Greetings fellow creators. I recently became a fan of Altoids Tin projects... and decided to try my hand. I now present to you a great little weekend project that will consume a few hours, have real practical value, and probably seem like a waste of time to many of the people we know and love!
The beauty of this Altoids creation is that it's solar powered... and yet requires almost no knowledge of electrical circuitry. We are going to "steal" the guts from 2 solar-powered garden lights and simply transfer them over to our much-loved Altoids tin. In my case, the fit was near perfect.
During the day, simply open it up to soak in the sun's rays and charge the 1.5 volt AA batteries. At night, close the lid, flip the switches on, and you've got free illumination! (Thanks to Mr. Sun.) A small word of warning: do not attempt to assemble this after a double espresso. Steady hands required (-:
The beauty of this Altoids creation is that it's solar powered... and yet requires almost no knowledge of electrical circuitry. We are going to "steal" the guts from 2 solar-powered garden lights and simply transfer them over to our much-loved Altoids tin. In my case, the fit was near perfect.
During the day, simply open it up to soak in the sun's rays and charge the 1.5 volt AA batteries. At night, close the lid, flip the switches on, and you've got free illumination! (Thanks to Mr. Sun.) A small word of warning: do not attempt to assemble this after a double espresso. Steady hands required (-:
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Signing UpStep 1: Gather Up Your Tools...
It may seem obvious, but we are going to need a few tools. Fortunately I collect them like crazy so there was nothing I didn't have on hand:
- The drill makes lovely holes for lights and such.
- The glue gun is great for sticking everything in place.
- The roto-zip is handy for cutting but not entirely necessary.
- The soldering iron is only needed if you happen to rip a wire off (oops!).
- Duct tape is great for making sure the tin is "insulated".
- Scissors, sharp knife, drill bits and wire cutters all come in handy too.
- Finally we are going to need a flat surface. I used the shiny dining room table.
- The drill makes lovely holes for lights and such.
- The glue gun is great for sticking everything in place.
- The roto-zip is handy for cutting but not entirely necessary.
- The soldering iron is only needed if you happen to rip a wire off (oops!).
- Duct tape is great for making sure the tin is "insulated".
- Scissors, sharp knife, drill bits and wire cutters all come in handy too.
- Finally we are going to need a flat surface. I used the shiny dining room table.
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swilus
says:
Oct 6, 2010. 11:20 PMReply
Very cool! I just purchased an entire box of solar garden lights (I'm talking a large plastic tub worth) for five dollars! I got it at this "nuts & bolts" store down the street. He even through in a couple extra small solar panels approx. 4x4". Score! I'm going to attempt this project. I will post a picture if I get around to it. ;)
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