Introduction: Soda Can Lights

Materials

  • 1/2 in. wood
  • 1/4 in. wood
  • Wood glue (Titebond)
  • 4 aluminum soda cans (12oz.)
  • Flexible, adhesive LED light strip (12v)
  • 9v battery
  • 9v battery clip connector
  • Rocker switch
  • Hot glue/glue gun
  • Heat shrink tubing

Tools

  • Pocket knife
  • Wire gloves
  • Ruler
  • Jigsaw, or normal saw
  • Wire cutters/stripper
  • Heat gun, or lighter
  • Pencil

Step 1:

Cans

First, take a soda can (any type, but normal sized) and use a pocket knife to cut out a rectangle from it. The rectangle should be about 4.5 in. wide, and as tall as the can is, before the sides start to curve up and down. Then, fold the top and bottom edges just enough so there are no sharp edges. With the sides, fold them over partially, about 1/4 inch.

*Repeat 4 times, for all the cans*

Step 2:

They should look like this when completed.

Set these aside for now.

Step 3:

Base

For the base, draw out a rectangle on the 1/4 in. wood to glue the cans on later. I went 1/2 in. longer (total of 4 in. tall) on the shorter sides in case of any cans that were not the same height as the others. For the long side, I made it 9 3/8 in. wide, to exactly fit all 4 cans in. Then, cut the base out with a jigsaw (or normal saw)

Use the 1/2 in. wood to make the frame. The long pieces should be about 1 in. 'tall' and 9 3/8 in. wide. The short pieces should also be 1 in. tall, but only 3 in. wide

Then cut the base and frame out with a jigsaw (or normal saw)

Step 4:

Glue the frame pieces to each other, and to the base. Excess glue can be removed once it has dried. Let this sit for a while to let glue dry completely.

Step 5:

Completing the Base

Lay all of the cans out next to the base and drill a hole where each of the cans would be (if connected). Also, drill a hole on one of the sides of the frame to place the rocker switch.

I recommend to PAINT THE BASE at this step

Step 6:

Connecting the LEDs and the Cans

Cut out around 30 in. from the LED light strip, making sure that one of the ends has wires connected to it. Then, peel off the adhesive and stick the LEDs to the inside of the can. Weave the LED back through the hole you drilled, and repeat for the rest of the cans. Right now is a good time to put the rocker switch in also. Hot glue the tabs of the cans to the base.

Step 7:

Complete the Circuit

Snap the clip onto the 9v battery. Connect the positive or negative end of the LED to the corresponding wire of the 9v clip. Do not connect both wires to the battery. Then, connect the other wire from the 9v clip to the switch, and the other wire from the light strip to the other terminal on the switch. Cover the wires connected to the switch with heat shrink tubing.

Step 8:

**I painted this after connecting the cans, but I recommend doing so once the base is made (step 4)**

Test it Out!

Now its done! Flip the switch to see if it works, and then hang it up on a wall, or set it on a flat surface.

I hope you enjoyed this Instructable, and try it out for yourself! Let me know if you have questions. Thanks.

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