Steampunked: Waterproof Flashlight

OH MY GOODNESS! MY FIRST FEATURED!! 8-30-08
I'm in a guide!! 12-23-08

I like Steampunk design style, and I already tried it on my pencil. I did this to my flashlight because i though it would be easy with its flat sides.

For this project, you need:
@ Gold, Chrome (silver), copper, and gold (brass) paint, clear coat/paint for finishing
@ One large 6v flashlight (mine is also waterproof)
@ Paper fasteners, Sharpie/permanent marker, hole punch, ruler, scissors
@ Hotglue, epoxy
@ Assorted gears, Small tube, Nut that fits on the tube, Three-way section of pipe/plastic that fits in tube, Screw that fits in three-way, copper wire, small spring
@ Small container

Please remember to rate and comment! Help me with this flashlight, it's my first important steampunk project.

Step 1 Prepping

First, we need to prep the flashlight.

Remove all of the parts (lens, battery, bulb, front, and case)
We will be modding the front and case of the falshlight only. Wrap the threads in tape, and if you want to, the button. I found out later you don't need to cover the flashlight. Preferably, paint it.

I didn't know what to do to the handle, but I had everything else though out. I decided to make the handle "fancy." Draw a design on the handle. Follow over it with hot glue, to make it stick out. If you have "puff" or "3-D" paint markers, use those instead of hot glue sp you can get a finer image.

Next you need to use your index card. Cut it to shape so the coners line up with the inside coners (er, inside the curve of the edges, etc) and hole punch out the corners. Keep this card for use later.

Comments

[zombiefire]

cool

[probablepossible]

Ah now, that's nice. You kept the gewgaws simple and they look like thathave some function, and just a touch of decoration.
Done good!

[cowscankill]

Thanks! I might try other things in the future, but righ tnow I got my hands tied.

[probablepossible]

i would replace that half-screwed-in screw with a teensy knob of somesort... mostly because I know I would scratch myself on it sooner or later!

[cowscankill]

The screw isn't sharp at all, and the paint makes it slightly less sharp than what it is.

[Lextone]

Um....cool, nice job, but why don't you take it a step further and put a knife switch on it? It would really finish it off with some class and accuracy.

[cowscankill]

Uh... what is a knife switch? I left it the way it is so it can stay water proof. If I put another switch, I might have trouble water proofing it.

[Lextone]

Uh....why do you want to keep it waterproof? Are you gonna use it for scuba diving? Here is a pic of a knife switch. You can add one on for effect and keep the original sealed push button switch for powering it on. That switch is kinda hidden anyway.

[corey_caffeine]

he could fake it by putting a push button under the blade switch so it throws it

[codongolev]

throw the switch, igor....

what? it won't work? blast _{what am I going to do with the rioters at the door?}

[codongolev]

what did I do there and how can I do it again?

[cornflaker]

lol I don't know but it looks cool

[codongolev]

((maybe two parenthases....

[codongolev]

{{no? two squiggly parenthases?

[codongolev]

}}now?

[Derin]

_{2 commas}

[codongolev]

I wonder...

_{^{what will this do?}}

[Derin]

_^hi

[codongolev]

_{^{this is intense!}}

[codongolev]

cool.

[cowscankill]

Hmm... I don't have one, and me being 13, I can't go and buy one... I'll just uh... find some other way to mod it. And no, I'm not scuba diving, but if i went camping and it rained, I would hate for the flashlight to get messed up.

[CapinPorcupine]

I'm 14 and I got a knife switch there only a couple bucks at radio shack and it would look great on it. p.s. great Instructable!

[cowscankill]

Thanks!

[alex-sharetskiy]

you can get one of those re-loadable visa/master card cards, you have to pay like $5 a month if you have less then $1000 on it

[cowscankill]

So... Why would I want a Visa?

[alex-sharetskiy]

so you can buy stuff online

[Lextone]

ah.....gotcha....It was just a thought...carry on

[finfan7]

Simultaneously excellent and lame. The front is great. The side with the tube is also pretty cool. However, being one of the early gearpunk enthusiasts I gotta say those gears are a bit pitiful. Four tiny gears that look just stuck to the side. I saw a discussion about this somewhere else. Each piece of the object should either look or be functional. It is cool but it just seems unfinished on that side.

[cowscankill]

Hmmm... any suggestions? I could try uh... I have no idea. This is my first real steampunk thing.

[finfan7]

Good work for a first mod. I would suggest that the gears look like they are really part of the object. Maybe slice a hole where the bell starts and insert half the gear. Then reseal with hot glue and attach a few other gears with maybe a winding rod attached. They only need to seem funtional,not be funtional. Or you could ditch the gears altogether and try a brass name plate. Something like: "Waterproof Portable Personal Light Source Unit-0001 If found return to Requisitions Officer Cowscankill."

[gsidhe]

Love the nameplate idea. That would really push this pretty cool project up a notch.

[cowscankill]

Hey! That's some nice brains ya got! I'll have to do that metal platefor the back, and the gears just gave me an idea...

[finfan7]

Cool. Your response just gave me an idea. leave me another comment when you finish the modifications.

[ring wraith159]

KOOOOOOOL

[SinAmos]

Very steamy. It is actually a lot more steamy than what most people post. Good work.

[lordofthedonuts]

Nice ! A knife switch would be a nice addition, but it wouldn't be a water proof flash light anymore...

[cowscankill]

I can't get a knife switch, though it would look cool.

[and7barton]

Try "NIFE" switch - That's the original spelling.

[lordofthedonuts]

If you don't mind buying online, try to look on eBay.

[cmanatlan]

I have a question. What is the note-card thingy for? And where to buy spraypaint, tubes, shiny paint. Thank you.