Paper Circuit Projects from Maker Faire Detroit 2013

Part 3: Papermaking (and 1 origami)

I only did three handmade paper projects because I wasn't sure they would even work after being encased in wet pulp for several hours. And then there's the issue of having a power source. Like it just couldn't be enough that I want them to light up. In fact, this is my second biggest problem: how to incorporate  the battery as a cohesive design unit. (My first is actually understanding this whole electronics world.) I did not achieve this goal with these items .... yet. I must plead dwindling time and a desire to share at Maker Faire for the provisional connection. (Yes, again. At least I didn't use "prototype" this time.)

However, the battery holder I used is a very simple, clever and brilliant connection that Hannah Perner-Wilson shared on her web site. My adaptation was to use Bare Conductive Electric Paint to "glue" the conductive thread onto the copper tape.

I used surface mount LEDs onto which I soldered tube crimps (the kind used in jewelry making). I then used conductive thread to loop through the tubes, being very mindful to keep all the positive sides on one thread and all the negative ones on the other. It was helpful that the LEDs I used had a little notch on its negative side. I also made sure that the positive side thread was longer at the end (the part coming out of the paper) to cue me, just like a bulb LED's positive "leg" is longer.

The basic procedure is: make LED and thread circuit; pull a sheet of paper; lay down thread circuit, making sure threads do not cross or touch each other; pull another sheet of paper and lay on top to sandwich the circuit; let dry on glass or non-porous surface.

I don't have a professional paper making set-up. I used Arnold Grummer's frames and screens and my couch sheets are fabric interfacing. The pulp was made from office paper printouts no longer useful/wanted. (I keep them around for when I do gluing.)

Learning from my mistakes, I placed beads on the threads before attaching the clothespin battery holder to act as insulators. I didn't do that with the following sheet of paper and I had to be very careful not to have the threads touch each other thereby creating a short circuit.

I could say I didn't feel like soldering those |)4^^|V crimp tubes on those |=V(|<ing tiny SM LEDs again, even though it's the truth. Instead, I'll say I wanted to try another design feature by using bulb type LEDs, which is also the truth but makes me seem more adventurous rather than lazy.

The procedure was basically the same except that for the LED and thread circuit path, I bent and coiled the legs of the LEDs and the thread was wrapped around these coils. When the second sheet was put on top, I used my fingers to poke the bulbs through and then sort of patted the pulp around it. I didn't even try to make it smooth for reasons mostly centering around the fact that I did not have any pharmaceuticals around when I would most assuredly go over the compulsive smoothing-out ledge. However, my official reason is "to incorporate texture as a design element".

This sheet was made this way so it could be cut down and folded into a simple origami koala face. I made the structure with plain paper to figure out where the eyes would be and then, when making the paper, placed the LEDs in approximately the same area. I used red "eyes" because I knew the paper would probably end up looking like intended an evil koala. (See how that works?)

Origami tulip

I wanted to see if I could use the copper tape paper circuit technique with an origami structure. I wanted to do a dragon but the patterns I found had too many fold and I couldn't figure out how to add the copper tape, LEDs and battery (damn that battery!). Even with the tulip structure I found, it took me a while to figure out how to make it work. I'm not saying it's difficult, just not so easy for me (and once you see it, you'll wonder what my problem was, but let's not judge).

But I did it!

The patten is from the book "The Origami Handbook" by Rick Beech and was designed by Kunihiko Kasahara.

I wanted to make it so when you pressed at a certain spot, the circuit would close and light up the LED. Then, you could use a clip to keep it on if you wanted. Like so:

And here's what the circuit looks like inside:

I think origami structures have a lot of potential with the copper tape paper circuit technique. Although, for me, the key seems to be structures without too many folds or, at least, the path for the circuit can't have many folds.

My hero, Jie Qi, has done some work using origami structures and flexinol wire. Check out her impressive flexinol wire paper circuit origami crane. I dare you to tell me you don't want to do the same thing even if you don't know WTF is going on.

If you have any questions about my projects, please don't hesitate to ask me either in the comment section or using the "Send me an email!" widget that Blogger has very usefully supplied.

Paper Circuit Projects from Maker Faire Detroit 2013

Part 2:Books

Here are the book projects that were shown at Maker Faire Detroit this year.

LED Spine

This is the completed project that I wrote about here: using pamphlet stitch to hold LEDs. The use of beads along the spine sewing seemed to work out securing the LEDs in place. At least at home and for the first day of Maker Faire. The second day, the LEDs were finicky in their contact as well as the battery contacts.

The day was cool and not all that humid (strange words to be said for Maker Faire as the previous years were quite hot and humid), but it wasn't all that dry, either. Paper reacts to moisture (and lack thereof) but I'm not all that sure that was the problem. Needless to say, this structure needs work and the ways to improve are already forming in my head.

I like the idea of using the spines as a grid to move around LEDs to make patterns and letters so I want to keep working at it to make the structure more stable. I will post my progress.

Starlight Book

Despite a design flaw, I have to admit, I'm rather pleased how the Starlight book turned out.

(I really need to figure out how to take pictures to show lit LEDs)

The flaw: I had to tell people to put the magnet in place (in order to close the circuit).

cover with magnet switch in its best door knocker disguise

magnet in place to close the circuit

I was conscious of this while I was making it but I consider this (all of the projects, really) as prototypes just to get the "mechanics" in place and see if the structure is viable. Luckily, the venue of Maker Faire is for sharing ideas and, in this spirit, I felt confident to "make it public". Once I work through a graceful solution, I'll let you guys know.

Big Dipper Book

This last book is really a soft circuit project as I used conductive thread for the circuit path. The covers were felted (technically fulled) sweaters and the binding structure is known as "sewing on tapes". These linen tapes used for binding the book carried the conductive thread/circuit path from the LEDs on the front cover to the batteries on the inside back cover. Again, and I'm sure you're getting sick of me saying this (but get used to it), it's a prototype, so the blanket stitching to hold the two layers that make up the covers is sloppy and was only done halfway so I could show how the structure was put together.

front cover

 spine

back cover

I used two layers of fabric so the battery holders wouldn't be exposed. They could, however, still be accessed through flaps cut in the top layer of fabric. (The two layers of linen tape is explained following these pictures.)

Because I was using two layers of fabric, I decided to use two layers of linen tape: one for the conductive thread and the other to give the structure more stability. It also aided in holding the battery opening flaps in place.

inside of front cover and first page 

(let the beautiful paper distract you from the bad stitching)

I forgot to note on the picture that the second/bottom sewing tape was glued to the fabric.

Surface mounted LEDs were used for this book. To make them "sewable", I soldered tube crimps, the kind used in jewelry making, to each side. I used a black fabric to suggest the night sky which was a good design decision but an awful demonstration decision. Apologies.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments or send me an email via the little widget thingie found on the right side of the blog.

I'm going to put the papermaking projects in a separate post so plan on coming back to read about that!

Paper Circuit Projects from Maker Faire Detroit 2013

Part One: Cards

These are the "card" projects that I had at Maker Faire Detroit. I'm dividing the projects in two or three posts because I want to show the circuit paths both with and without notes and I didn't want the length of the post to get too unwieldy. 

Two quick notes: I took these pictures after Maker Faire and after they were abused examined many times over so they may look a little tired but that's because they are. However, this speaks to the hardiness of these structures. Also, all of these use Jie Qi's ingenious paper battery holder. The link takes you to a page where she generously provides a PDF of the holder to cut out and use as well as a link to a tutorial. Any adaptations are noted in the descriptive pictures.

The one shown above is the first card I experimented with. To see it with the light on and what the inside/circuit looks like without all the notes, please click -> flower paper circuit

This is the circuit with my (hopefully) helpful notes of what's going on.

Ralph Robot

There's a note on this one to look here for the reason for the longer piece of copper tape on the "switch". Here's the scoop. I used two pieces of copper tape next to each other to cover the open space I cut out. The circuit worked but was finicky, most of the time it would work but sometimes, it wouldn't. During a slow time at Maker Faire, I took a close look to see if I could figure out what the problem was. I mean, c'mon, this is a very basic circuit. Well, there was a hairline gap between the two pieces of copper tape. I put in another piece to cover it and that was the solution! So, when you're making your own structures, keep this in mind. Really, the gap was barely noticeable and yet it affected the connection to an annoying degree.

Santa's Treats

I decided to play around with needing to press two "switches" to complete the circuit and light up the LED. This is a tribute to my dad. We always left a can or bottle of beer and some cookies out for Santa. I guess I should have done the traditional milk and cookies but it was fun watching people try different combinations and the reactions to the correct combination. Who knows? Maybe some little ones will remember and there will many happy Santas this year!

Since several teachers and librarians were interested in this for activities, I'm including the very basic circuit and a one path version of the open circuit demo. (The three path one I had at Maker Faire was really an experiment for a project I had "issues" with and was unable to get done in time.)

basic paper circuit off

basic paper circuit off 

(the battery only turns the lights on, I moved the flower punches ^_^)

This was the first paper circuit I "built" which I posted a few months ago. The two turns are there only because I wanted to practice the technique. (Jie Qi's tutorial of her paper circuit battery holder and copper tape turning technique.) The flowers are there to "make it something". You could make them fireflies or a lighthouse using just one light or candles or .... you get the idea.

 open circuit 

open circuit closed using paper fastener

If you don't happen to have a paper fastener, you can use a paper clip bent in a V or U shape or just the way it is (without bending) and lay it across the gap. You do need to apply some pressure whatever you use so there is good contact.

OK, that's it for the "cards". Next up: the books.