Hardware Store Sci-fi Grenade
A challenge was posted on the RPF to make a sci-fi grenade out of hardware store parts. The only restrictions were it had to be at least 50% hardware (to keep people from just lathing something) and it needed something to fiddle with (switch, button, lights, sound, etc). Finding I had a Sunday free I went to Sears Hardware and poked around until I found some likely parts. A quick stop at Radio Shack for a button and I had the parts for a grenade.
I started by breaking off the switch section of the lamp socket so I'd have some place to put my electronics. I glued the lamp switch into one of the female decorative loops and then glued that assembly into the socket reducer. My button wouldn't fit in the top of the lamp socket so I dremeled out the hole to make it fit.
I spun the socket's internal cardboard tube and installed two green LED's with mounting clips. I needed something to hold a battery. The RC car I bought for my quickie mousedroid came with a "Try Me!" button that would turn on the headlights and ground-effects. Fortunately I didn't follow the directions that said to "throw it out before operating car" and managed to salvage 3 coin cells and their holder from it(I can never throw out electronics). I used a bit of electrical tape to hold the batteries in and then soldered all the connections. Since the cap is a press fit it'll be easy to change the batteries in the future.
A quick coat of black and some matte clear coat to keep it from rubbing off too quickly and my grenade's finished. In all I spent about $20 for this project (though I already had the batteries, holder, LEDs and mounting clips not to mention the glue and paint). For another $6 I could have made a second as all I'd need is another lamp socket and an on/off button.
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