Tennis Can LED Lantern

I created this lantern while wandering around in the dark with an LED touch light and a can of tennis balls (which I'm known to juggle with on occasion).  It generates a nice radiant light when sitting on a table, and can be turned on and off by shaking it so the tennis ball taps the face of the light.

Step 1: Everything You Need to Build a Tennis Can Lantern

To build this lantern you won't need to use any tools beyond some electrical tape.

Items Required:
1 empty plastic tennis ball container
1 tennis ball (or similarly sized ball)
1 LED touch light approximately 6.8 to 7 cm in diameter.  These usually cost about $4 for a pack of three.
1 length of electrical tape (if necessary)

Step 2: Enlarging the Diameter of the Light Casing

I found that sometimes the LED light fits exactly in the mouth of the tennis can, but if it's too small you can wrap some electrical tape around the edge of it until it fits snugly in the top without falling through.

Step 3: Insert the Light in the Top of the Can

Be sure that you put a ball in the can before you do this.  The ball is used to tap the light on and off. 

Step 4: Basically You're Done

If you don't want to decorate or modify it, then you're done!  Shake it to turn it on.  Shake it again to turn it off.

You can decorate the exterior of the can with stencils or colored paper or cellophane.  I've decorated mine with a festive bar code sticker.

I haven't tried different colored balls, but I'm sure it would change the mood of the lamp.