Double Helix LED Lantern


  This simple circuit creates an LED lantern that can sit on a desk or be hung outside. It consists of a curved circuit board, a few LEDs, and some resistors.

What you need:

For etching curved circuit boards:

  • Krylon Crystal Clear Satin spray
  • 2 x-acto knives
  • Clear vinyl shelf lining from Walmart
  • Ferric Chloride
  • 12"x12" Thin, Scissor-cut, copper clad fiberglass board from Electronic Goldmine
  • 000 or 0000 steel wool 
  • paint of choice
  • LEDs
  • Ferric Chloride and resistors from: http://www.mouser.com/
  • 12 volt battery or 12 volt power supply

NOTE: Original author: mikey77. This project won a prize in the Krylon Summer Projects Contest on Instructables.com. See it here (http://www.instructables.com/id/Curved-Circuit-Art-Make-A-Double-Helix-LED-Lanter/).

How and How Long:

  1. Trace and cut the circuit board material.
  2. Etch the circuit pattern onto the board.
  3. Solder the circuit placing the LEDs and resistors in and hooking up the power supply.
  4. Bend the board into a helix shape.
  5. Spray the lamp with a couple coats of Krylon Spray Paint.
Approximate project time is 2 hours.

What it Costs:

Cost is approximately $50.