interview with Todd
Showing posts with label projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label projects. Show all posts
Christmas Tree : Materials
The kit materials
- four sheets of colored paper which are 10” x 8”
- thirty two sheets of tissue paper which are 10” x 8” (optional)
* I cut a shopping bag and tissue paper to make these paper materials. You can reuse your shopping bags and the gift tissue paper as well. Anyway, the kit includes 4 sheets of colored paper and 32 sheets of tissue paper.
- eight ultra bright LED(white, 3mm)
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=531 (5mm$1.95)
You can use any regular 5mm LED as well.
- one 3v coin battery(CR2032, $0.75)
http://www.cheapbatteries.com/coin.htm
- eight thin white wires 10” long
- eight thin yellow wires 10” long
- two sets of white Velcro which is 1/2” x 1/2”
items not included
- some tape
- a pair of scissors
- a needle nose pliers(optional)
- a pencil
- a hot glue gun and glue sticks
Christmas Tree : Step-by-Step Instruction
The first thing we need to do is to cut trees and a pocket using templates. You can download the template pdf file in below URL or if you buy the kit it is included inside the kit.
Christmas Tree Template download
Fold a piece of paper in half and place the templates. Cut outside using scissors and cut inside using a blade.
We have the four papers and thirty two tissue papers(optional) that we cut. Connect the trees using tape. So, when you complete to connect, it will actually stand-alone. You can ask your children to tape them.
We will attach the LEDs on the tree. Here are 8 LEDs and we will wind wires on the LEDs' legs. Band the legs of the LED to the outside.
Lean! If you want to know about the LED more, check up LED information of the
When you finished banding the legs of the LEDs, band the wires on the legs. The white wires will be attached to the positive leg and the yellows wires will be attached to the negative leg. There are two ends of wires which are stripped (one long and one short). Band the one stripped wire around the LED legs. The wire is very thin, so be careful not to cut a wire.
We will insert the LEDs in in middle of the tree. Make a little hole using a blade in middle of tree and push the wires through the hole and pull out the wires. Insert the wires in each section of tree and pull out the wire to one section of the tree.
In this side you can see all the wires come out. We need to divide wires positive and negative. You can divide white wires for positive group and yellow wires for negative group.
Learn! We are making "Parallel circuit" to connect many LEDs. For more information, check up Basic Knowledge.
Tie wires in the positive group and attach them to the right side using a glue gun and then, tie rest of the wires in the negative group and attach to the left side using the glue gun.
Now, We will make a pocket for inserting a coin battery. Place the coin battery over the negative wires and attach the pocket using a hot glue gun over battery. Make sure the pocket holds the battery tightly. When you close the tree, you must see the LEDs light up.
Attach a set of Velcro on the top and bottom of the pocket and on the other side of tree as well. We are almost done!
Insert the 3v coin battery into the pocket so that the plus-positive side of battery will touch the other side of wires though a hole of the pocket.
When you close the Velcro, see the lightings are now on!
* Attach the star on the top for decoration.
How to use
You can wire some messages inside of the tree and use this tree as a card. Put it in envelope and send it! It will be a beautiful present for your family and friends.
Christmas Tree : Project Pictures
Enjoy!
When you are done with this "Christmas Tree", please share your craft picture with us.
Share your craft photography!
If you have any problem making it, please email us.
sun.techdiy@gmail.com
Super IPod : Basic Knowledge
Electrons always have a negative ("-") electric charge, and it is this electric charge that is responsible for what we call electricity. When electrons move from one place to another they take that negative charge with them. It is this movement of charge that we refer to as electricity!
This movement or flow of electrons is called an electric current. We often find electrical currents inside wires that conduct electricity. Conductors are materials that contain many freely moving electrical charges (like copper, silver, aluminum, and gold). Insulators are materials that contain few moveable electric charges (like plastic, glass, rubber, and air).
Electrons move along a path called a circuit if a "pushing" force (a source of electricity) is part of the circuit. Sources include things like batteries, wall outlets, and solar panels.
While the electrons are moving through the conductors, the circuit is complete, or "closed." If any part of the circuit is removed, the electrons stop and the circuit is "open." You've probably opened and closed circuits before without ever realizing it: When you turn the lights on or off, you are closing or opening a circuit!
reference : The NASA Sci Files, Dr. D's Lab
Secret Tree : Basic Knowledge
A basic electrical circuit consisting of just one battery and one load resistance(ex. LED) are very simple to analyze, but the basic circuit is not often found in practical applications. Usually, we find circuits where more than two components are connected together.
The basic idea of a "series" connection is that components are connected end-to-end in a line to form a single path for electrons to flow. A series circuit allows electrons to follow only one path. The loads(LEDs, resisters) in a series circuit must share the available voltage. In other words, each load in a series circuit will use up some portion of the voltage, leaving less for the next load in the circuit. This means that the light, heat, or sound given off by the device will be reduced.
The basic idea of a "parallel" connection, on the other hand, is that all components are connected across each other's leads. In parallel circuits, the electric current can follow more than one path to return to the source, so it splits up among all the available paths. Across all the paths in a parallel circuit the voltage is the same, so each device will produce its full output.
In a series circuit, when one of the bulbs or one of the wires is left open or is broken, the entire circuit ceases. The break opens the circuit. Less expensive Christmas lights are usually of this type, and you have to search for the defective bulb. A parallel circuit is designed so that if one branch is defective, the flow of electricity will not be broken to the other branches.
The 8 LEDs will be turned on with a 3V coin battery, but the battery will be run out soon than when you connect just one battery because each LED consume the voltage individually.
Secret Tree : About Project
The initial idea of the Secret Tree that I built in last spring was done with Aichen Lin and Michael Chladil. The tree listens, interprets and stores people’s secrets and then other people will be able to listen to these Secrets. We built an actual size tree using cardboard. You can confess your secret into the tree.
Tech D.I.Y. Secret Tree has a similar concept from the original one. You can build your own tree by yourself and write a message on the tree. So, you can use this tree as a greeting card for your family and friends to confess your thoughts.
Secret Tree : Materials
The kit materials
- four sheets of colored paper which are 10” x 8”
- thirty two sheets of tissue paper which are 10” x 8” (optional)
* I cut a shopping bag and tissue paper to make these paper materials. You can reuse your shopping bags and the gift tissue paper as well. Anyway, the kit includes 4 sheets of colored paper and 32 sheets of tissue papers.
- eight ultra bright LED(white, 3mm)
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=531 (5mm$1.95)
You can use any regular 5mm LED as well.
- one 3v coin battery(CR2032, $0.75)
http://www.cheapbatteries.com/coin.htm
- eight thin white wires 10” long
- eight thin yellow wires 10” long
- two sets of white Velcro which is 1/2” x 1/2”
items not included
- some tape
- a pair of scissors
- a blade or craft knife
- a needle nose plier(optional)
- a color pen
- a hot glue gun and glue sticks
Secret Tree : Step-by-Step Instruction
The first thing we need to do is to cut trees and a pocket using templates. You can download the template pdf file in below URL or i you buy the kit it will be included inside the kit.
Secret Tree Template download
Fold a piece of paper in half and place the templates. Cut outside using scissors and cut inside using a blade.
We have the four papers and thirty tissue papers(optional) that we cut. Connect the trees using tape. So, when you complete to connect, it will actually stand-alone. You can ask your children to tape them.
We will attach the LEDs on the tree. Here are 8 LEDs and we will wind wires on the LEDs’ legs. Band the legs of the LED to the outside.
Lean! If you want to know about the LED more, check up LED information of the
When you finished banding the legs of the LEDs, band the wires on the legs. The white wires will be attached to the positive leg and the yellows wires will be attached to the negative leg. There are two ends of wires which are stripped (one long and one short). Band the one stripped wire around the LED legs. The wire is very thin, so be careful not to cut a wire.
We will insert the LEDs in in middle of the tree. Make a little hole using a blade in middle of tree and push the wires through the hole and pull out the wires. Insert the wires in each section of tree and pull out the wire to one section of the tree.
In this side you can see all the wires come out. We need to divide wires positive and negative. You can divide white wires for positive group and yellow wires for negative group.
Learn! We are making “Parallel circuit” to connect many LEDs. For more information, check up Basic Knowledge.
Tie wires in the positive group and attach them to the right side using a glue gun and then, tie rest of the wires in the negative group and attach to the left side using the glue gun.
Now, We will make a pocket for inserting a coin battery. Place the coin battery over the negative wires and attach the pocket using a hot glue gun over battery. Make sure the pocket holds the battery tightly. When you close the tree, you must see the LEDs light up.
Attach a set of Velcro on the top and bottom of the pocket and on the other side of tree as well. We are almost done!
Insert the 3v coin battery into the pocket so that the plus-positive side of battery will touch the other side of wires though a hole of the pocket.
When you close the Velcro, see the lightings are now on!
How to use
You can wire some messages inside of the tree and use this tree as a card. Put it in envelope and send it! It will be a beautiful present for your family and friends.
Secret Tree : Project Pictures
Enjoy!
When you are done with this “Secret Tree”, please share your craft picture with us.
Share your craft photography!
If you have any problem making it, please email us.
sun.techdiy@gmail.com
Moonlit Flower : About Project
One of my favorite themes in my artwork are flowers. This spring, I made a few hundred flowers using LEDs and wax paper. With the white LEDs, the flowers created beautiful moon-like light.
So, I wanted to share the feeling of that. That’s why I designed the Moonlit Flower. The Flower will be a great accessory for your clothes or bags at night. You will learn basic knowledge of electricity and circuits and how to make a shiny and twinkle]y-twinkly “Moonlit Flower".
Moonlit Flower : Basic Knowledge
Electricity
Electricity is a type of energy that can build up in one place or flow from one place to another. Electricity makes all kinds of machines work. It can have not only great power to move trains but also low power to run mp3 players and calculators.
Most machines you use at home, such as televisions and vacuum cleaners, use “current electricity.” This is the kind of electricity that comes from batteries and power points in your home. There is another kind of electricity, called “static electricity.” You have experienced this when someone “shocks” you after walking across a carpet floor.
A basic electrical circuit
So, it is same way to work “Moonlit Flower.” Here are common circuit parts along with how the part is drawn in a circuit diagram and you can match the parts from “Moonlit Flower” what you make.
The LED cannot connect to the battery directly without resistors, however a 3V coin battery in the Moonlit Flower circuit has low voltage and the conductive thread creates resistance naturally.
LED
An electronic device that lights up when electricity is passed through it. When you connect power to LED, you have make sure positive lead(long leg) should connect to positive(+) and negative lead(short leg) should connect to negative(-).
Moonlit Flower : Materials
The kit materials
- two white felt sheets 3"x3"
- one gray felt sheet 3"x2"
- one sewing needle
- a pair of snaps
- regular thread
- conductive thread ($15 per spool)
http://members.shaw.ca/ubik/thread/order.html
(Conductive thread can convey current and regular thread won’t. )
- one ultra bright LED(white, 3mm)
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=531 (5mm$1.95)
You can use any regular 5mm LED as well.
- one 3v coin battery(CR2032, $0.75)
http://www.cheapbatteries.com/coin.htm
- one coin battery holder(Lithium 2032 Battery Holder: 20mm Thru Hole Mount, $1.95)
http://shopping.microbattery.com/s.nl;jsessionid=ac112b321f43b9bcf1b3a39b4aae977ae28941dc19a4.e3eSc38TaNqNe34Pa38Ta38Pa3r0?it=A&id=6124
*For connecting conductive thread to pins on the pattery holder, you might need to bend positive and negative pin or attach crimping bids on the pins using soldering iron.
You need to prepare by yourself.
- a pair of scissors
- a piece of chalk or a pencil
- a hot glue gun and glue sticks
Moonlit Flower : Step-by-Step Instruction
The first thing we need to do is to cut the flowers and a wrapper for a battery holder using templates. You can download the template pdf file in below URL or if you buy the kit it will be included inside the kit.
Moonlit Flower Template download
You can ask your children to cut them.
Fold the petal section of the sheet and sew to make the shape of the flower. You need to sew all sections of each petal. Attach the two flower pieces and sew them together in the middle. Make sure that you stagger the flowers so the creases are offset and they look more like real flowers. Please, look at for additional help the Moonlit Flower pictures.
You’ll see the LED has a short and long leg. Make sure the long leg touches the plus side of the battery and the short leg touches the minus side. The long leg should not touch the short leg.(See instruction #5) Make two little holes and insert the LED in the middle of the flower.
Learn! More information about LED, see Basic Knowledge.
Here is a wrapper of grey felt for a battery holder. We need to attach the battery holder to the felt. Using the template of the wrapper, find the place you will attach the battery holder. Using a hot glue gun, attach the battery holder on the felt.
Push the long leg of the LED into the hole of the positive lead of the battery holder. Next, bend the negative leg of the LED perpendicular (90 degrees) to the positive leg. We will connect a snap later to the short leg and the negative lead of the battery holder also will be connected with the other snap to touch the negative side of the battery.
Twist the long leg, which is connected to the positive lead of the battery holder, and attach firmly. Then sew it using conductive thread. In the same way, twist the short leg, and sew it using conductive thread as well. Don’t cut the thread, we will attach a snap in the next step.
Sew continuously toward the folded side of the felt and then attach a snap with the conductive thread. So, the negative leg of the LED is connected to the snap.
Right now, we will connect the negative lead to the other snap. Tie the conductive thread through the hole of the negative lead of the battery holder and then, using the thread, sew toward the round side of the felt. You need to be careful so that the thread does not touch both the positive and negative legs of the LED.
At the end of the round side of the felt, attach the other side of the snaps using the thread, so that the snap is connected to the negative lead of the battery holder. Then, fold the square side of the felt and glue it. The (-) snap can’t touch the (+) side of the battery. Also, you might need to glue of the petals and the wrapper to attach strongly.
Insert the 3v coin battery into the battery holder toward the positive side which is facing up.
* Tip for changing a battery:
You can use the new battery, CR2032. If you push the steal panel of the battery, the battery will spring out and you can then insert a new battery into the holder.
When you close the snaps, see the lights turn on!
Learn: You need to use resistors if you want to use AA or AAA battery to turn on the LED. See the Basic Knowledge.
You can add a pin to the flower to attach on clothes or bags. Or, you can attach a thick thread to use it in necklaces or rings.
Check up Moonlit Flower pictures.
Moonlit Flower : Project Pictures
Enjoy!
Share your craft photography!
If you have any problem making it, please email us.
sun.techdiy@gmail.com
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