Make You Own Wearable Arc Reactor and Be Cooler Than Tony Stark!

After seeing the new movie Iron Man did you want a cool arc reactor of your very own? Well I can show you how to make one!( sorry but it wont create energy to keep shrapnel from your heart)
Great for an awesome effect on Halloween or any day you want to be cool!
If you like it, PLEASE VOTE!!

Step 1: So You Wanna Be Cooler Than Tony Stark?...

Well heres a few notes before we get started.
1. this project requires soldering
2.this project is only my representation of this and i encourage you to make yours special. Feel free to comment to help improve it!
3. This project, like many things in my life, was made on a whim. I am positive there are better ways to do some of these steps so please feel free to improve on them and share.
4 Have fun with it, i intend to wear mine with a tee shirt to school as well as add it to my Iron man suit (a real one made of steel and aluminum which includes a frame, armor, weapons etc. No, I'm serious, Instructable coming soon.)
5. SERIOUSLY DO NOT WEAR THIS IN AN AIRPORT OR ANY SUCH PLACE WHERE YOU WILL LOOK SUSPICIOUS

If you enjoy this Instructable, i would really appreciate if you would vote and comment!
Thanks,
mspark400

Step 2: Parts

Note: i did this on a serious budget ( I'm pretty broke but even that could not stop me!) I'm sure this could be done with awesome brushed aluminum and stuff but that was not possible for me. On that note, i will be doing that in the future!

I got all my parts at Sears Hardware and Radioshack. The suspenders i had to hunt for and i had all the tools.

($6) Pvc I I/2 inch pipe thing (pictured, I'm not a plummer I'm not sure what it is called lol)
($3) 10mm blue led (4500mcd or so, i actually purchased three but complications left me with one)
($3) slide micro mini switches (two pack, you only need one)
22 gauge wire i already had it and you don't need much
resistors (one 120 Ohm) i got this from a variety pack i paid 12 dollars for.
about 3" by 3" piece of 1/4" Lexan (you can use anything else for this too, Plexiglass, etc I paid $13 for a 3' by 2' or so sheet)
($2) 4 AA battery clip
Metal ducting tape (not duct tape or duck tape)
($20)suspenders
tee shirt
(2$)perf board big enough to fit snugly inside the pvc cap
gorilla tape or duct tape

Tools:
soldering iron
saw or tin snips
very very fine grit sandpaper
scissors
Patience (critical)

Step 3: Prepping Your Lexan

So what if you have clear Lexan but you need it to be frosted?
Well... you sand it!
To get the proper size of frosted lexan plate you want for this...

1. Trace inner circle of PVC cap on one corner of Lexan.

2. Cut out Lexan with tin snips or a saw, whatever works best for you . It wont be smooth or sexy but the edges will be covered by the pvc cap so its cool.

3. Peel off both sides of the protective coating

4. Sand with fine grit sand paper. You might want to use several different grits and finish with a fine or you may want to try steel wool. I also did a test patch before i cut my circular piece of Lexan.

5. Continue sanding until you reach your desired frosting. (or you could skip most of these steps and buy frosted Lexan).

6. Check the fit in your PVC. It may snap in or be a little loose. If loose, you will glue LATER.

Step 4: Time to Play With Metal Tape!

For this step we will be applying metal tape to our Lexan to make the awesome glowing pattern we want.

1. Lay out some metal tape on the table( maybe something you are not afraid to scratch)

2. Trace out the bigger part of the donut for the inside of the Lexan ( I used the inside of an electrical tape roll)

3. trace out the inside of the donut for the inside ( i traced a AA battery).

4. Apply to the inside of the Lexan

5. Approximate and cut strips of tape for the straight lines that come from the donut. (3/4" maybe)

6. Apply strips to outside of Lexan. Do not cross the inside hole of the donut on the other side.

7. Make a donut as similar as possible to your first and apply to outside of Lexan on top of strips.

Done!

Step 5: More Metal Tape!!

Now to make the PVC look sexier we will be covering it with metal tape.

1. make a strip a wide as the ridges and wrap it around the side of the PVC cap.

2. lay the pvc cap small end down and trace the outside and inside to make a silver ring. cut out and apply the ring.

3. cover the remaining area with a strip.

4. Finally there will still be a little white on the small opening so cover that as well.

Step 6: Electronics!

Now there are several ways to light your arc reactor and you should do it however you want. I started with 3 leds but miscalculated and ended with one. in fact i like this new effect better.

Since i have one led with .02 a and i have a battery pack (6v) and the led takes 3.2-3.8 v...
so... i need a resistor.

my voltage drop is 2.5 volts ( now my led will run at 3.5 volts which is ok)
so i divide that by .02a and i get the number 125!

now i have a 120 ohm resistor horay!


1. cut your perf board so it just barely snaps into the threads of the cap.

2.put you led as centered as you can on your perf board.

3. Put your resistor in the perf board.

4. solder your resistor to a short piece of wire (resistors have no polarity so don't worry). solder the other end to the anode (long leg) of your led.

5. solder the other leg (cathode) of your led to a short piece of wire.

6. test with 6 volts.


Yay it works!!

sorry the pics are a little sparce but the third one is similar but it has 3 led and a different resistor.

Step 7: Making Your Power Source!!

This is a pretty easy step.

1. Take your battery pack and soler a long (long enough to reach the center of your chest from your belt and then some) wire to it. tape the connection to the pack if you want.

2. solder you positive lead to the center of your slide switch.

3. solder a long strand of wire to either other pin of the swich.

4.attach switch to power pack and insulate connections

5. solder positive long wire to positive end of arc reactor (resistor end)

6 Solder negative long wire to cathode of led.

7. affix wires securely to arc reactor module.

done!

Step 8: Making Your Arc Reactor Wearable

After thinking awhile i decided that suspenders would be the best way to hold the arc generator in place. I realized i would have to wear them backwards as well. Finally, after arduous searching, i got a hold of a pair of suspenders and could get started.

the application is so simple that i did not take many pictures.

1. take strips of duct tape, i used gorilla tape, and apply them to the inside of the arc generator after removing the perfboard circuits. press onto threads as tight as possible and rip the section on the edge in from both sides and fold. Now you should have made a strong strip that is fully attached to the inside.

2. Repeat on the opposite side of the first strip.

3 Repeat once more half way between your other strips.

4 insert your perfboard and make sure it will stay.

5 lay the suspender cross centered on your arc generator.

6. connect the opposing strips securly over the leather of the suspenders.

7. take the top strip and pull it down and attach

8. tape wires securly to strap


For battery pack belt loop:

1. make a strip and fold it in thirds

2. attach to pack securly with tape

Note: these are vague instruction because they simply guide lines. attach any way you wish in the way you think is best. sorry for being a little useless but this should be relatively simple .

Step 9: Finishing Up!

This step is probably the most simple.

1.try on the victim shirt over your now wearable arc reactor. mark the dimension of the desired hole.

2. cut hole in shirt. make the hole a little small so it will be snug

3. wear shirt with arc reactor and power on belt and enjoy!

4. Congratulations, you are now at least as cool as Tony Stark!!!!

Note : In all seriousness DO NOT WEAR THIS TO AN AIRPORT OR ANY SUCH PLACE WHERE YOU WILL LOOK SUSPICIOUS!!!!!