Customizable Holiday Display

I made this instructable for the Instructables Advent Calendar. I hope it adds some fun to your waiting time for Christmas.

This display is highly customizable. I used a mini breadboard instead of a solid circuit board to give you the ability to customize the behavior of the LED by changing the components around the NE555. So this display is not only beautiful - its also educational. Learn about the timer IC NE555 by playing with your "Customizable Holiday Display"!

I added a small contest. Win a 1 year pro membership with your own circuit! See step 4 for more information.

Here is what you need:

• Altoids tin
• spray paint
• mini breadboard
• some wire
• 9V battery+ battery clip
• NE555
• wire
• black paper
• translucent paper

for the "default mode":

• 1 resistor 33k
• 1 resistor 330 ohm
• 1 capacitor 100uF
• 1 transistor BC547
• 1 LED yellow

for customizations:

• various resistors
• various capacitors
• various LEDs
• various transistors
• ....no limit in creativity!

tools:

• knife
• wire cutter
• credit card sized plastic card
• pen
• scissors
• paper cutter

1. Cut out a square 1.25x1.25 in (35x35mm) on your Altoids tin lid. (Pic #1) I used a sharp knife for that.
2. Color the tin with black spray paint (Pic #2)
3. Use your credit card as a template to cut out a credit card sized black paper (Pic #3)
4. Cut out a star (or a symbol you like - I made a heard shaped one for my boyfriend) in the maximum size of the square in the Altoids tin lid (Pic #4)
5. Glue a piece of translucent paper to the back of the black paper (Pic #5)
6. Glue the black paper to the Altoids tin lid. (Pic #6)

1. I used double sided tape to fix the battery in the case (Pic #1)
2. the mini breadboard has a self adhesive backing to fix it (Pic #2)
3. breadboard the default circuit (Pic #3) by following the step-by-step instruction sheet (Pic #4). Click here to get a bigger version. Cut the leads of the LED, resistors, capacitor and transistor to fit in the tin.
4. Close the tin.

Because I used a breadboard instead of a solid pcb you can simply change the behavior of the LED by changing the components around the NE555. In the default mode it fades in and out. Have a look at the images for some alternative circuits.

The first one is the simplest. Just light.

Picture #2 shows a circuit for a flashing LED. Change the value of C2 and R1 to adjust the speed.

Picture #3 shows 2 alternately flashing LEDs.


Go creative and share your circuits! (Contest)

I would be happy if you made the display and play around with the circuit. If you made your own circuit design, share it in the comments to get a 1 year pro membership. The only restriction: the circuit has to fit on a mini breadboard. Deadline is Jan. 31th 2012. So go creative and win!