This is our model of the 12th Doctor's new screwdriver. We made it the day of the season finale, with very limited pictures as reference. For this reason the colors may be off a bit.
You will need an arduino micro and 4 LED's if you want it to light up.

If you use the code we wrote, you can make the LED's flash in a circle pattern like the real prop.

Step 1: Step 1: Get a Body Tube

We used a spent Estes D engine we had on hand. Other cardboard tubes or even PVC will work for this. The body tube is best if it is tough to stand up to your use. Find some odds and ends for use as details. Copper is helpful for some of the details.

Step 2: Step 2: Add Details

Use the pictures from the Intro to help. Hot glue is your friend! In this case, we made the side parts with a heat sink assembly from a security camera. You can go any way you like on this one. It's pretty open-ended as far as amount of detail, so add as much detail as you feel necessary.
Note: the handle is supposed to be blue. Hard to tell in the pictures from the show, but it is.

Step 3: Step III: Optics

The optics will be what turns the light from the LED's into the bars of light for the emitter. If you have extra hot glue sticks, those act as huge fiber-optic cables. We used straws colored blue. You need 5 sections, one in the center and one for each LED. For the cage around the bars, we used electrical tape. Glue in the LED's before soldering wires to them, as it keeps them in place.

Step 4: Step Four: Coding

Use the following code in Arduino IDE:

http://pastebin.com/xy14UcDb

Then Upload to the Arduino Micro

This code will flash the LED's one at a time in a circle, like 12's Sonic.

Step 5: Part 5: Wiring Up the LED's and Power

The positive leads on the LED's go to pins 2, 4, 6, and 8. The shared ground lead goes to ground on the board. Alternatively, you can use pins 3, 5, and 7 as grounds in addition.

Wire the LED's on long wires if you put your Arduino further toward the back. Ours is on the bottom for ease of use. Once you have wired it up, the USB power will be able to run the LED's.

Note what pattern the LED's flash in. This will be important to give the emitter the spinning effect.

Now you can add the power. 3 AAA batteries provide enough to run the Arduino. We used a cylindrical battery holder that fit well as part of the handle. Put + power into VCC. Ground is the - side. If everything is wired up right, you can put a button or a switch in series with either the + or - end, and the sonic will light up!

Step 6: Step 6: Add the Back of the Sonic

We found a paint pen cap that fit well. Add painter's tape and duct tape or actually paint it. Added to the battery pack, it made a nice back.

The Dalek Gun claws are made from a can.

As you can see, included is a size comparison with the Character Options 4th Doctor Sonic and the 11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver screwdriver. (Yes, it works as an actual screwdriver)

Step 7: Step VII: Play With It!

Don't pretend you aren't going to play with your new Sonic! Have fun not breaking it! Point it at your dog! Point it at your cat! Confuse your friends who haven't seen the Season Finale yet! Point it at your telly while you secretly use a remote out of view!

Video hopefully coming soon!

Go to Makeoscopy's YouTube page for more fun projects, including real Sonics that turn off any TV and other electronic fun!