{The Best} Altoids Tin LED Flashlight

This instructable is an entry in the Pocket-Sized Contest, so please vote!
This instructable is an entry in the Hurricane Laser Contest, so please vote!
This instructable is an entry in the Green Tech Contest, so please vote!

Ever need a flashlight, but don't want to lug around a big one? Or you wanted to use something that didn't take up as much energy as a regular-bulb flashlight? Then this flashlight is perfect for you! This is really easy to make and only require a little bit of knowledge in electronics. This is also better than most altoids lights because you can change the battery if needed and it uses 3 LEDs rather than one or two.

WARNING: THIS INSTRUCTABLE USES POWER TOOLS AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING STUPID YOU DO TO YOURSELF WHILE MAKING THIS FLASHLIGHT. WHEN USING THE DREMEL, IT DOES MAKE SPARKS, SO BE CAREFUL AND WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES!

Step 1: Ingredients

1- Altoids Tin (or Small project box)
3- 5mm High-Brightness LEDs
3- Snap-in LED holders
1- Switch of your choice. I used a sliding STSP switch.
1- 9V battery, or other battery. Just know how much power your LEDs need and what resistance to give them. I used this instructable to find out how much resistance to use.
1- 9V battery snap
Some wire
Wire cutters/strippers
Solder & Soldering Iron
Heat Shrink (optional)
Electrical Tape
Drill will assorted drill-bits
Dremel with cutting wheel & sanding attachment
Safety goggles for when using power tools

Comments

[Winged Fist]

Cool little flashlight! 5 stars!

[paul83]

it is very well, DIY?

From http://www.torchled.net .

[Adambowker98]

Thanks! Could you got for this in the Pocket-Sized, Green Tech, and Hurricane Lasers Contest?

[Winged Fist]

Adam- Been there and done that;-)I voted for you in all the contests you entered... Good luck with your contest entries, and keep up the cool inventions!

[Adambowker98]

Thanks! My next cool invention is a bike turn signal system... But I cant make it until my LEDs arrive from China. Haha, gotta love eBay ;)

[peacefulshades]

I'm looking forward to that project!!

[knexinventer]

i voted

[Adambowker98]

Thanks!

[knexinventer]

you are welcome

[Schmidty16]

um make those things evenly spaced and it will be better but ur is good

[Adambowker98]

Yeah, looking back at it now it would've been much better if they were evenly spaced. I wired the LEDs with different spaces between them and I didn't think I would be able to move them around enough to get them evenly spaced.

[Schmidty16]

its lright i rhink maby next time u make it it will be better good luck if u need any help with anything just ask

[JoshuaZimmerman]

I'm just wondering how this project is "green"? Yeah, you're using an old Altoids tin which is kind of recycling (unless you bought the Altoids just for the tin and threw away the glorious mints). You're also using a 9V battery, which doesn't give out very much power for it's cost. You're going to be throwing away a lot of 9V batteries when using that flashlight. Why not use AA batteries instead and wire everything up in Parallel? You'd get a lot longer use out of them, have less waste, as well as save money.

[Adambowker98]

It's "green" mainly because it uses LEDs. They use less power than the average bulb on the average flashlight. Also, the 9V battery isn't bad compared to the average flashlight that uses 3 D batteries and lasts about two good uses. And about the mints - I ate most of them and saved the rest in a different container.

[Zach4997]

I SAY,
Thats pretty sweet.
Nice job.