To hack an existing box you will need:
- LED Circuit Stickers
- Conductive copper tape
- 3V coin cell battery
- Small box with removable lid
- Scissors
- Regular tape
- Optional: Construction paper or other decorations
Step 1. Add any base decorations to your box. In this case, the box had a ripped space in the center so I used construction paper to cover it. It may be helpful to secure your construction paper with regular tape before adding copper tape accents.
Step 2. Set up two parallel pieces of tape to create a parallel circuit for your LEDs. The first piece should fold over onto the inside edge of the box on one side, and the second piece should fold over onto the inside edge of the box on the other side. This will allow you to complete a circuit when you close the box.
It may help to fold your extra tape back next to itself on the inside of the box, to increase the potential contact area.
Step 3. Close box. Mark on the outside of the bottom half where the copper tape piece on each side touches. Remove top. Apply one piece of copper tape- start at the marking on the outside of the box, fold it over onto the inside side of the box, and continue on the base of the box to the place where you will place your battery. Do the same with the second piece of tape on the other side, but leave excess tape at the battery end unpeeled and unstuck.
Step 4. Peel white backing off just the tip of the unstuck piece and fold the tape down over the top of the remaining white. This will give the tape a conductive surface to touch to the battery.
Step 5. Add battery to your circuit. Secure using one piece of regular tape.
Step 6. Add circuit stickers between your parallel pieces of copper tape. Make sure the positive sides of your stickers are attached to the copper tape touching the positive side of your battery, and negative is touching negative.
Step 7. Close your box to complete the circuit and light up the LEDs!
Add extra decorations to the top of your box to make it even more unique!
