Wearable 3D glowing heart!

In this instructable, I'll show you how to make a charming three-dimensional broach in the shape of a heart, lit from the inside by an LED.  If broaches aren't your thing, you can also take the heart and put it on a card, on the top of a gift box, on a necklace, or in many other useful locations. A handy magnetic attachment system lets you snap it on and off with ease.

I don't have a 3D printer but I wanted to have a go at constructive plastic fabricating.  And, since my brother doesn't have girlfriend (and probably wouldn't want one), I thought someone should make him something nice for valentines day -- a 3D glowing heart, for example.

The heart is is made from (carefully) extruded hot glue, and it has a SMC LED powered by a CR2032. I was going to use a normal broach pin, but I have had some painful encounters with that species so I decided to use a small Neodymium magnet. Conveniently, the magnet also acts as a switch, clamping the power wire onto the battery.

This is my entry for the Valentines Day contest, so if you like it please Vote!

Step 1:

Materials, tools, and supplies:

Glue sticks (1~2)
1 CR2032 (I got mine on ebay, $4 for 100 +$5 for shipping to Canada, a total of $10.15 for 100)
1 SMC red LED
1 tiny (super flat) neodymium magnet
1 medium size (1/2" by 1/8~1/16th" approx) neodymium magnet
1 small piece of wire

Soldering iron
Solder
Glue gun

Cool, smooth surface for the extruding platform (I used a computer power supply case)
Oil (1 teaspoon)

Optional:
Helping hands soldering helper
Water in a squirt bottle (for cooling)

Comments

[lonenome]

thanks for the idea took me a little bit but i made one. I believe i made mine a bit big the LED did not light it up as well. Also i did not do any soldering i bent the LED leads to wrap around the battery and used glue to hold it in place. I love the idea about the magnet i used it and it worked perfect. I plan on making a few more lets see how they turn out.

[cc67]

Isn't it that the magnet would destroy the battery? If not so, I would try making this. tnx for this instructable

[Geekmandude]

I do not think so.

As far as I know CR2032's are made from a thin piece of metallic lithium as the negative electrode, a porous separator, and manganese dioxide as the positive electrode. I do not see how a magnet could damage it, and, I have run mine off the same battery for long periods of time without any issues.

I found a photo of a disassembled 2032 here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_battery

Hope this helps,
GMD

[cc67]

tnx. I was afraid of doing this because I heard some batteries explode when exposed to strong magnetism

[kmbrmom]

Love the idea of using hot glue—I actually have it on hand, as opposed to various malleable plastics I was considering ordering. The hot glue seems to diffuse really well, too!

The illustrations are really complete. Thanks for the instructable!

[blodefood]

Oh so Canadian "...with glowing hearts, we see thee rise ..." and oh so practical. Pins are passé.  No clothes are damaged in the wearing of this heart. 

[imrobot]

cute!

[Jur]

Wow, I'm impressed with how well that small LED manages to light up the entire heart!
Nice idea and well documented, I like =)