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Glowing Google Pens

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Inspired by my friend Sparky's recent LightStik purchase, I decided the idea would be simple to replicate with pens in a pen stand (and as a bonus, they would also be pens). So taking a 5-pack of Google pens that I got from a recent Seattle Mind Camp and 5 3mm ultra-bright white LEDs, I set out creating a luminary masterpiece (that's also pens!).

The pens are powered by contact with the holder (a jar with some foil on it), so as not to mess with batteries. Realistically you might be able to use electromagnetic induction to power the lights, too.

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On the bottom is some crumpled-up foil, making the negative terminal.

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The top is more foil, as the positive terminal.

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Bare copper wire is wound around the outside of the pen, to make contact with the edge of the jar.

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It then runs to an LED on the inside, which is what glows.

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Then the negative LED terminal is connected to more wire, which is coiled around the end of the pen. This contacts the foil in the bottom of the jar.

The whole thing is connected to my variable-voltage power supply (for now) tuned to power the LEDs at exactly what they need. A permanent application would have a DC adapter and a series resistor to limit current.

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The end result is a glowy and useful table ornament.

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And Pleo doesn't know what's happening!

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