Make Your Schools Noticeboard REALLY Noticable

Make a boring old noticeboard really eye catching at a cheap price.

One day, I was sitting in class, doing my work (cough, cough, talking, cough) and my science teacher called me outside. Bugger, I thought. But no, he actually wanted me to build him something. WTF!? My teacher wants me to make him something? What is the world coming to! But he explained that the school had a spare noticeboard. So he snatched it and made it the grade 9 noticeboard. But it sits in a dark corner, never looked at...until Da_Fudge got hold of a soldering iron and his teachers money! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So a quick trip to my nearest electronics supplier (Jaycar) got me a couple of neons, inverters, PSU's, a bunch of cable and a 555 flasher circuit.

Here I will show you how I did it, and hopefully win something in the 'Let It Glow' Contest!!! (Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink,)

Step 1: Parts

For this Project you will need:

2 x 300mm CCFL's
2 x 300mm CCFL inverters
1 x PSU capable of driving your neons
Misc Hardware

Optional: Flashing Circuitry
I used a 555 timer, 2 capacitors, 2 resistors, a diode and a relay.

Hey, just got a new camera. Do you think the macro function is working O.K?

Step 2: Tools

Tools required:

Soldering station (iron will do)
Side cutters
Solder
Tape

Step 3: Construction

First, I decided to test CCFL's by themselves off a 12V SLA. My eyes still hurt. OK. So we know they work.

Next, I built up the flasher circuit. I meant to build it on breadboard, but I forgot to get some while I was at Jaycar. Dead Bug time!

Lay out your components in the position you will put them and solder the connections. Then hook up the little power harnesses that come with the inverters. Hook your neons to the inverter and fire it up.

Here is one of my tests.

Step 4: Installation

Now it's time to take it back to school and hook it all up.

This took me about half an hour to do.

And there we go!!! Remember, if you liked it, don't forget to vote!!! I've never won anything before!!!

Here is a video of it finished and installed. (sorry about the crap quality, I recorded it on my phone.)

Thanks for reading!