Tall Journal with Wooden Covers and Blinking Lights

Like my other creations, I have been working on this book in stages.

This book is 6" X 9", featuring wooden covers, blinking LEDs, and artwork fashioned from copper tape and hand-sewn paper cloth.

While I don't typically use cutesy hearts in my work, I felt compelled to use them for this project. The copper tape on the cover is purely decorative, with the exception of a small piece of foil that triggers the switch.

The signatures are made from lined paper, up-cycled from old student journals.   The end papers are copper-colored.  The front cover currently has a switch that is activated by a clip (the right-most heart).

I have had quite a few little issues come up with this model, which has been a good learning experience. Since I used round LEDs, instead of Lilypad LEDs, I had to drill four holes in the wood and push them all through. As a result, the wires are quite bulky.

When I originally set out to make this book, I'd envisioned the switch being on the inside.  Because the battery is thicker than the switch, I couldn't get enough tension to make it work without a whole lot of fumbling around.

I eventually drilled a hole through the cover, pulled the switch through the front, and soldered it back together.  This works well with the addition of a clip (see below) for added tension.

My favorite feature of this book is the spine, which was fashioned by covering a strip of plywood with hand-sewn paper cloth wrapped with copper tape.

My father cut the boards and spine piece for me back in 2008, so I was thinking about him while I made this.

I initially tried adhering green paper to the inside covers, but the more I worked, the more I disliked the color for this project.  (You'll notice here that a thin piece of paper does not begin to disguise the wires).

I created a clip to help hold the switch connection.


When the heart attached to the blue wire makes contact with the copper on the center right edge of the cover ,the LEDS light up.

 The wires on the inside of the book look bulky (compared with the smooth look of the back cover), even after I applied a layer of felt.




The copper-shaped heart is part of the switch.

I would like to figure out a more elegant way to make a switch, and a way to incorporate the electronics so that the inside of my books look more polished.

How can I make a more elegant switch?

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

4.  Analyzing and interpreting data

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

7.  Engaging in argument from evidence

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Book With Polymer Clay Covers

I made this book in stages over the course of three days.  I wrote about the first day in an earlier blog post titled "Soldering Fail."  As it turned out, my soldering was just fine; my battery, however, was not!

Consequently, I learned that it's not a good idea to store coin batteries in containers where they touch one another!

While I am pretty excited about the way that the switch turned out (check out my short video below), I do wish that I'd used more color when I created the polymer clay covers.

I decided to use polymer clay for the covers, because I thought that it might be easier for the Lilypad LEDs to peek out from the inside.  While that was a correct assumption, these covers are a bit more flexible than I'd anticipated.

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

4.  Analyzing and interpreting data

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Notebook Hacking

Last night, I was so excited about the completion of my first blinged-out book that I started reading about the new circuit stickers that I bought online.

In the process, I discovered 21st Century Notebooking, a new Google+ Community! This community is connecting the book arts with the National Writer's project, which has only increased my desire to play around with this medium!

I've learned that Jie Qi, a doctoral student at the MIT Media Lab, has links to several cool tutorials at Chibitronics.  I am so inspired by her work that I am going to start experimenting with journaling in my blinged-out books, by integrating artwork and circuitry in between the pages.

Here is a link to a blog post featuring a lesson that integrates circuitry into poetry!
Illuminating Poetry with Paper Circuitry

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

My First Blinged-Out Book!

Over the course of two days, I have completed my first book hack.

I started out by drilling holes into wooden covers, which I attached to a spine using a binding method called the "Secret Belgian Binding."

After piecing the cover together, I drilled holes in the cover for five LEDs.

Audio recording software >>

I inserted the diode through the largest hole before sewing four Lilypad LEDs using conductive thread. I connected all of lights to copper tapes on a paper battery holder that I made.

I have since determined that my 3V battery is not sufficient to power all of the LEDs.  Using the 3V battery, the blue light (the last one in the series) is not getting enough power.I tested this theory by temporarily connecting the cover to a 9V battery.  This made a huge difference, so now I need to find a stronger battery.

I am not too excited about having to take everything apart to create a bigger paper holder, however!

Update:  I just learned that you can STACK coin batteries to increase their voltage!

After playing with the lights, I cut and sewed in the signatures to make a book block.

Lastly, I glued in decorative end papers next (with a flap to reveal the battery).

Here is a peak at the inside.

This book feels nice in the palms of my hands.  Its dimensions are 5" X 5".  I've used Hammermill coverstock for the book block and end papers.


I wish that I'd make the book block a little bit thinner, because there isn't much room for expansion in this model.

Update:  

I have revised this book.  To see how, please visit "Revised Model."

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

4.  Analyzing and interpreting data

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Eureka!

In my last post, I explained my disappointment after the circuit I soldered failed to light up.

After that happened, I made an accidental discovery!

                                                        (Watch here to find out more!)

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

4.  Analyzing and interpreting data

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

7.  Engaging in argument from evidence

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Soldering FAIL

Today was successful in some ways and unsuccessful in others.

Successful

1.   I got my soldering equipment out of the bags!  (This three-second video took close to an hour to make, because I had to address some space issues on my iPad and set up my new tripod).

2.  I discovered that the solder that I bought had lead in it BEFORE I started using it, so I was able to exchange it for the non-lead variety.  (This took another hour.)

3.  I got some practice soldering Lilypad LEDs to a Twinkle microprocessor.  I even attached the wires to copper tapes that lead to a paper batter holder! (This took another two hours.)

4.  I discovered that the wire that I bought (intercom wire), has only a single thread of copper at its core, and determined that it may not be the best choice for future soldering attempts.

5.  The copper tape and circuit stickers that I ordered arrived today.  These will help me make the inside of my project more interactive!

FAIL

1.   After all of the the soldering was complete, none of the LEDs lit up when I inserted the battery.

Parting Thoughts:
While, I am disappointed that I wasn't able to maximize my time today by getting further on my project, I realize that screw-ups are part of the process.

Tomorrow, I will attempt to finish a set of book covers using the LEDs that I assembled during Create Make Learn.  I will also attempt to find a used book that I can cut apart and experiment with, rather than cutting into books that I've made.

I am thinking about changing my project to an ALTERED book project.

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

4.  Analyzing and interpreting data

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Paper Battery Holder

I am finding that the little plastic battery holders are a bit challenging to work with in a bookbinding project, because they are so thick.

Puttering around on the Internet led me to this awesome discovery!  You can make a paper battery holder that connects to LEDs with copper tape! This type of a battery holder is much THINNER!

I found the tutorial and a template, created by Jie Qi,  at the following link: Paper Batter Holder Tutorial 

Here is the project that I made using a piece of paper-cloth, two flowers printed from a 3D printer, two LEDs, and all of the copper tape that I had.




I just ordered more supplies, and I can hardly wait for them to arrive!

 

NGSS Framework Practices Addressed

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Project Idea

How can I integrate electronic circuitry with traditional bookbinding?

For my Create Make Learn project, I am going to combine the medium with which I most enjoy working (paper) with a new one (electronic circuitry and LEDs).



Last week, I learned how to solder (and how to spell solder) with the idea of adding LEDs to the cover of a hard-back book.

I also learned how to create a simple switch using copper tapes.





This week, I started playing around in my studio and ended up with an idea for a book cover made out of wood.  As I begin to build a functioning model, I will be thinking about other ways that I might be able to achieve interesting results.

I plan to apply the eight practices of science and engineering identified by the Science Framework for K-12 Science Education

1.  Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2.  Developing and using models

3.  Planning and carrying out investigations

4.  Analyzing and interpreting data

5.  Using mathematics and computational thinking

6.  Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

7.  Engaging in argument from evidence

8.  Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information