USB Batman Spotlight

Step 7 Cut USB plug off USB Light

Well I tried to get the wires out without braking them, but it seems impossible as part of the wire is embedded in plastic that was cast in after the thing was put together. So plan B...

Cut the lamp assembly near to the plug using strong pliers.

Comments

[punkzombiehunter]

Surely, correct me if I'm wrong, you could just have drilled a larger hole at the bottom of the cap and just threaded the light through and then filled the hole in with a putty of sorts instead of cutting it up?

[KaptinScarlet]

you could but the metal tube from the book light is too strong and springy and the batman light won't stand up properly because it is so light.

[devinda]

If any one can't find a LED notebook light, then you could make one like me. All you have to do is get the USB socket from for example a mouse, then cut it open and get two wires. Connect and solder them to the top iron peice and the bottom. Cut the two wires in the middle as they are data cables. Then take a LED bulb and a suitable resistor(ask your local dealer) . For me i got a special type of LED that does not need a resistor. So if you did get one, fix one end of the LED to one end of the resistor. Then plug the USB . Use the two wires and keep one one the free side of resistor and the other on the free side of LED. The bulb should light. If it doesn't try switching around the wires, cuz the + power and - power may have swithced. Once done , Just solder it up.

[Drcatj18]

Where Did You Get The One LED Notebook Light? All I See Is 2-15 LED Lights. I Want That Same Model If Possible. Where Did You Purchase It? Or Brand/Model?

[KaptinScarlet]

 I got mine from Amazon in the UK, but they are very cheap and all more or less the same. I have tried to put the link in but this window won't accept it. just go to Amazon and search for USB reading light and get the lowest cost one you can get.

[DaringDaydreamer]

Feeling very stupid...but I don't understand why the next few steps need to be done. Why take apart the USB end just to put it back together again?

[madmanmoe64]

So you can thread the wires through the bottle cap.

[KaptinScarlet]

Essentially, YES. Also so you can take off that outer metal seaht. on my cheap (utra cheap) usb light it has a metal spring wound riund the very thin wires and there was no way to break it off without breaking the wires. then I found that the spring was mouldedon to the usb plug. I triedloads of different ways in the end the only way I could do it was to go from broke and cut the thing in half and then peel it off the metal spring (which is very hard) and then put it back together after removing the metal sprin.

[Cono78]

Why do you have to cut off the head of the USB plug? Could you finish the project without cutting it?

[mettaurlover]

well... you COULD kill a cheap flash drive and se it's end to make it...

[KaptinScarlet]

I don't get this comment, do you want to explain?? Cheers

[Cono78]

P.S. This is a great project! I am new to Instructables, and this is going to be my first! Thanks again for the awesome guide and idea!

[KaptinScarlet]

I wanted a thin wire from the light to the plug and I could get the big springy bit off the wire without cutting it off, although I did try. If you can do it please tell me how, because it is a bit of a pain cutting it off and then soldering it back on again.

[AnarchistAsian]

lightly cut the springy bit, then cut a slit with knife. peel off with pliers, cut off excess with knife. ps-i like the rubber covering, makes it look proffesional ;-)

[KaptinScarlet]

Yup good idea, depends on which one you get. Mine was ok of the outer two layers, basically the structure is this: plastic dipped coating, soft pliable aluminium wire wound coating, hard high carbon steel spring thin little wires. The outer plastic dipped coating can easily be slit and peeled off, the aluminium wire wound layer can be picked apart at any given point, with a bit of effort and then unwound relatively easily, then you are left with the high carbon, hardened spring. It is very springy and very hard. I managed to break it without cutting the wires inside, which was in itself a miracle, but it is impossible to unspring, unwind or otherwise remove. At the plug end it is moulded on to the plug and at the other end it is trapped by the LED being soldered on. So despite all my efforts the only way was to chop it in half. and cut the plug off. After all this, that's why I recommend cutting the plug off straight away, much quicker and the same outcome.

[AnarchistAsian]

ouches! you might as well have made your own, it's about the same effort, from what you described. plus, you can make any number of changes.