Test Tube Bubbler

[[Video(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-QZ4Cnm-6Q, {width:500, height:400})]]

Calling Dr. Frankenstein...

Have you ever felt the urge to laugh maniacally while unknown liquids bubbled madly behind you?

Well now you can with your very own Test Tube Bubbler, and we'll show you how!

*Instructions for maniacal laughter not included

Supplies
• Plastic test tubes
• Fish tank air pump
• Tubing for air-line
• Airline tube T’s
• Silicone caulk, Tub and Tile
• Wood – ¾” plywood
• Paint – brown or other dark color
• 4 Pumpkin lights with 3 LED’s each(available at Dollar Tree)
• Package of 1-1/4 coarse screws
• Spare assorted gauge wire
• Glue sticks
• Soldering equipment(flux and solder)
• Water
• Food coloring(optional)
• Glow Sticks(optional)
• AAA Batteries

Tool
• Drill bit same size as your test tubes diameter
• Drill bit same size as your LED diameter
• Drill bit same size as the tubing diameter
• Soldering iron
• Glue gun
• Drill
• Wire cutters
• Paintbrush
• Scissors
• Circular saw
• Tape Measure
• Pencil
• Screwdriver
• Permanent Marker

From a piece of ¾” plywood, cut the following dimensioned pieces:
1. 2 pieces at 6” by 13 – ¾”  Sides
2. 6” by 12 – ¼” Bottom
3. 2 pieces at 3” by 12 – ¼” Un-drilled piece is the lower front, drilled is the lighting assembly
4. 2” by 12 – ¼” Test tube rack
5. 9” by 12 – ¼” Backboard

In one of the 3” by 12 – ¼”, measure in ¾”strike a line from end to end along that measurement. Measure over 1 – ½” from each end. The intersection of the lines will be the centers of the first two holes to drill. Evenly space the remaining six 1” centers along the same ¾” strike line. Drill three quarters of the way thru the board, making sure to leave enough wood remaining to fit your lights and tubing (this is the divot in which the bottom of the test tube will set).

In the 2” by 12 – ¼”, repeat the above measurements, strike at ¾” from edge, in from ends 1 – ½”, space the remaining evenly. Drill this board thru completely with the 1” drill bit.

In the 3” by 12 – ¼” you just divoted, switch to tubing sized bit. Drill thru the remaining wood in the center of the divots. Next chuck out for the LED sized bit, drill three evenly spaced holes thru the remaining wood in the divot around the center hole you just drilled.

Using a small screw driver, pull out the screws holding the cover to the base. Leaving the light circuit board exposed.

Using the solder gun, de-solder the LED’s from the board.

Cut six strands of wire approximately 8” in length. Mark three of the six strands of wire to be your + side.

Using the circuit board as your guide, solder the wire to the positive and negative sides of the circuit board and to the positive and negative sides of the LED’s. BE CAREFUL NOT TO FLIP THE WIRES, if you do it won’t work. Repeat this for each light.

We went ahead and swapped out the thin wires from the power supply to the circuit board for a little more resilient prop. Simply pick a larger gauge of wire than is on the board and repeat the above steps for attaching.

Adding hot glue is a great way to keep your solder joints protected, especially in something you plan to keep for years. Add a little squirt of hot glue over each solder point to give it some protection.

In the three outer holes you drilled in the bottom piece insert the LED’s till flush, add a ring of hot glue on the lights underside to give stability. Pick four random holes to put the lights in for a more aesthetically pleasing look in the end.

Attach the lower front piece to the top of the bottom board. Lay the lighting assembly board on top of the lower front board with the divots to the back. Match the bottom edge of the backboard with the bottom edge of the lighting assembly board. Attach the test tube rack, with the ¾” holes to the front, approximately 3 – ½ up the backboard from the lighting assembly board. Next attach the sides, matching the bottoms and fronts up.

Take your paint color and paint it all over, being careful to keep the paint off the LED’s.

Using the drill bit the same size as the tubing, pick the middle of the bottom of the test tube, carefully drill a hole in 4 of them.

Measure the distance with the tubing from the center whole in the lighting assembly bar to the top of the back board piece of wood, cut. Repeat 3 times.

Seat the tubing to the hole you just drilled in the test tubes, seal with a small ring of calk.

Re-insert the open end of the tubing thru the whole in the lighting assembly bar. Pull tubing back to the top of the back board; insert three T’s into the open ends of the tubing leaving one end of the last T open for the tubing to connect to the pump. Hold these in place with screws. The reason for running the tubing up the back gives the pump head. Fit the pump under the lighting assembly bar, measure and cut tubing to connect it to the open end of the T.

Fill test tubes approximately ¾ full with water. Turn on your pump to make sure all the fittings are tight and watch it start to bubble. Switch on the lights. Try adding a drop of food coloring to the bubbling water to give it that extra eerie glow so imagined of a mad scientist.

Want to take it up one more notch? Grab some glow sticks and activate. Carefully cut an end off and pour the now glowing liquid into the bottoms of your empty test tubes.

You’ve just successfully built a Test Tube Bubbler for your own Mad Scientry, dim the lights for ambiance and get to work on your maniacal laughter. Thanks for building!