Wireless LED throwies

I was digging around in the junkbox and decided to make some wireless LED throwies maybe whynot?

I used a modified ATX power supply, a 555-chopped MOSFET pulled from an old monitor, and coil made from magnet wire salvaged from a blender motor.

The transmitting coil was fabricated by putting some nails into a peice of wood and wrapping to get a consistent shape. When powered by the driver it generates an alternating magnetic field which can picked up by other nearby coils.

Throwie #1:
A a ferrite-core inductor, a diode, a capacitor, and LED. Half-wave only so it has to be right-side up.



Throwie #2:
An RF choke from a vacumn tube oscilloscope, and two LEDs. Rectification is by the LEDs, so it isn't polarity sensitive.


This spider has a choke for an abdomen and the legs make up the bridge rectifier.

Throwie #3:
A coil of hair-thin magnet wire with a diode, and LED. Polarity sensitive.



Throwie #4:
Space ship with bridge rectification from quad 4148 diodes. Very effecient b/c of large receiver and full-wave rectification, works in almost any orientation.



Throwie #5
Spider has choke receiving abdomen and the legs form a bridge rectifier. Four SMD LEDs for eyes in series to cut the voltage some.



Works through paper, plastic, thin metal, etc. Magnetic fields are not stopped as easily as electric fields :)



Here's a clip on the throwies in action:

Finishing the Bench

I went ahead and gave the bench frame, the top, and bottom an individual coat of spar urethane to increase weatherability.

It took 4 hours to dry, then I attached the benchtop and lower shelf using 1 5/8" drywall screws. I pre-drilled pilot holes like always to prevent splitting. I then used a countersink to leave the screwheads flush.

Next was to mount my vise. For this I used two bolts, nuts and washers for the rear mounting, and I predrilled the front for the lag bolts. Everything was tightened down with a crescent wrench.



The vise secured through the stud on the front and in the rear through the panel. Its very sturdy.



Completed workbench with vise. I will probably give the top and shelf another coat of spar urethane if I feel like it.



Now to build some other projects!