A Puppet with Light-Up Eyes

[ZeppoAndFriends]

I'm in the process of making a puppet with eyes that light up and, in order to complete the circuit, I need to find a loose battery box that can hold 4 batteries and a button that can be easily wired into the head.

Any suggestions as to where I should look? Please and thank you.

 

[practicecactus]

Hobby Eletronics store. I don't know what the go with be there in the states.. radioshack? Those bits and pieces for hobby electronics kits are easy to come by and there's a ton of different types of switches like toggle switches. If all else fails, there's always google and ebay.

 

[Melonpool]

I had a friend just make something similar for one of my puppets. He used a flashlight he found at a 99 cent store and requred it. It works great and has the battery pack and switch already hardwired in place. All he had to do was disconnect the bulb and add wire.

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

I guess it'd be helpful if I was a little more specific in my description:

1. I'm trying to make it so the battery pack is outside the puppet for easy battery replacement.

2. I need the switch to be inside the head so it can be worked without compromising my other hand (he's a live hand puppet and my brother's too hammy to be trusted doing both hands).

3. I need a button that is easy to press and won't stay on (his eyes aren't meant to stay on, just flicker on and off).

4. I have no means to purchase things from the Internet.

I hope this helps to form a better picture of what I'm going for.

 

[practicecactus]

Ah.. budget version then, aye?
I agree with Melonpool then, cannablize a crummy torch. You'll need some wire and stereo speaker wire should work fine for wiring. You could even just tape everything up well and not have to solder. Battery pack can just be a cardboard holder for your batteries [a couple AAs] and the switch can be something as simple as a paper clip or somethin conductive, bent in a way so it's off the circuit, but you hold it down to complete the circuit. Or even the end of the wire being kept off by a little foam, and just push it down to activate.
You'd have to play around with the placement of things and how it works for you in the puppet but a simple lightbulb [or small led lights running on them little watch batteries] circuit is the easiest electrical thing to do.

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

I've already got the wires and a couple torch lights already wired up and in place.

I tried to make a cardboard battery box and it didn't end well.

I think your paperclip suggestion just gave me an idea on how to do the kind of button I need. Thanks!

 

[charlie bird]

This video has a way to make a switch light.It is some where in the middle of the video thow at three minutes after the begining,it realy is talking about making a movie prop for cheap ,but you could aply the thing about the light. It said it costs aboute $6 to make.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YPc702VtxA
Thank you ,I hope this helps

 

[ZeppoAndFriends]

Thanks for that! I think you just showed me the solution to another problem I was having!

The main problems with the button in the video are that it doesn't say where he got the button and it's a click-style button. I'm looking for a button that doesn't stay lit when let go and practicecactus gave me an idea for that.