LED Throwie Removal Unit
LED Throwies are great. You throw them onto something metal and they will stay there and glow for a few days, or up to a few weeks. You can throw them at places where they can't be reached by greedy hands for removal.
Just like here:
But after the party when the Throwies are dead and gone it would be great to pick up the remains to recycle them. The magnet and the LED are still usable. And because the batteries contain toxic heavy metals it's an environmental problem to leave them where they are.
GRL Germany built a simple device to remove throwies from unreachable places like bridges or walls. This short instructable should help you to build something similar and become a major player in the LED Throwie recycling business.
Just like here:
But after the party when the Throwies are dead and gone it would be great to pick up the remains to recycle them. The magnet and the LED are still usable. And because the batteries contain toxic heavy metals it's an environmental problem to leave them where they are.
GRL Germany built a simple device to remove throwies from unreachable places like bridges or walls. This short instructable should help you to build something similar and become a major player in the LED Throwie recycling business.
Material List
The following things are needed to build the LED Throwie Removal Unit:
- An extension pole. The longer the better. We used a 12 foot pole which cost us 29 € at the local hardware store. You surely get something cheaper on the internet. But shipping costs could be pretty high. You can reuse that pole for other great instructables like the High Writer and the Night Writer .
- A metalplate of the size 250mm x 200mm x 1mm. The plate needs to be magnetic for the whole construction to work . (3 € local hardware store)
- A stalk holder. Angled to approx. 45 degrees. (3,50 € local hardware store)
- 2 screws (M6, 15mm length) , 2 nuts (M6), 4 washer (M6)
Tools:
- Drill machine with a drill bit for metal (size M6)
- An extension pole. The longer the better. We used a 12 foot pole which cost us 29 € at the local hardware store. You surely get something cheaper on the internet. But shipping costs could be pretty high. You can reuse that pole for other great instructables like the High Writer and the Night Writer .
- A metalplate of the size 250mm x 200mm x 1mm. The plate needs to be magnetic for the whole construction to work . (3 € local hardware store)
- A stalk holder. Angled to approx. 45 degrees. (3,50 € local hardware store)
- 2 screws (M6, 15mm length) , 2 nuts (M6), 4 washer (M6)
Tools:
- Drill machine with a drill bit for metal (size M6)
Drilling Holes and Screwing It All Together
Drill two holes into the metal plate, so that the stalk holder could be fitted to it.
Use the washers and the screws to fit the stalk holder to the metal plate.
Put the stalk holder onto the extension pole.
You're ready to remove some Throwies!
Use the washers and the screws to fit the stalk holder to the metal plate.
Put the stalk holder onto the extension pole.
You're ready to remove some Throwies!
Remove Throwies
To remove LED Throwies:
1.) Extend the pole to the size needed
2.) Try to get between the throwie you want to remove and the structure it is sticking to with the metal plate. Pushing the plate a little against the throwie should do it.
3.) The magnet of the throwie will be attracted by the metal plate and finally stick to it.
4.) Put the pole down and get the throwie. We removed one throwie at a time. Getting more throwies at once might work but has not been tested.
5.) Recycle the throwies. Dispose the batteries correctly. In germany f.e. you can return batteries to almost every supermarket.
Watch the following video to see how the prototype worked:
1.) Extend the pole to the size needed
2.) Try to get between the throwie you want to remove and the structure it is sticking to with the metal plate. Pushing the plate a little against the throwie should do it.
3.) The magnet of the throwie will be attracted by the metal plate and finally stick to it.
4.) Put the pole down and get the throwie. We removed one throwie at a time. Getting more throwies at once might work but has not been tested.
5.) Recycle the throwies. Dispose the batteries correctly. In germany f.e. you can return batteries to almost every supermarket.
Watch the following video to see how the prototype worked:
Throwie Removal Unit from Jesse Scott on Vimeo.
If you have any questions, comments, ideas regarding this instructable or LED throwies and GRL germany feel free to contact us.