| Homemade Flashlight |
From "DIY Kids"
episode DIK-105 |
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John Allen of the Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville, Florida, shows DIY Kids host Kent Lindsey and the DIY Kids how to make their very own flashlight. Materials:
Aluminum-foil or plastic-wrap tube that's big enough for a D-battery (about 1-1/2" in diameter) Ruler or measuring tape Pencil Scissors Two 12-ounce plastic foam cups Aluminum foil Two D-batteries One flashlight bulb for D-batteries Black duct tape Flexible foam sheets to decorate with - The cardboard should be just big enough to fit two D-batteries. Measure 5 1/4" from one end of the tube, and mark it in three different spots on the tube. Draw a line from one mark to the next so you have a circle all the way around the tube (figure A). Cut the tube at the line using scissors. If you have any trouble measuring or cutting, ask an adult to help you.
- Trace the outline of the cardboard tube onto the bottom of a foam cup (figure B). Cut a circle from the bottom of the cup. Tape the circle to one end of the cardboard tube with duct tape (figure C). Mold the duct tape to the shape of the tube.
- Fold a 5" by 12" piece of aluminum foil in half lengthwise three times so it's about 3/4" wide and 12" long (figure D). Start from the middle and work your way to each end as you fold the foil. Smooth it out by running a pencil along the strip of foil.
- Cut a 3" piece off one end so you have two pieces (figure E). The remaining piece will be 9" long.
- Measure about 1" from the end of the 9" strip of foil, and bend it (figure F). Slide this L-shaped strip into the tube so the bend rests against the bottom of the tube.
- Fold the extra foil down over the open end of the tube, and tape it to the inside of the tube with a small piece of duct tape (figure G).
- Measure 2" from the bottom of the second cup, and draw a line all the way around it. Cut the cup along the line (figure H). Use a pencil to poke a small hole into the bottom of the cup, right in the center. Make the hole big enough for the lightbulb to fit through. Set the lightbulb aside.
- Make a small slit along the bottom edge of the cup (figure I), about 1" wide. Slide the 3" strip of foil through the slit, from the outside to the inside of the cup. Then work the end of the foil strip through the hole you made for the lightbulb. Bend the end over so it's just outside the cup (figure J). Insert the lightbulb (figure K).
- Line the inside of the cup with a piece of foil about 2 1/2" wide. To make this job easier, loosely roll the foil around the outside of the battery tube to shape it. Open the foil into the cup, and mold it to the inside with your fingers. Fold the extra foil over the rim of the cup, and trim off any extra foil. Cut a piece of duct tape to go all the way around the outside of the cup, along the rim. Stick the tape to the rim to hold down the foil (figure L). Press the duct tape to the shape of the cup.
- Place the batteries, flat side down, in the tube. Put a little piece of tape over the long strip of aluminum so that the short piece doesn't touch it until you press them together at the bottom (figure M).
- Line up the cup with the battery tube so that the small strip lies right over the long strip of foil (figure N). Test the flashlight to make sure it's working by pressing the two strips of foil together. These strips are the flashlight's switch (figure O). If the batteries are loaded right and the lightbulb makes contact with the battery and the small piece of foil, the light will come on. If the light doesn't work, make sure the batteries are in with the flat side down and that the bulb touches the battery when it is set into the reflecting cup. If the battery isn't touching the bulb, trim the tube down a little.
- When the flashlight works, tape the reflector cup onto the open end of the battery tube. Place the tape on one side of the two foil strips, and press it all the way around (figure P). When you get back to the switch, cut into the end of the tape so that the top half sticks to the reflector cup and the bottom half can be tucked under the foil strips and pressed onto the tube. If you like, you can decorate the flashlight by wrapping it with duct tape or a piece of flexible foam and making designs with colored electrical tape.
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