DIY Sonic Screwdriver - $3

Preturbed · 02-08-2009, 09:32 PM

Before I get started, let me say a couple things. First, this is not meant to be a replica. I started with the idea of making a replica of the 9th Doctor's sonic screwdriver for my Megacon outfit, but my girlfriend took one look at this and saw potential.

Second, I apologize if the medium used offends anyone. We found it in Goodwill already broken and didn't see any harm in, well, breaking it further.

I didn't get a true "before" picture because I didn't think about it, but here's an idea of how it looked. There was a base of course but it got thrown away immediately.

20 minutes with various pliers, cutters, and grinders, it's broken down.

Arranged how I want it:

I think I may like it better without the bottom finial.

Tomorrow I will solder it together. The 'tip' will probably get painted metallic blue before completion.

=====================================

Day 2: And God said:

I decided to add a light to the tip.

I shaped the tip to be more rounded, taking off the 'lip' at the end. Now it looks like an old sabot from a muzzleloader. Drilled the hole larger to accommodate an led. Drilled down the neck to allow wires. Added an extra candleholder which I drilled a hole in to act as a battery compartment.

Amy painted the tip and then painted the LED with blue glass paint so it looks more sonic.

Superglued the neck to the battery compartment.

Made a battery stack by supergluing 3 tiny batteries together.

=====================================

Day 3: Lessons in Glue.

Ran a pair of CAT5 wires from the head into the battery compartment. Soldered the wires to the leads on the LED.

It took several tries to solder the wire onto the tiny batteries. The insides kept boiling from the heat, but we finally got it. Wrapped it with tape and ran the positive wires out the hole I drilled for the switch. I touch them together and VOILA! It lights.

So I superglue everything together. Except the head, which for some reason doesn't and to glue to the damn neck. So I use gorilla glue on that.

I ran off to show Amy at work. Woohoo! Then I dropped it when I came back, and it's insta-broken. The light still works but all the glue has come off. So I go to mess with it and... my solder breaks off the battery. I intelligently manage to boil this battery as well, meaning... I'm out of energy and out of luck.

=====================================

Day 4: The Renaissance!

I have, at some point between these two days, refurbished and de-glued every piece that I used. I bought some 5-minute epoxy at the hardware store today. If that doesn't hold it together, nothing will.

I also have a new plan involving a lot less solder. Rather than keeping the batteries inside the body and breaking the + lead, I will be making a battery compartment and epoxying it to the body, switching power on and off by breaking contact with the batteries. I'm keeping the part I was originally using as a compartment as a part of the screwdriver, but it will be more decorative than functional now.

The tip has been repainted. I haven't done the bulb done yet but that's easy. The epoxy sets very hard, I'm liking it as a replacement for the glue. Needless to say the cost on this thing has passed $3 long ago.

$3 - menorah
$2.50 - superglue
$4 - Epoxy
$1 - metallic paint
$1 glass paint
----------------
$11.50, not bad.

I also have access to tools a lot of people don't have, as well as a good supply of LED lights and tiny batteries.

02-08-2009, 09:32 PM	#1
Preturbed betrayal! Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	DIY Sonic Screwdriver - $3 Before I get started, let me say a couple things. First, this is not meant to be a replica. I started with the idea of making a replica of the 9th Doctor's sonic screwdriver for my Megacon outfit, but my girlfriend took one look at this and saw potential. Second, I apologize if the medium used offends anyone. We found it in Goodwill already broken and didn't see any harm in, well, breaking it further. I didn't get a true "before" picture because I didn't think about it, but here's an idea of how it looked. There was a base of course but it got thrown away immediately. 20 minutes with various pliers, cutters, and grinders, it's broken down. Arranged how I want it: I think I may like it better without the bottom finial. Tomorrow I will solder it together. The 'tip' will probably get painted metallic blue before completion. ===================================== Day 2: And God said: I decided to add a light to the tip. I shaped the tip to be more rounded, taking off the 'lip' at the end. Now it looks like an old sabot from a muzzleloader. Drilled the hole larger to accommodate an led. Drilled down the neck to allow wires. Added an extra candleholder which I drilled a hole in to act as a battery compartment. Amy painted the tip and then painted the LED with blue glass paint so it looks more sonic. Superglued the neck to the battery compartment. Made a battery stack by supergluing 3 tiny batteries together. ===================================== Day 3: Lessons in Glue. Ran a pair of CAT5 wires from the head into the battery compartment. Soldered the wires to the leads on the LED. It took several tries to solder the wire onto the tiny batteries. The insides kept boiling from the heat, but we finally got it. Wrapped it with tape and ran the positive wires out the hole I drilled for the switch. I touch them together and VOILA! It lights. So I superglue everything together. Except the head, which for some reason doesn't and to glue to the damn neck. So I use gorilla glue on that. I ran off to show Amy at work. Woohoo! Then I dropped it when I came back, and it's insta-broken. The light still works but all the glue has come off. So I go to mess with it and... my solder breaks off the battery. I intelligently manage to boil this battery as well, meaning... I'm out of energy and out of luck. ===================================== Day 4: The Renaissance! I have, at some point between these two days, refurbished and de-glued every piece that I used. I bought some 5-minute epoxy at the hardware store today. If that doesn't hold it together, nothing will. I also have a new plan involving a lot less solder. Rather than keeping the batteries inside the body and breaking the + lead, I will be making a battery compartment and epoxying it to the body, switching power on and off by breaking contact with the batteries. I'm keeping the part I was originally using as a compartment as a part of the screwdriver, but it will be more decorative than functional now. The tip has been repainted. I haven't done the bulb done yet but that's easy. The epoxy sets very hard, I'm liking it as a replacement for the glue. Needless to say the cost on this thing has passed $3 long ago. $3 - menorah $2.50 - superglue $4 - Epoxy $1 - metallic paint $1 glass paint ---------------- $11.50, not bad. I also have access to tools a lot of people don't have, as well as a good supply of LED lights and tiny batteries. __________________ sudden but inevitable Last edited by Preturbed; 02-12-2009 at 01:47 AM.