Do we always have to throw everything away?
The torch project below looks at how we can transform materials that we would normally consider as waste, and makes them into a functional everyday product.
Hopefully it shows that we don't always have to go to the shops. An hour or so with some scissors, a coke can and a cereal box and you're pretty much set to go.
What’s needed for this project
Hopefully most of the parts you’ll find in your kitchen cupboards
1 Torch bulb (Standard – NOT threaded)
2 AA (R6) Batteries or 2No C (R14) Batteries. (You will NOT need to make the battery holder if using size C)
1 Large cereal box to make the main body parts (24cm or 91/2" long) Bigger boxes tend to have stronger board
1 Coke can for making the bulb holder and switch mechanism
1 Length of thin parcel wrapping string - Approximately 200 cm or 80 inch for making a grip
1 Small square of cooking tin foil for making a reflector
1 Food colouring to dye the board (Water based are best or coloured inks) Dyes worked better than paints.
1 A small quantity of varnish to seal the cardboard parts. Acrylic varnishes are good.
1 Tube of super glue or other quick drying glue
1 Paint brush
1 Pair of scissors
1 Scalpel or craft knife
1 A paper hole puncher
The torch project below looks at how we can transform materials that we would normally consider as waste, and makes them into a functional everyday product.
Hopefully it shows that we don't always have to go to the shops. An hour or so with some scissors, a coke can and a cereal box and you're pretty much set to go.
What’s needed for this project
Hopefully most of the parts you’ll find in your kitchen cupboards
1 Torch bulb (Standard – NOT threaded)
2 AA (R6) Batteries or 2No C (R14) Batteries. (You will NOT need to make the battery holder if using size C)
1 Large cereal box to make the main body parts (24cm or 91/2" long) Bigger boxes tend to have stronger board
1 Coke can for making the bulb holder and switch mechanism
1 Length of thin parcel wrapping string - Approximately 200 cm or 80 inch for making a grip
1 Small square of cooking tin foil for making a reflector
1 Food colouring to dye the board (Water based are best or coloured inks) Dyes worked better than paints.
1 A small quantity of varnish to seal the cardboard parts. Acrylic varnishes are good.
1 Tube of super glue or other quick drying glue
1 Paint brush
1 Pair of scissors
1 Scalpel or craft knife
1 A paper hole puncher
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Signing UpStep 1: Building the bulb housing and switch mechanism: Aluminium can
First take an empty standard size aluminium drinks can, rinse it clean and then cut out the cylindrical section. A scalpel is quite handy to cut an incision near the top and then make this into a small triangle hole, big enough for a pair of scissors.
Cut vertically down the can side with scissors.
Once the vertical is done, cut your way around the top and bottom edges. Don’t worry if a few dents appear, these won’t matter. Once the part is clear from the lid and base, trim the edges to remove any sharp pieces.
Flatten the curled pieced of aluminium by rolling it back on itself. It doesn’t have to be really flat, just good enough to stick on the CAD drawing that you'll need to print out.
Tack the drawing onto the aluminium so that the branding is covered by the paper.
Trim out the shape to the solid black line. Note the 4 small cuts made into the main surface are needed to allow the folding over of the edges.
You can now cut the bulb holding section out with a scalpel and ruler, making sure that the lines are followed accurately. Just to confirm, at the corners, 4 small cuts are required as marked on the drawing. This allows the aluminium to flex out as the bulb is later put into position.
Using a ruler as a guide, fold part way over the edge labeled (a) and then edges (b) and (c).
Pull back the paper to reveal the printed coke can surface.
Then push the tabs down tightly
Position the GA drawing back over the folded section and mark gently the fold line (d) indicated by the dotted line. Don’t fold into position just yet.
The switch mechanism is made the same manner.
Fold tabs part way (e) and (f). Pull paper free and then press firmly tabs (e) and (f) down.
Rest the paper back down onto the section you've just folded and then loosely fold over tab (g)
Pull paper out of way. and press (g) down firmly
With (g) folded down on to (h) you need to bend (h) back to around 45 degrees.
Then bend (i) up by around 45 degrees.
Finally, make a dent in the folded section (g) and (h). This creates a positive touch point with the battery.
Fold tabs (j) and (k) over so that the printed surface remains visible on the underside. It will have a few wrinkle in when finished, but these are fine.
Now fold along line (d) upwards to 90 degrees.
You should now have a finished piece looking like the picture.
Clean the protective finish away from the points where the batteries and bulb touche the aluminium. A scalpel or a bit of sanding paper will do the trick.
To fit the bulb, first gentle bend out the small tabs a fraction. Push the bulb through the hole till the shoulder pushes against the aluminium. Then align the 'V' slot of the bulb against one of the tabs edge and gentle swivel the bulb around so that the lip becomes securely interlocked with the aluminium. The photo shows clearly how things fix together.
Cut vertically down the can side with scissors.
Once the vertical is done, cut your way around the top and bottom edges. Don’t worry if a few dents appear, these won’t matter. Once the part is clear from the lid and base, trim the edges to remove any sharp pieces.
Flatten the curled pieced of aluminium by rolling it back on itself. It doesn’t have to be really flat, just good enough to stick on the CAD drawing that you'll need to print out.
Tack the drawing onto the aluminium so that the branding is covered by the paper.
Trim out the shape to the solid black line. Note the 4 small cuts made into the main surface are needed to allow the folding over of the edges.
You can now cut the bulb holding section out with a scalpel and ruler, making sure that the lines are followed accurately. Just to confirm, at the corners, 4 small cuts are required as marked on the drawing. This allows the aluminium to flex out as the bulb is later put into position.
Using a ruler as a guide, fold part way over the edge labeled (a) and then edges (b) and (c).
Pull back the paper to reveal the printed coke can surface.
Then push the tabs down tightly
Position the GA drawing back over the folded section and mark gently the fold line (d) indicated by the dotted line. Don’t fold into position just yet.
The switch mechanism is made the same manner.
Fold tabs part way (e) and (f). Pull paper free and then press firmly tabs (e) and (f) down.
Rest the paper back down onto the section you've just folded and then loosely fold over tab (g)
Pull paper out of way. and press (g) down firmly
With (g) folded down on to (h) you need to bend (h) back to around 45 degrees.
Then bend (i) up by around 45 degrees.
Finally, make a dent in the folded section (g) and (h). This creates a positive touch point with the battery.
Fold tabs (j) and (k) over so that the printed surface remains visible on the underside. It will have a few wrinkle in when finished, but these are fine.
Now fold along line (d) upwards to 90 degrees.
You should now have a finished piece looking like the picture.
Clean the protective finish away from the points where the batteries and bulb touche the aluminium. A scalpel or a bit of sanding paper will do the trick.
To fit the bulb, first gentle bend out the small tabs a fraction. Push the bulb through the hole till the shoulder pushes against the aluminium. Then align the 'V' slot of the bulb against one of the tabs edge and gentle swivel the bulb around so that the lip becomes securely interlocked with the aluminium. The photo shows clearly how things fix together.
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http://www.instructables.com/id/diy-mobile-jacket-for-your-valentine/
Your work looks very detailed and allows people to easily create their own interpretation.
You should be able to click on the PDF files. They're not Autocad files or the like, just simple line drawings that you can print of and cut around.
Hope this helps.
Perhaps best to give a small test piece of unvarnished card a try to see how you feel about this approach.
Hope it goes well.
Glad you like the design and good luck with the project.
One thing that I've learnt from watching a local green green group try to make the torch is that its quite tricky at first to get a hang of folding the card to get a good square shape. I'd be tempted to have a good bunch of card available for practising on before trying to make the final design.
The same applies to the bending the coke can. It takes a little while for your hands and finger to get use to folding it unless however your already familiar suing such materials.
Hope it goes well.
like th efinal product.. so neat and tidy!
Glad you liked it.
Good luck with making one with LED's.
Was thinking about giving this ago myself sometime, so you'll have to post your pictures when you've finished it, and explain how you've adapted the LED's to work.
email me on lukewig1999@hotmail.co.uk if you do i will tell u how to be cool
Thanks for all your comments. Much appreciated.
@ Kiteman - I have done a fair bit of deign work over the years.
However, this is a research project looking at how products can be made locally by pretty much anyone, rather than buying.
And from a sustainability point of view, if you make something yourself, then chance are you'll enjoy making it, appreciate it more and keep it longer, cutting down on the trash we throw out.
Instructables it a whole new era of how individuals can 'make' and build up personal skills rather than just being purchasers.
@RoosterSocks - For sure you can give it a go with the graphics on the outside. The first few I made followed this route but as they were mock-ups the printed surface kept cracking as I learnt how to make things work. Maybe you'll have more luck, and perhaps try a varnish to see if it protect the print better.
As for the switch - it basically a piece of card that due to it been under friction, when pushed into the tube it presses against the bent aluminium section which flexes pushes to make the circuit. To turn it off you have to pull back the card.
I've approached the problem as been about reinterpreting a complicated and hard to manufacture part that you'd find in a normal torch, and turned it into something that's easy to get a feel for when you start making it with your hands. Hope this helps.
Do you do this sort of thing as a living?