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DIY taser in flashlight

by dave spencer on July 31, 2010

Table of Contents

DIY taser in flashlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: DIY taser in flashlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: Making the board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 3: Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 4: Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-taser-in-flashlight/
 Author:dave spencer www.mechanicalmashup.tv
I have had a few careers so far, soldier, school teacher, arborist, millwright. I love change and I love learning.

Intro: DIY taser in flashlight

Don't build this if you are a dummy and want to go around shocking people. You will be charged with assault at the very least. Don't try it on anyone with a pacemaker
or possible heart condition.

I built this taser for my diy video podcast. (check out my shirt!) I thought I would make an instructable to enter in the flashlight contest. The design I used gives a jolt of
1200 volts which I promise you can really feel! In the video we have an exclusive interview with Geoff Desmoulin from Spike TV's show "Deadliest Warrior" where he
talks about the science and effects of tasing people.

Please check out my other instructables

Step 1: Materials
The shopping list is on the downloadable pdf. The only things not included there are: 9v battery, 9v batt connector, housing (mine was a flashlight) copper circuit board, a
small amount of wire and a switch.

Total cost in parts should be around $30

Tools required are:

drill
1/32" , 3/64" drill bits ( I also used a larger bit for mounting the switch but the size will depend on your switch)
soldering iron and solder
wire strippers and snips
copper etching kit
Some tape
a clothes iron
I used an angle grinder with a zip disk to cut the circuit board

If you don't know how to solder, check out this guide:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Soldering/

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-taser-in-flashlight/
If you don't know how to etch copper, here are a few good instructables, I used the methods described in the last one.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Sponge-Ferric-Chloride-Method-Etch-Circuit-Bo/
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Saltwater-etch-process/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Etching-a-circuit-with-toilet-bowl-cleaner/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Stop-using-Ferric-Chloride-etchant!--A-better-etc/

Image Notes
1. Don't print this image out because the scale will be off. click on the download link at the top of the page.

Step 2: Making the board

The downloadable pdf file has a transfer image in the bottom left corner. You need this printed in toner on acetate (ie: a laser printer or a photocopier onto a
transparency). ink jet printers will not work! Do the printing on maximum darkness to get as much toner on as possible.

You will notice that the word is printed backwards. This is to help you, when you transfer the image with an iron you will be able to read the word. Heat an iron between
full and 3/4 full and while you are waiting for it to heat up, clean your copper circuit board with steel wool. try not to get any fingerprints on the copper as the oils will
interfere. Tape the transfer to the board on one side only. this will allow you to peel it off when you think you are done and place it back exactly where it was if you are
wrong. Place a piece of regular paper on top of the acetate to keep it from melting and press the iron evenly down. If you press too hard the toner can squish and bleed.
When you are done you may still need to touch up the transfer with a magic marker or a bit of paint.

Again, there are tons of great instructables on etching so I will not try to compete. check one of the links in the intro if you need to know how to do it.

On our handy dandy pdf there is a hole template. tape this on top of the copper side of the board. Use a small punch or even a finishing nail to gently center punch the
holes. Grab a drill and carefully drill your holes. If you are having trouble finding the tiny bits, check out the dremel section of your local hardware store. The larger holes
are for the transistor. Check to see if the transformer fits properly, I left a lot of copper in that area in case the leads on your transformer did not match mine. Drill
accordingly.

Populate the circuit board with the components. Again, that great pdf file shows where everything goes. Then solder it all together. The guide linked in the intro will help
you if you need it.

Image Notes
1. Don't print this image out because the scale will be off. click on the download

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-taser-in-flashlight/
 link at the top of the page.

Image Notes
1. steady the drill as best you can because the bits are delicate

Image Notes
1. this extra area on the board is to tape the 9 volt battery to.

Step 3: Housing
I chose to use a flashlight as my enclosure for a few reasons:

It conceals the devices true nature (a bit)

It was sitting around the house
It was cheap (I think I paid about $4)

You can probably find a better or smaller enclosure if you look hard enough.

All I really had to do was pull out the batteries, existing bulb and reflector, Drill a hole for the switch, drill 2 holes for the wires to come through the lens and assemble.

I chose to add my own switch because it was a momentary on switch. If I had used the flashlight's switch, accidentally bumping the switch on could drain the battery or
worse it could unintentionally shock you.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-taser-in-flashlight/
Step 4: Testing
If you want to see me get electrocuted, you are going to have to watch the video. Just know that I am not acting at all and it really made me jump and yell like that. My
buddy Ben Eadie gets shocked as well by Geoff Desmoulin and some of you may note that he does not jump as much as me. I would like to chalk that up to Ben having
been hit by lightning twice and having a tolerance to it. Not that I am just a baby.

Geoff talks about the science and effects of tasers he studied on his show "Deadliest Warrior" Thanks!

If you made it this far, you might be interested in our facebook page

Related Instructables

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Gun Mk1 made/DIY stun a Candle by thebluemartyr Taser for free! Shocker (video)
(Photos) by gun by Lighter! by by Plasmana by HM-
beanieostrich 555mst555 makerust Innovations

Comments
14 comments Add Comment

HarveyH44 says: Aug 4, 2010. 12:49 AM REPLY

What's the difference between a Taser, and a Stun Gun?

godofal says: Aug 4, 2010. 3:22 AM REPLY

taser's are for close "combat" while stunguns shoot something (needles?) attached to a wire, making them kind of long-range. the actual circuitry is pretty
alike though

dave spencer says: Aug 4, 2010. 5:01 AM REPLY

Whether or not if it is correct, Taser seems to be the term used for both types of devices. generally a stun gun is something you hold against a person
and a taser shoots the darts. Maybe it was last years meme of "don't tase me bro" but he was hit with a stun gun.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-taser-in-flashlight/
 HarveyH44 says: Aug 4, 2010. 1:38 PM REPLY
Yeah, know that tasers fire the electrodes, and usually only available to law enforcement. Stun guns are usually just a scary light show, and only
have some effect when in contact. Most people hate getting shocked, most of these little shockers get used by kids to annoy their friends, family,
and pets (until retribution). I've played around with electronics, since i was in my teens, but mostly stick to low voltage stuff, where ever possible,
because I really hate getting even a little tingle. Oddly enough, I built a 250KV Tesla coil, and a Jacobs Ladder out of a neon sign transformer,
just to watch the arcs. Have been zapped many times by both, neon sign is the worst of the two.

reoozeit says: Aug 5, 2010. 2:37 PM REPLY

I agree with you on the neon transformer being a good one. Years ago, I worked in the neon department of a sign shop. My job was
"processing" the neon- I hooked it up to a vacuum manifold set-up and to the high-voltage leads that came down from electrified wires running
over my head and heated the heck out of the tubing to remove all of the impurities before installing gas in them. VERY dangerous job in many
ways! Then, I had to hook up the units to neon transformers to "burn them in". One day, through nobody"s fault but my own, I took 12,000
volts through my hands (and the rest of me) for a bit until I broke myself free. Low current thankfully, and no damage done except getting
frazzled. Surprisingly, I went on to become an electrician!

markee2 says: Oct 25, 2010. 7:38 AM REPLY

12,000 volts is quiet deadly. I am happy you're still alive.

dave spencer says: Oct 25, 2010. 8:41 AM REPLY

12000 volts is not deadly, even 1000000 volts can be handled by the human body. The voltage makes you jump the amperage is what
is dangerous. The amperage is well below the danger threshold.

dave spencer says: Aug 4, 2010. 6:30 PM REPLY

From what I have heard and understood, taser is actually a brand name. People have been calling all stun guns whether they fire darts or not
tasers like people used to call all portable cassette players "walkmans" So yes the use of the word is technically incorrect but it is the most
established term. Did I just date myself with the "walkman" reference?

markee2 says: Oct 25, 2010. 7:47 AM REPLY

checkout this simple stun gun powered by two 1.5v AAA battery

markee2 says: Oct 25, 2010. 7:43 AM REPLY

i have seen similar circuit but it is used as a driver/ inverter for busted fluorescent tube.
see link below
simple Fluorescent inverter projec t

PetBennett says: Aug 5, 2010. 6:10 PM REPLY

is this legal? O.O

dave spencer says: Aug 5, 2010. 8:10 PM REPLY

That all depends on where you live. As it would have trouble getting through clothes it's not so much a weapon but a phone call to the local boys in blue
can't hurt.

PetBennett says: Aug 9, 2010. 2:18 PM REPLY

k

Nothing0 says: Aug 5, 2010. 3:54 PM REPLY

Taser is a brabd name for the gun-styled electric weapons that fire little steel barbs. Stun gun is a generic term for any melee weapon that has steel nubs
that don't shoot out. Fun fact: Taser stands for Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle.

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-taser-in-flashlight/