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Step 6Preparing the Altoids Gum Tin
Pictures on the way
Flatten the bottom. The bottom of the tin curves up and in. It needs to be flattened so that the battery and circuit board fit and sit evenly. Being careful not to distort the tin, push the bottom out until it is essentially flat.
The tin needs three sets of holes. I use a metal punch to mark the hole locations and brad point bits (for wood) to drill the holes. The brad point bits have a center point and two cutting edges. They won't skate and the edges cut slowly through the metal. Brad point bits are available from Lee Valley (among other places).
The first is a set of nine 5mm holes across the top of the tin for the LEDs. Metric brad point bits are available and they make clean and snug holes for the LEDs. Create a paper template with the holes marked and transfer the marks to the top of the tin. In order to prevent pushing the top of the tin in, support the inner part of the lid on a small block of wood when punching and drilling the top. With the paper and wood in place, I dimple the tin using the punch. When drilling, go slowly at first. The cutting edges of the brad points should make an even circle. Drilling with the bit anything but perpendicular to the surface may result in the bit grabbing and tearing the metal.
The 5mm brad point makes a nice clean hole, but I found that I had to widen it ever so slightly. I did this by drilling out from the inside with a regular 13/64" bit.
The second set consists of two 1/4" holes on the right side of the tin for the switch and audio jack. Because of the tight curvature at the end of the tin, these holes need to be fairly close. Make sure to space them so that the components fit in the tin. Center them vertically on the portion of the side visible when the lid is closed. Mark with punch and drill very carefully. The caution about the bits grabbing the tin applies more strongly with the bigger bits.
The last hole is for the pushbutton switch. Position the hole towards the bottom right in such a way that the pushbutton does not interfere with the other components in the tin.
Flatten the bottom. The bottom of the tin curves up and in. It needs to be flattened so that the battery and circuit board fit and sit evenly. Being careful not to distort the tin, push the bottom out until it is essentially flat.
The tin needs three sets of holes. I use a metal punch to mark the hole locations and brad point bits (for wood) to drill the holes. The brad point bits have a center point and two cutting edges. They won't skate and the edges cut slowly through the metal. Brad point bits are available from Lee Valley (among other places).
The first is a set of nine 5mm holes across the top of the tin for the LEDs. Metric brad point bits are available and they make clean and snug holes for the LEDs. Create a paper template with the holes marked and transfer the marks to the top of the tin. In order to prevent pushing the top of the tin in, support the inner part of the lid on a small block of wood when punching and drilling the top. With the paper and wood in place, I dimple the tin using the punch. When drilling, go slowly at first. The cutting edges of the brad points should make an even circle. Drilling with the bit anything but perpendicular to the surface may result in the bit grabbing and tearing the metal.
The 5mm brad point makes a nice clean hole, but I found that I had to widen it ever so slightly. I did this by drilling out from the inside with a regular 13/64" bit.
The second set consists of two 1/4" holes on the right side of the tin for the switch and audio jack. Because of the tight curvature at the end of the tin, these holes need to be fairly close. Make sure to space them so that the components fit in the tin. Center them vertically on the portion of the side visible when the lid is closed. Mark with punch and drill very carefully. The caution about the bits grabbing the tin applies more strongly with the bigger bits.
The last hole is for the pushbutton switch. Position the hole towards the bottom right in such a way that the pushbutton does not interfere with the other components in the tin.
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