Light Up Goggle Mod

So, as any good steampunk devote, I started out by purchasing some goggles. I got a pair I love (thanks eBay!), but something occurred to me: being basically blind without my glasses, I could never wear them on my eyes. If they're just going to be hanging out on my forehead, why not spice them up some. Solution: LEDs. I've more or less simply mounted a throwie in each eye cup.

I think this is an original idea - I've never seen this treatment before, and a quick google search doesn't turn up any. Even for those of us with fully functional eyes, this mod has value: I'd say 90%+ of the goggles I've seen on steampunks have stayed firmly on the forehead anyway.

EDIT Hey, featured! Awesome! Added an extra step to address some of the "Hey you can't see with those on" complaints.

Step 1 Materials and tools

Bought the electrical components at Radio Shack, so they were over priced and in many cases not ideal.

Materials: Goggles
LED (3.3v clear white. Diffused would probably be better. I used white because my goggles had a blue filter in them already, go with whatever color you like.)
Battery (CR2032 3V Lithium)
Battery Housing, for CR2032
Wax Paper (for diffusing. Probably not really necessary, but I figured it couldn't hurt.)
Tin Foil (for reflecting. See above.)
Bottle Cap (Vitamin water, in my case. Mine fit perfectly, if that hadn't been the case, I'm betting making it fit would have been the toughest part of this. As that will be custom to each set of goggles, I'll leave that as an exercise to the reader.

Tools:
Pin vice
Scissors
Pen
Pliers
Hobby knife (you could almost certainly get away with just the hobby knife. I used the other tools because I had them.)


Things I should have used/will eventually use (not pictured)
Switch
Solder
Soldering Iron

Comments

[9999AWC]

Is there anyway I can make it so that I can see through it? I want one where I can use to go in the sreets and still see with them!

[dreiman]

Cool goggles! Is there a way to turn off the lights when you don't need it?

[Ernext]

your goggles are cool! is a really good idea mostly for night or in the dark, I would like to know, can you turn it off?

[Lekestral]

To expand on this, you could always add (Using an external battery pack) just more LED's =)
in a circle leaving the center to view out of

[tsesame street]

Where can I find tho goggles and if I used clear goggles like that how would that look?

[leon5043]

Hey! Awesome. I like this alot, I'm gonna do mine but how did u get all those dots in ur goggles? they came with the goggles? The whole: oooooo
oooOooo
oooooo

[vishalapr]

Really cool, but can you see from them?!

[gogglecrab]

Great job! I love it 5 stars *****

[GaryCifers]

I'm actually gonna be workin on making a set out of some goggles that have the flip up lenses and i'm goin to try an LED array on the rim of the lenses so that you have light wherever you look without losing vision.... mmmm steampunk... can you smell the coal burning?

[ERNESTRIPIO]

MAYBE IF YOU PUT THE LEDS AT A SIDE AND PLACE THE BATERI HOLDER IN THE STRAP YOU CAN MAKE A HOLE AT THE CENTER OF THE BOTLE CAP BIG ENOG TO SEE ?? SORRY FOR MY ENGLIS AM MEXICAN !

[ebonrouge]

So where did you buy the actual goggles that you used in this modification?

[Jew934]

are these the ones that everyone is looking for? I did a Google search.

What I think to be his goggles: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220699318241

Some other goggles like them: http://www.steampunkgoggles.org/?p=15

If these are the right ones slickshughes, reply that it is correct please.

[Jew934]

Is it possible to add more than one LED to the one battery? i was planning on housing the battery in the back of the headband, probably a 9 volt, but I was going to use ten LED's each side. (I had a spare flashlight that had a lot of LED's) If you can reply to this, that would be great. Your goggles look fantastic, I was going to make mine from scratch. If anyone could tell me where I could get anything to make the honeycomb pattern that would just finish it off with a bang.

[voodookatie]

It's possible to get glass at a glass craft store and cut it to fit your goggles. If I had remembered that my parents do glass crafts and have the tools to cut glass, I would have bought some so I, too, could have some funky colored glasses. I also wonder if you couldn't find some sort of plastic that is shaped like a honeycomb and glue it to the goggle glass/plastic.

[toddiuszho]

Was the honeycomb pattern ALREADY on the lenses before you began? I didn't see how your LED or materials used could have added the honeycomb effect.

[ALOGENO GEEK 182]

lets go!!!gggggggggggggggggggg

[corey_caffeine]

great stuff for raves

[prototype2213]

I don't know if this has been said or not: why not use one 9 volt battery and run the wire along the head band to each eyepiece. You could have the battery in one of the eyepieces or incorporate it into the design. Overall a great Instructable. One day I'm going to have time to make an incredible pair of Steampunk goggles, a wristwatch and a jacket.

[toxicwolf]

thanks for the idea this helps with my costume cuz im a techno maker and im throwing a rave and im trying to look like one of the pschos from borderlands the game

[mazter_scott]

Haha, Great tutorial! I half-finished mine today, but decided that It looked better with only one eye (and a plus is that i can see!) I used a larger white LED and just electrical tape'd two batteries together in the back. I messed around with it and later found that if I just barely touched the lead lead to the top of the battery, my eyelashes would push it down and turn on the light- so it would blink when I did!

[MissBetsy]

I just love them :) Simple and still awesome. Now I got to find a way to see and illuminate the project I am working on at the same time, maybe even add magnifiers LOL
It's about time to add another Instructable? What do you think?

[bjsebeck]

So I'm attempting to make up lights for my goggles that I just finished making.  I used www.airgas.com/browse/productDetail.aspx these as my base.  Once it was all done, I have about 1.25 inches in diameter inside of the goggle with which to work.  I started out trying to use a Bolthouse Farms juice bottle cap, but that was too large.  I tried cutting it down, but it doesn't really work.  I then tried a bottle cap from a 20 carbonated beverage, but of course that's too small.  I can't find a cap between these in size.  

In Step 5, you just say to attach the battery holder, but don't say how this can be done without solder.  In which case, how do you solder near plastic without melting it?  Also, how far away from the lenses do your lights sit?  Everything that I have tried ends up with one little spot of a light and not diffuse at all.

[PMBell]

there realy cool but i would like it if someone out there could tell me were to get some goggles like the original ones ive looked everywere

[skwoorl]

Try army surplus stores or welding supply. I got the ones I'm making from Glen's army surplus in Shelby OH for under $5 and the lenses are glass. They also came with dark green #5 glass inserts used for protecting your eyes when torch welding or cutting. Hope this helps.

[Brother_D]

 Could this method maybe be applied to sunglasses?

[MackG99]

Could you please tell us where you got the original goggles or what the name of the product was?

[FireSBurnsmuP]

VERY cool.
Now I know this was beside the point for you, but I've got an idea to make them see-through, might be a bit complicated, though.
Mount the LEDs inside the lens, in recesses you drill in them, so that the light diffuses through the lens like the LED-lighted [lit?] panels you see on computer case-mods.

You'd be able to see through them, and everything would be tinted the color of the LEDs (which is cool). Just an idea for those who want to be able to see through them.

[tigerman22]

So then you make it.

 

[deofthedead]

I feel your pain, sir. I love myself some goggles, and yet I cannot wear them for my glasses- So doomed to a life shelved upon my head or around my neck, these will add perfect decoration to my cyberpunk outfit. Double plus win for the inspiration this offers. (Think I'll see about some of those decorative metal plates to fit into the lenses to block the light and have them shine out shapes... Like a biohazard symbol, or a radiation flower...mmyess...)

[Lawlz Its Kyle]

If only I was eleven again...
I miss Jak and Daxter...
And how much I envied their attire.

Goggles and all

[Vulcanator]

all you need are mini one way glass mirrors!!!!1

[lilbrewdog]

this is cool! only problem i'm having is i can't see out of my goggles lenses now and i havn't done the mod...so i'm not sure it will work. :( good instructable though! 4/5

[9.6 Volts]

THIS WOULD BE AWESOME FOR COMBINE SOLDIER COSTUME!!! great instructable

[bounty1012]

Lol, I dont really see the point of this project since you cannot see out of the goggles once this is done. But, its still a good mod 4/5*

[Joeduke545]

do you think there's a way to make it so you can see out of them? because if you can that would be sweet, I would where them for halooween.... I might make them.

[77Kapn Krunch77]

Can you see through them?

[marc00703]

Guess not

[77Kapn Krunch77]

Oh, nevermind.

[tobor]

I think the gogles are neat!

[edukatidone]

Gee wiz, those goggles would be wicked for the steampunk "croquet and champagne" party am attending in a couple of weeks. I will later use them for my halloween costume. Thanks! If only there was an Instructable to convert my trusty laptop into steampunk fashion: (wood case and replacing the keys with typewriter punch pads)...