower contacts on the cartridge, unsolder them or remove the internal parts of the cartridge. Then make new contacts with screws. Remember that each cartridge will conduct electricity. Acrylic tube insulates the system.
Step Five Handset as a battery case
Copper plumbing adapters can be turned into a stylish battery holder. It can be soldered inward to make an accessory in the style of "steam age".
Step Six Enhancements
At the end of the manual, the author recommends several variations of the lamp for inspiration of readers. You can make several copies of the lamp of different sizes. Also try to make a double tube, add wires, neon or other devices.
Conclusion
Steampunk flashlight do it yourself - A great gift for fans of video games and films. Fans of science fiction will surely like it. It can be used not only as a beautiful decoration, but also a very practical tool. Such an accessory is easy to make in home conditions.