phone charger mood lamp

Use an old phone charger to power a nice looking led lamp. I made the patterns on the shade with an adapted bicycle . Also, check this instructable to make your own spinning wheel.

For inspiration, check out this gallery of completed lamps.

Step 1 What you need

tools

* wire cutters/strippers or an old pair of scissors
* small flat head screw driver

parts

* an old phone charger
* a couple of 150ohm resistors
* a couple of LEDs
* a chocblock
* something to make the base with; we now use sections of old carpet tube but we've used cans and plastic bottles before.
* a 20cm length of stiff but bendable wire
* (optional) 3 shorter lengths of wire for making legs
* some sellotape
* some 200gsm paper for the shade, about 30x40cm is good, a little less than a3.

Comments

[JamJarCollective]

We worked in a place where we weren't allowed paint so we used felt tip pens and sticky bits instead, still worked out great

[JamJarCollective]

We tried using tracing paper - both 120gsm and 90gsm look gREAT!

We also tried positioning the LEDs a bit higher up - not within the base but about halfway up the shade, with frosted LEDs this illuminates the shade well and gives quite an even light spread.

word up to the big ladz

[typhuvn]

there are 2 led, so don't need use resistor. i used to make it. it bright very good.

[nihadsabic]

maybe try to put shades on the inside so that they pop up when lit.

[Jenn13]

These look great! I hope to make some soon, I am gathering materials now. Can you tell me what material you used for the shades? This will be my first Instructable that I have created.

[jeff-o]

I especially like the shades as well. They have a very fun, modern look.

[matthewvenn]

I used some medium weight paper. About 150gsm. The thicker the paper the less light will show through. I've also just tried cutting holes in the paper - check the flickr gallery.
Good luck in your first instructable! I'm honoured to be your first!!

[GorillazMiko]

Really awesome job(s). I like the designs, they're awesome. I should do this. And the LEDs, I haven't seen those in a long time! Nice job! +1 rating. (added to favorites)

[jeff-o]

You can get LEDs like that online; they've managed to cram five normal LED dies into a single package, for five times the brightness of a regular LED (at five times the current, naturally). They'd be excellent for a lamp like this, since they also illuminate a wider angle than a normal super-bright LED does.

[matthewvenn]

thanks for the positivity! I love this site and I'm glad to finally start sharing here!

[de-evolution]

Nice i love the covers but you should make it so the leds turn on when you charge your phone

[matthewvenn]

nice idea I'm sure that is possible. This idea is about using old phone chargers, that would be thrown away otherwise. I chopped off the plug and soldered the leds straight on!

[LinuxH4x0r]

Very nice! They are so cheap, but they look really good +1

[gmjhowe]

nice i like very much so! great idea!