Inspiration
When I got this assignment, the first thing that came to my head was “Hollys**t !! I don’t even know how to connect an electric circuit !”. The first thing I did was searching for the easiest way to make LED lights up. After around half an hour of searching, I found the article ‘How to make a mini LED flashlight’ by YuKonstruct in www.instructable.com which is like an oasis in a desert to me. It was a simple circuit using only LED and 3v coin battery to make it lights up ! (even 3 years old kids can do this). After I found this precious gem, I started design my flashlight based on this circuit.
Main concern of this circuit is I’ll have huge circle battery in the centre of the flashlight and LED have to stick with it. I started thinking about something circle and illuminated. Then the Angler fish, deep sea fish that use light to trap their prays, popped up in my imagination.
reference :
Materials
3V coin battery (2032) | LED | Tiny metal wire | Craft foam | Craft felt | Paper
Tools
Hot Glue Gun | Scissors | Cutter | Tape | Pencil | Sketchbook
Process
Sketching
Firstly, I sketched several type of the angler fish to be my prototype.
Preparing Materials
I used crafted foam as a main body of a flashlight to contain a battery because it’s strong and flexible. I cut three pieces of it in the same shape. One piece with a hole in the center for battery container. And I also cut some tiny pieces of felt for decoration.
Circuit
I extended both LED leads with metal wire (cut from a resistor) to place a light bulb on the tip of the fish’s lure. I also slightly bended LED leads to make it shape like a lure.
To assemble the circuit, I put battery in the foam container and stuck positive LED lead with the positive side of battery with tape. On the other side, underneath the LED lead ,I stuck tiny piece of felt with a hole in the center with the battery as a manual switch. User will turn on this flashlight by squeezing the flashlight and LED lead will touch the battery.
Assemble Every Thing
After circuit connected, I sandwiched two shaped foams on top and bottom of the foam with hole and finished it with some felt decoration.
But it was not as easy as it sounded , I tried several time to assemble it. First time, the hole in the felt is too small. The light was not invariably turn on after the assembly. I decided to peel it of and make a bigger hole and it works !
After finishing first assembly, I can’t stand with the mouth of the fish made by felt. It was far distinct to my sketch. So, I decided to make the open mouth instead and stuck some tooth in it.
Things I’ve learn
Electric circuit is no as hard as I feel in the first place. (much easier ,actually) Just have to eager to give it a try and be fearless. Throughout this year, I bet I have to learn a tons of new things. I wish I could be fierce like when I started making this flashlight :)
Applicable reference that help me survived !!!
This is a useful website for novice inventors. In the website, there are any kind of craft instructions provided by participant using various quality of materials form recycle produce to professional materials.