Introduction: How to Make Headphones

Hello, and welcome to a tutorial on how to make a headphone with everyday supplies.

Step 1: Needed Resources

Supplies Needed

  • Wires (any gauge can be used, we are using 28 gauge string (wire can be as long as you want, depends on how many coils you are going to have)
  • Neodymium Magnets (we are using 2, you can use as many as you deem necessary)
  • 2 Starbuck Grande Frappuccino Lids (we are using this as our basket, you may use another item)
  • Glue Stick to coil wires (you can use anything that can be wrapped around, keep in mind wider and bigger objects will make wider coils, and vice versa)
  • Sandpaper to sand wires ends
  • Electric Tape to keep coils in place
  • Aux Plug to connect speaker with phone
  • Wire Cutter to cut wires
  • 4 Alligator Clips- To Connect Wires to Terminal In Aux Plug
  • Friction Tape to Cover Headband
  • Cardboard for Headband
  • Insulated Copper Wire

Step 2: Instructions

Steps

  1. Step 1: Get your Magnet wire (28 gauge) and stretch it out to whatever length will provide enough coils for what you are planning, we stretched it around to a foot, and trimmed the extra left.
  2. Step 2: Using the wire cutters, then cut when the wire is long enough.
  3. Step 3: Wrap electrical tape around the glue stick before beginning coiling process, this will help removing the coil easier and more efficient.
  4. Step 4: Begin coiling the wire around the glue stick as many times as needed and keep the spacing to as little as possible and try to make sure the coils don’t overlap each other (depending on how many coils you are using, this process will take longer)
  5. Step 5: After you’re doing coiling, begin to slide the coil off, we wiggled it off to try to keep the coil from coming apart, remember, if you slide it off and some coils are overlapping each other or are wide apart, redo step 4 so you don’t risk not hearing any sound
  6. Step 6: Once you have your coil, get the electrical tape and wrap it around the sides of the coil, to keep the coil from falling apart.
  7. Step 7: Begin to the sand the edges of the coil with the sandpaper until the copper is showing
  8. Step 8- Redo Steps 2-7 twice so you have 2 pairs of coils
  9. Step 9: Get your two lids, and using the friction tape, tape underneath the bottom of the hole to keep the magnet from falling off later.
  10. Step 10: Place both coils in each of the separate lids, and then place the magnet inside of each of the coils.
  11. Step 11: Place friction tape on top of the magnet and coil, making sure that both wires are still showing so you may connect them to the alligator clips later.
  12. Step 12: Get the piece of cardboard, and cut out a rectangular shape large enough to fit your head.
  13. Step 13: Cover the cardboard in friction tape
  14. Step 14: Tape Headband to Lid Tops
  15. Step 15: Put Alligator Clip On Each Terminal, make suer both don't touch
  16. Step 16: Connect Each Alligator Clip To An Insulated Copper Wire
  17. Step 17: Attach Alligator clips on opposite side of insulated wires
  18. Step 18: Then, attach insulated wire from one side of headphone to other side of headphones.
  19. Step 19: Attach alligator clip from wire on top to other coil to make closed circuit.
  20. Step 20: Tape wire on top
  21. Step 21: Decorate Headphone as you will
  22. Step 22: If no sound is heard, try redoing the coiling, or trying redoing the wiring, it took my Dad and I to keep the wires in place, it would be better with two people.

Step 3: How the Sound Is Made and Most Important Parts of Headphones

How the Sound Is Made

The sound of the headphones is made by the vibration of the magnets, where usually, two magnets are places with a coil in between, causing the magnets to be attracted causing the coil to vibrate. Basically, headphones are just speakers that are strapped onto your head.

The Most Important Parts of the Headphone

The most crucial components for the headphone are the magnet, voice coil, and the spider. The most important of these three is the magnet because the magnet helps create the vibrations by being placed with a voice coil in between, causing the attraction to make the voice coil move. The voice coil is important because the vibrations are moved from the coil to the ears, which we interpret as sounds. The spider is important because it keeps the voice coil in place so it can only vibrate up and down.