Creating a Magic Box With Your Drawing and Colorful Lights
by abdelhak_bourdim in Workshop > Laser Cutting
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Creating a Magic Box With Your Drawing and Colorful Lights
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What We Made: We made a special magic box that lights up with your drawings! Inside the box, there's a shiny mirror with your artwork on it. Around the mirror, there are colorful lights that can change and move in fun ways.
Why We Made It: We made this magic box to have fun and learn new things! You got to draw your own pictures, put together a wooden box, and make the lights change colors. It’s like making your own little piece of magic that you can show to your family and friends!
Supplies
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General Supplies:
- Small Mirrors (10x10 cm or similar size) – One per child.
- Laser Engraver – For engraving the kids' drawings onto the mirrors.
- Wooden Box Kits – Pre-cut pieces of wood for assembling the box (one kit per child).
- Non-toxic Wood Glue – For assembling the boxes.
- Clamps – To hold the box pieces while the glue dries.
- Drawing Tools:
- Paper
- Pencils
- Markers
Electronics:
- NeoPixels – Individually addressable LED strips (one per child).
- Digispark Microcontroller – One per child.
- Battery Packs – To power the microcontrollers and NeoPixels (one per child).
- Potentiometers – Two per child (one for controlling intensity and one for changing modes).
- Breadboards – Small breadboards for prototyping circuits (one per child).
- Wires:
- Jumper wires for connecting components on the breadboard.
- Extra wires for longer connections.
- Resistors – If needed, depending on the NeoPixel specifications.
Safety and Miscellaneous:
- Safety Goggles – One pair per child.
- Gloves – Non-latex, for handling electronic components and glue.
- First Aid Kit – Just in case of minor injuries.
- Tape – For securing loose wires and components.
- Small Screwdrivers – For assembling the wooden boxes, if screws are used.
- USB Cables – For programming the Digispark microcontrollers (one per child).
- Computers with Arduino IDE Installed – For uploading code to the Digispark (shared among the group).
Summary Checklist:
For Each Child:
- 1 Small Mirror
- 1 Wooden Box Kit
- Drawing Tools (paper, pencil, markers)
- 1 NeoPixel Strip
- 1 Digispark Microcontroller
- 1 Battery Pack
- 2 Potentiometers
- 1 Breadboard
- Jumper Wires
- 1 Pair of Safety Goggles
- 1 Pair of Gloves
Shared Among Group:
- Laser Engraver
- Wood Glue
- Clamps
- Extra Wires and Resistors
- Tape
- Small Screwdrivers
- USB Cables
- Computers with Arduino IDE
- First Aid Kit
Drawing Session
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Content:
- Draw your favorite picture on a piece of paper.
- We’ll use this picture to make your box special.
Materials: Paper, pencils, markers
Image: Kids drawing on paper
Note: "Let’s start by drawing something you love. It can be anything – a pet, a favorite toy, or even a rainbow!"
Downloads
Engraving the Mirror
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Content:
- Safety First: Wear your goggles and gloves.
- We’ll use a special machine to put your drawing on a mirror.
Materials: Safety goggles, gloves, laser engraver, mirrors
Image: Laser engraving process
Note: "Now, we’re going to make your drawing go onto a mirror using a special machine. Don’t forget your safety gear!"
Assembling the Box
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Content:
- We’ll put the wooden pieces together to make the box.
- Use glue to stick the pieces and clamps to hold them.
Materials: Wooden box kits, glue, clamps
Image: Assembling a wooden box
Note: "Next, let’s build the box. We’ll use glue to stick the parts together and clamps to hold them while they dry."
Setting Up the Lights
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Content:
- Connect the colorful lights and the tiny computer.
- We’ll make the lights change colors and do fun things.
Materials: NeoPixels, Digispark, breadboards, wires, potentiometers
Image: Kids working with electronics
Note: "Now, let’s add the colorful lights. We’ll connect them to a tiny computer that makes the lights do fun things."
Putting It All Together
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Content:
- Put your mirror inside the box.
- Add the lights and make sure everything fits.
Image: Completed magic box with lights on
Note: "Let’s put everything together! Your mirror goes inside the box, and we’ll add the lights. Then, we’ll see it light up!"
Downloads
Final Showcase
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Content:
- Show your magic box to everyone.
- Let’s see all the beautiful lights and drawings!
Image: Group of kids holding their finished boxes
Note: "It’s time to show off your magic box! Let’s see how your drawing lights up. Great job, everyone!"
Conclusion and Wrap-Up
Content:
- Thank you for joining the fun!
- Take a group photo with your magic boxes.
Image: Group photo of kids with their projects
Note: "Thank you for being amazing creators today! Let’s take a picture together with our magic boxes."