100% Clear Light-up Journal

Hello fellow DIY enthusiasts -
     Have you ever needed to write in a journal without having a lot of light on in the room? A night car trip, sibling trying to sleep in same room, or taking notes during a top-secret stake out? Then this Instructable is for you!!!

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     This Instructable will show you how to construct a 100% clear (cover, pages, etc.) journal that lights up with two brightness settings so you can write/read at night.  And, with the pages of the book being clear, it has a really neat look when it is closed as you start filling in pages. And there is no need to be concerned about privacy issues - after the first few pages are filled in, it is next to impossible to read from the outside when closed.

      I actual got the idea for this project from a misunderstanding as I was walking though the store one day. A display that read "Light Up Journals" caught my eye, and I immediately thought it was something like this. When I went and looked at it, however, it was just a normal journal with a book light attached. As I was walking away disappointed, I stopped and thought "Wait - that's a good idea! I bet I could make one of those..." Thus, this project.

     Ready? Let's get started!

Step 1 Parts List

Below is everything you will need for this project:

Parts List:
   1. 3M Transparency Film for laser printers (Walmart; Office Depot)
   2. 22 gauge wire - solid core or stranded does not make a difference (RadioShack)
   3. High-strength fishing line (Walmart)
   4. MN21 / A23 Battery holder (RadioShack)
   5. MN21 / A23 Battery (RadioShack)
   6. Extra-fine point Sharpie (Walmart)
   7. Resistors - 620 ohm (Blue, red, brown) & 4700 ohm (yellow, violet, red) (RadioShack)
   8. 2 Mini-switches - I used 3-way, but 2 way would work just fine (RadioShack)
   9. 3 high-intensity white LEDs (RadioShack)
   10. 1/8" Plexiglas cut into 3 pieces - 5.75"x7", 5"x7", & 0.75"x7" (Lowes; they will cut this for you)
   11. Clear packing tape (not shown) (Walmart)

Tools List:
   1. Soldering Iron
   2. Drill
   3. Drill bits
   4. Ruler
   5. Solder
   6. Hot glue gun
   7. Wire Snips
   8. Clips to hold components being soldered
   9. Paper cutter
   10. Needle-nose pliers
   11. Binder clips (not shown)
Optional:
   12. Wire strippers (or use knife)
   13. Multimeter (to troubleshoot)

Note 1: I did not end up using the white paint shown in the photo below.

Note 2: I experimented with many different kinds of pens and transparencies - the ones in the parts list above were the only ones I found that write well without streaking. If you cannot find those exact types, there may be other combinations that work; you will just have to experiment (before you build the journal!)

SAFETY NOTE!
In making this journal, you will be working with several potential dangerous tools - keep the following in mind:
     1. When soldering or using the hot glue gun, these tools are very hot. Wear gloves, especially with the hot glue gun since any glue that gets on your skin will stick there and burn.
     2. Whenever you melt plastic (the notch in the Plexiglas and one side off of the battery holder), MAKE SURE you do this in a well-ventilated area - many plastics are known to release toxic fumes when they melt.
     3. Wear gloves when using the drill, and be aware of what is underneath what you are drilling. I used a scrap piece of wood under my project so it would not matter if I went all the way through.