My Sculptured Woody

Part 1:

I have been playing with the possibility of making my own wood mod (other than my wooden car), so I tried making a wooden boxmod. The results were a box WAY TOO BIG to be either functional or attractive, so I tore it up (sorry, no pics).

My next idea was to build a mod out of a solid piece of kiln-dried walnut. I used to work a lot with wood, making handles and scales for homemade knives (a former life), so I thought I must be able to make me a wooden PV.

First I chose a nice piece of walnut:


I bored a 5/8" hole for the 14500 battery


and the holes for the atty plunger


To be continued.....

 

Part 2: the electronics

I always wanted, ever since I was a small kid, to build a battery mod without any switch. I have read about the wonderful "Copper" mod and so I adapted the concept for my Woody. The concept is that you press your atty down about 1/4", where the center conductor of the atty connector contacts the battery directly, no wires or switches (other than a grounding strap, necessary because wood doesn't conduct electricity very well).

Here's my atty connector .. I made it from a 1" 510 extension, a paper-clip, some heat-shrink and a spring from a ballpoint pen.


For the battery to atty ground, I used a length of braided copper strap (actually a length of desoldering wick) soldered to a batt connector glued to a wooden battery plug


To be continued ...............

 

Part 3: putting it all together

Now down to making a battmod out of this thing ....

I marked the block with my finger grip (yes, I am left-handed as you may be able to tell from the thumb groove)


Then I got busy with the finer and finer sandpaper and, finally, with steel wool to bring out the natural sheen of the wood. Then I fed the grounding strap thru it's own separate channel, plugging the access holes with plugs made from the same piece of walnut, added the atty plunger and smile for the camera


You press the atty (or, in this case, the CE2) about 1/4", where the plunger makes contact with the top of the battery and Bob's Your Uncle.


I don't think I will put any finish on it, the natural luster of the polished walnut, I think, is just fine with me.

 

Anyone got a suggestion for a name for this walnut mod?

 

very nice, call it the one walnut wonder..

 

ASnider as always.....You are amazing....such an inventor.

I think you should name fine art after itself and you at the same time lol... in this case, I think you should name it the Vaaler 510, because you are an inventor, and the all important paperclip would not exist if it were not invented...

Johan Vaaler, a Norwegian inventor with a degree in electronics, science and mathematics, invented the paperclip in 1899. He received a patent for his design from Germany in 1899, since Norway had no patent laws at that time. Johan Vaaler was an employee at a local invention office when he invented the paperclip. He received an American patent in 1901 -- patent abstract "It consists of forming same of a spring material, such as a piece of wire, that is bent to a rectangular, triangular, or otherwise shaped hoop, the end parts of which wire piece form members or tongues lying side by side in contrary directions." Johan Vaaler was the first person to patent a paperclip design, although other unpatented designs might have existed first.

All kidding aside, ASnider, congrats on another great mod!

 

that is a beauty!

 

Once again I am really impressed with your work. Really like the finger grip area.

 

COOL COOLWhen can i send you my Direct TV remote

 

That is awesome. like the concept of a cylindrical wood mod verse the retangular. Looks like it would have that comfy just belongs in your hand feel. Love the finger grooves!