Electrified Cobweb Card (Featuring Chibitronics)

In this Instructable, I'll be teaching you how to make an electrified cobweb card, which is a modern twist on a Victorian era classic!

While traditional cobweb cards feature an intricately cut paper web, on top of a concealed underlayer, this one also contains a light-up circuit powered by a coin battery and illuminated by one or more Chibitronics Circuit Sticker LEDs.

Like traditional cobweb cards, this electrified version has an element of surprise.

The secret sauce of this interactive card is a hidden reed switch (normally closed) and a tiny magnet!

Electronics:

• 1 or more Chibitronics Circuit Sticker LEDs
• Conductive Fabric Tape
• CR2016 coin battery
• 1 reed switch (normally closed) & magnet

Useful Tools:

• access to a fabrication machine that can read SVG cut files (such as a Cricut, Silhouette, or laser cutter)
• scissors
• needle
• Japanese screw punch & self-healing mat

Craft Supplies

• sturdy paper for the card base & battery tray (such as 140 lb Canson XL watercolor paper)
• cardstock(or a lightweight watercolor paper) for the art and cobweb layers
• a translucent vellum scrap
• thread
• art supplies of your choice
• Scotch tape
• UHU glue stick
• double sided tape

Inspired by the birds in my back yard, I used a pencil and gouache paint to create the artwork for my cobweb layers; but, you can use any medium of your choice.

I experimented with different weights of papers for the cobwebs and found that light cardstock or thin watercolor paper work best.

After painting the birds, I used a Cricut to cut the cobweb layers and the remaining card pieces using a custom design that I created in InkScape. I've included the SVG cut file (CC BY NC SA) which may be imported into most fabrication tools. Use the 1" square at the top as a reference guide for scale.

For the pieces that will form the card base, I used a heavy (140 lb/ 300 g) watercolor paper.

The art layer that your viewer will see when the cobweb is lifted will be sandwiched between it and a circuit layer below. I chose to use a text weight paper that I cut by hand, but you can use whatever you have.

When designing your artwork, and thinking about the ideal placement of your LEDs, keep in mind that the center of your card will contain a reed switch that the circuit will need to be constructed around.

The artwork may be completed either before or after you construct your circuit.

An advantage of waiting until after your circuit has been constructed is that you can design the artwork around the placement of your LEDs.

To create the round card base, I started out by gluing like layers together. You'll need one for the base layer, three for the battery layer, and two for the circuit.

The battery layer, which will contain the battery tray, needs to be the same thickness as the battery. You may need to cut additional pieces of paper and add them to your stacks if your paper isn't thick enough.

After assembling like layers, sketch the battery and reed switch placement onto the base layer.

If you'd like to see a full demonstration, I've included one in the the video.

Use the Cobweb Circuit 1 template as a guide to create the negative trace on the base layer with conductive fabric tape. As part of the negative trace, you'll be tacking down the reed switch in the center of the card. It's okay to tack the legs of the reed switch down with conductive fabric tape first and then complete the rest of the negative trace.

Once the negative trace has been adhered and the reed switch secured, glue the battery layer on top of the base layer.

Next, determine where you want the LED(s) to be placed upon your circuit. You can use one or more LEDs in your design. Since the reed switch and magnet are positioned directly in the center of the card base, your LED will need to be offset from the center in order to accommodate the rest of the circuit.

I used colored pencils to sketch a nest on my art layer, and planned to light up one of the eggs. 

Before completing the circuit I used a Japanese screw punch to poke a hole in the art layer for the LED to shine through and marked its location on the circuit layer with a pencil. 

Use the Cobweb Circuit 2 template as a guide to create the positive trace on the circuit layer. It should start on the back of the circuit layer and then wrap around to the front. Apply glue to the back of the circuit layer (avoiding the area that will be overlapping the battery tray) and adhere the circuit layer on top of the battery layer. Remember to add the battery tray first!

Once that is complete, finish the negative trace that you started on the base layer, connecting the negative side of your LED to the leg of the reed switch that is not in direct contact with the battery.

Then add one or more Chibitronics Circuit Sticker LEDs, insert the battery, and check your connections. Remove the magnet from the switch to ensure that the LED turns on.  

If desired, glue a scrap of vellum to the back of the hole in your art layer.

Add a spot of double sided tape to the top of the magnet so that it will adhere to the center of the cobweb layer.

Before you press down on the sticky magnet, sew a thread through the center of the cobweb layer. Use a needle to poke two holes in the center of the cobweb layer and then reinforce it with a bit of tape before sewing through it. If you want to, tie a knot at the top of the thread to make it easier to grip.

Center the cobweb layer over the sticky magnet, pressing down and carefully lifting it off of the circuit layer. Then, to secure the magnet and reduce stickiness in the center of the cobweb, apply a small bit of tape on top of the magnet. If the area remains sticky, dusting it with talc will help.

Next, glue the art layer to the circuit layer and try to avoid getting glue in the area that will overlap the battery tray.

Apply glue to the outermost ring of the cobweb layer. But, before pressing down, let the magnet attach to the reed switch. You'll know it's in the correct position if the LED turns off. With the magnet in the correct position, press the edge of the cobweb layer down all the way around the base. Once the glue has dried, your cobweb card is complete!

If your LED appears to blink, or your circuit seems to be losing connection, you may need to add conductive fabric tape to both sides of the battery to increase the surface tension inside of the battery tray.

Now you can give your completed card to a loved one!