Introduction: Awesome Led Cube
You never know when you might need a glowing cube to convince people you are from the future.
Step 1: Materials and Tools
To make this you will need:
A LED (preferably high power)
a 3 volt coin cell battery
a 100 ohm resistor (anything close to 100 will work)
a momentary or push button switch.
thin sheet metal
plexiglass
tools:
hot glue gun
metal shears
sharpie
saw
soldering iron
Step 2: The Box
Cut out 6 squares of equal size from the plexiglass with a saw.
Use the hot glue gun to make them into a box. Leave off the last side for now.
Drill a hole in one side of the box, make the hole large enough for the button on the switch to be pushed through it.
Step 3: Lighting
Solder together the switch, resistor, and the led.
Duct tape the two wires that remain to the battery.
Hot glue the assembly to the inside of the cube with the button in the hole.
Step 4: Finish the Box
Fill the box with hot glue to diffuse the light.
Glue the final side on.
Step 5: Armor
Cut out of the sheet metal futuristic designs and glue them onto the cube.
Make sure that when you glue onto the button you don't stop it from being pressed down, and that it sticks out enough to be pushed down.
To give you an idea, Duck-Lemon made two templates. (last pictures)
Step 6: Time Travel!
Use the cube to slow, stop, or reverse time, or even turn ordinary technology into transformers. Your choice.
It looks the best in the dark.
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1,489 Comments
Question 4 months ago on Introduction
How big does the cube need to be. Like, how much plexiglass do I need for this project?
11 years ago on Introduction
Wait, isn't one side of the box not going to be lit up?
Reply 4 years ago
The bottom.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
nope, all sides will light up because the hot glue is diffusing the light throughout the entire box.
12 years ago on Introduction
One Idea. If the Battery in these things are empty, youll have to throw it away, I guess. How about adding a Supercapacitor and an inductive charger to it? So youll have to shake it if you want it to Light up. I thought that would be kinda cool and youll wont have to worry about empty Batteries!
Reply 4 years ago
Put one of those colour changing LED tealights inside!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
how bout a hinge?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
make socket (hole or wath ever to call it ) for ac adapter :D u can easely racharge it :D
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
or, since the metal would be conductive, use two of the metal plates as charging contact plates?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
I think it can be added a little door to take out the empty battery
9 years ago on Step 5
umm... the design templates only have 5 sides... is there supposed to be 6?
Reply 4 years ago
You don't need anything on the bottom.
6 years ago
I loved this idea, but instead of a single led I used a portion of an LED strip light, and left a small hole on the back to plug into power. It's not as portable, but you don't have to worry about a battery going bad.
12 years ago on Introduction
why do you need a 100 ohm resistor?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
The resistor is used to keep the LED from drawing too much current and burning its self out. You dont HAVE to have one, but it will last longer if you do.
Reply 6 years ago
Guys could we use aluminium foil for reflection instead of hot glue
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
I've killed a few LEDs because I wasn't smart enough to use one. You really need it if you don't want to waste supplies making these.
6 years ago
sir,i need more pict for the pattern of the lamp and resistor and battery
6 years ago
You don't happen to remember exactly which LED's you used do you?
6 years ago
how long does it last??