Flashlight Duct Tape Dispenser

by ehudwill in Outside > Survival

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Flashlight Duct Tape Dispenser

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I saw Creativeman's  duct tape dispenser and it inspired me to make this one. I decided to make mine have more than one function.

Tool and Materials

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Tools
Drill
1/4th inch drill bit
utility knife
hack saw or metal cutting blade on miter saw
scissors
pliers


Materials
Duct tape
Flashlight
1/4th inch threaded rod (I had some left over from refurbishing a swing set)
3  nuts
washer
straw
bottle cap
2 AA batteries
Speaker Wire

Optional Materials
Gorilla glue
Packing tape dispenser

Assembling the Roller

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I cut a piece of straw the width of a the duct tape. I put a nut on the rod. Then I drilled a hole in a soda bottle cap and threaded that onto the rod. Then I put the straw onto the rod. I placed another nut on the other side of the rod. A washer simulated the body of the flashlight. Finally a washer and a nut secured the end. I cut the threaded rod after attaching everything to make sure I had enough rod. You can leave a little extra just in case. As your last step select some duct tape to roll onto the straw.

Your results might be different if you use a different flashlight. Mine is a Stanley.

Installing the Dispenser in the Flashlight

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Drill a hole in the bottom flashlight using the 1/4th inch bit. Then remove the spring at the bottom. Took off the end nut and washer and set them aside. Then I dropped the rest of the roller assembly into the flashlight with the bottle cap pointing up. Using my finger I held the threaded rod still while I screwed the flashlight onto it. Then I put on the washer and nut on the exposed rod. If you are worried about the exposed metal just cover it with duct tape.

Now you will want to cut a hole in the side so you can get to the duct tape. Using your utility knife cut a rectangular hole 1/8th an inch wide and 2 1/2 inches long.

Rewiring the Flashlight

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We are short on space inside the flashlight so I downgraded the batteries to AA. It will not last as long, but I had to make compromises to realize my vision. I took some speaker wire and separated it and stripped the ends. I also took a small bit of wire and wired the two batteries in a series with the help of some duct tape. I then taped the ends of the speaker wire to the contact points in the flashlight. One I put on the terminal on the cap and the other on the sliding bar in the body of the flashlight. Then I placed the battery pack into the flashlight and screwed the lid shut.

Light Up the World and Fix It All With One Tool

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You now have a working flashlight duct tape dispenser. Now if you are ever in a situation, such as being stranded on a deserted island, where you can only bring one item you can proudly say, "My flashlight duct tape dispenser."