Alright, alright, let’s talk about this… uh… thing, this “home made flashlight,” or whatever the young folks call it. I ain’t no expert, mind you, but I’ve seen a thing or two in my days, and I reckon I can tell ya how to make somethin’ that’ll shine a light when the power goes out, or when you just need to see in the dark.
First off, you gotta find yourself a good ol’ battery. Don’t go wastin’ your money on them fancy ones, just a regular one, like the kind you put in the kids’ toys, will do just fine. Make sure it’s got some juice left in it, though. A dead battery ain’t gonna light up nothin’, that’s for sure.
Next, you need a bulb. You know, one of them little glass things that lights up when you give it some power. You can probably find one in an old flashlight that’s busted, or maybe even at the store, if you’re feelin’ fancy. Just make sure it ain’t too big, or that battery won’t last long.
Now, this is where it gets a little tricky. You gotta connect the battery to the bulb. You can use some wire, if you got some lyin’ around. Just strip off the ends so the metal shows, and then tape one end to the positive side of the battery, and the other end to the bottom of the bulb. Then, take another piece of wire, and do the same thing, but connect it to the negative side of the battery and the side of the bulb. Make sure them wires are touchin’ good, or it won’t work.
If you don’t have no wire, you can use some tin foil. Just tear off a couple of strips, and fold ’em up tight. Then, do the same thing like I said with the wire. Tape one end to the battery, and the other end to the bulb. It ain’t pretty, but it’ll get the job done.
- Battery – Get a regular one, like from the kids’ toys.
- Bulb – Find a small one, maybe from an old flashlight.
- Wire or Tin Foil – Somethin’ to connect the battery and the bulb.
- Tape – To hold everything together.
Now, if you wanna get real fancy, you can add a switch. That way, you can turn the light on and off without havin’ to disconnect the wires. You can find a switch at the hardware store, or you can even make one yourself, but that’s a whole ‘nother story for another day. For now, just stickin’ the wires together and pullin’ ’em apart will work just fine.
Once you got everything connected, that bulb should light right up. If it don’t, then you done somethin’ wrong. Check your connections, make sure the battery ain’t dead, and try again. Sometimes it takes a little fiddlin’ to get it right, but don’t give up. Even an old woman like me can figure it out, so you can too.
And that’s all there is to it. A simple, home made flashlight. It ain’t nothin’ fancy, but it’ll do the trick when you need it. And you know what the best part is? You made it yourself. There’s somethin’ to be said for that, you know. In these times, it’s good to know how to do things yourself, how to make do with what you got. That’s what my mama always told me, and she was a smart woman, God rest her soul. So go on, give it a try. You might surprise yourself.
Safety first, though! Don’t go messin’ around with electricity if you don’t know what you’re doin’. And always keep an eye on things, make sure nothin’s gettin’ too hot, or you might start a fire. We don’t want that, now do we? Just use your common sense, and you’ll be just fine.
Now, I gotta go make myself some supper. This talkin’ about flashlights has made me hungry. You take care, now, and don’t go blindin’ yourself with that there light!
Tags: [DIY, flashlight, homemade, simple, instructions, battery, bulb, wire, tin foil, light, safety, power, emergency, how-to]
