Introduction: Miniature LED TARDIS Throwaways

By Ongoing Projects
About: Professional work in various electrical and mechanical fields, obscure sense of humour and typically willing to help... Currently under contract designing environmental monitoring equipment.

This is an unusually Quick build, only about 30 minutes if you are not watching the paint dry.

I call them throwaways since they were created from garbage and will go back to random places to be enjoyed by others.

Along with iconic styling, each figure features a flashing beacon and magnetic base.

Step 1: Cut

I took some scrap 2X2 from a construction bin and cut the sections down to a measure 1 and a sixteenth square profile

Then several 1 and three quarter inch sections were cut from this.

Step 2: Sand

I chose to use a 15 degree angle on the table of my disc sander.

The "roof" was marked along the midpoints to get a rough approximation of the center then the roof slants were sanded off.

The eaves of the roof were then sanded off using the edge of a belt sander to give a rough approximation of the TARDIS profile.

The sides were then sanded by hand on the flat piece of 220 grit paper.

Step 3: Prep

I coated the entire surface with spray white primer to seal the wood.

Then "windows" were added to the primed surface using painters tape

The measurements in inches are 7/16 by 5/16 precut from tape and placed with tweezers.

Step 4: Paint

Painted blue!

I left the paint to dry then remove the painter's tape to reveal the windows

Step 5: Drill

I drilled a hole in the center for the light to be positioned then I hollowed the bottom to receive batteries and a magnet.

The hole was drilled with a 1/8 pilot then a 3/16 for the final.

The hollow was drilled 5/8 inch deep using a 1/2 inch Forstner bit and the stop on my drill press.

Step 6: Add Lights

I used a 5mm flashing led, short wire and 1 ohm resistor soldered together as shown.

The LED "legs" were electrically separated using heat shrink tubing.

The LED lens is then chafed using 220 grit paper to diffuse the light.

Step 7: Assemble and Test

I used dollar store batteries and a 1/2 inch magnet for power.

The stack is as shown.

The light assembly is fed from the top and the bare leg is coiled up using small pliers. the wire is formed to the outside on the drill hole then the batteries are pressed into the opening.

the bare end of the wire is pressed onto the bottom battery case and the magnetic force holds it in place making the circuit.

Step 8: Make It Promotional

I used this QR code Generated online to make small 1 inch square labels to cover the bottom of the figures.

Step 9: Make More and Distribute

More on the way. these should only take a couple of minutes each to complete since the design is now solidified in my head.