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LED Throwies
by Q-Branch on February 14, 2006

Table of Contents

License: Public Domain Dedication (pd) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Intro: LED Throwies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: Materials List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 2: Test the LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 3: Tape the LED to the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

step 4: Tape the magnet to the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

step 5: Toss your Throwie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

step 6: Plan a campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

step 7: Other applications and upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
License: Public Domain Dedication (pd)

Intro: LED Throwies

Developed by the Graffiti Research Lab a division of the Eyebeam R&D OpenLab, LED Throwies are an inexpensive way to add color to any ferromagnetic surface in
your neighborhood. A Throwie consists of a lithium battery, a 10mm diffused LED and a rare-earth magnet taped together. Throw it up high and in quantity to impress
your friends and city officials.

Click on this link to see the LED Throwies in action in NYC thanks to resitor and fi5e!

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Image Notes
1. over 270 LED throwies

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
step 1: Materials List
LED throwies consist of only a few inexpensive parts and can be made for ~$1.00 per Throwie. You can reference the parts list below or download the attached
spreadsheet for more info on parts, part's numbers, vendors and application notes.

Part: 10mm Diffused LED

Vendor: HB Electronic Components
Average cost: $0.20 avg per LED
Notes: Cost reductions for larger quantities. Comes in red, blue, amber, white in both diffused and clear. Diffused works better than water clear for the Throwie
application. HB has even created a Throwies packs page with deals on 10mm LEDs and lithium batteries!

Part: CR2032 3V Lithium Batteries

Vendor: CheapBatteries.com
Cost: $0.25 per battery
Notes: Cost reductions for larger quantities. With the 2032 Lithium batter, depending on the weather and the LED color, your Throwie should last around 1 -2 weeks.

Part: 1-inch wide Strapping Tape

Vendor: Your local hardware store
Cost: $2.00 for one roll
Notes: One roll will make many throwies

Part: 1/2" Dia x 1/8" Thick NdFeB Disc Magnet, Ni-Cu-Ni plated
Vendor:Amazing Magnets
Cost: $13.00 per 25 magnets
Notes: Cost reductions for larger quantities

Part: Conductive Epoxy

Vendor: Newark In One
Cost: $32.00
Notes: The epoxy is optional.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. CR2032 lithium batteries 1. To use the epoxy, mix in equal parts A and B. Mix well. Then apply to leads and
2. 2-inch wide strapping. We tore it into two 1-inch stripes. preload them into the battery contact surfaces. Allow a a few hours to dry and 24
3. 10mm LED, diffused, multiple colors hours to cure..
4. Strong little rare-earth magnet 2. Conductive epoxy is optional. IT will improve brightness and robustness but it is
time and labor intensive

File Downloads

LedThrowiesPartsList.pdf (55 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'LedThrowiesPartsList.pdf']

step 2: Test the LED

Test your LED to determine color, brightness and functionality. Pinch the LED legs, or leads, to the battery terminals. The longer LED lead, called the anode, should be
touching the positive terminal (+) of the battery and the shorter LED lead, called the cathode, should be touching the negative terminal (-) of the battery.

Note that the positive terminal on the battery has a larger contact surface than the negative terminal. The positive terminal extends around the sides of the battery. Don't
let the cathode lead of the LED accidentally touch the positive terminal of the battery. This will create a short and cause the LED to function improperly.

For more information on LEDs click here.

For more information on batteries click here.

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Image Notes
1. anode lead
2. cathode or K lead

Image Notes
1. andode lead touching the positive terminal

Image Notes
1. notice how the positive terminal extends around the edge of the battery.

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
step 3: Tape the LED to the battery
Cut off a piece of 1-inch wide strapping tape approximately 7-inches long. Tape the LED leads to the battery by wrapping tape 2-3 times around both sides of the battery.
Keep the tape very tight as you wrap.

The LED should not be flickering.

Image Notes
1. Keep up the tension!

Image Notes
1. To use the epoxy, mix in equal parts A and B. Mix well. Then apply to leads and
preload them into the battery contact surfaces. Allow a a few hours to dry and 24
hours to cure..
2. Conductive epoxy is optional. IT will improve brightness and robustness but it is
time and labor intensive

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
step 4: Tape the magnet to the battery
Now, place the magnet on the positive terminal of the battery and continue to tightly wrap the tape. The magnet should be held firmly to the battery.

If the magnet is stuck to a ferromagnetic surface, dont pull on the LED throwie. Apply a lateral force to the magnet and slide it off the surface while lifting it with a
fingernail or tool.

Remember to keep the magnet away from conventional hardrives, credit cards and other data storage devices.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. the magnet is taped the positive terminal of the battery 1. tightly!

step 5: Toss your Throwie

The LED throwie is ready to be tossed onto a ferromagnetic surface. Practice tossing your throwies. Work on your accuracy and your own personal technique. Every
throwie wont stick every time, but if you toss them gently, they will stick eventually. Get them up high and in large quantities for greatest enjoyment.

Image Notes
1. Look at J-pizzles follow-through on this green throwie

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Image Notes
1. Toss the Throwie by the battery/magnet bundle.

Image Notes
1. LED throwie horse-shoes

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Image Notes
1. The structural columns inside Eyebeam are perfect for throwies

Image Notes
1. Led Throwies make people do things like this!

step 6: Plan a campaign

Now, find a building or structure that will attract the magnets, form a crew, wait until night, and get some throwies up. If you do it around a crowd of people, they will
probably try to get into the act. It can quickly dissend into chaotic fun. Give a hand-full of throwies to a stranger and let them get up too. Remember, Throwies are only a
temporary alteration of your local environment. Depending on the color, Throwies can last upto two weeks, but you arent going to cause any permanent damage, so most
property owners wont mind. And The NYPD loves throwies!

Click on this link to see the LED Throwies in action!

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Image Notes
1. Jim Kempner Fine Arts was the location of the first LED Throwie campaign in
NYC.

Image Notes
1. People will take the LEDs off the wall and throw them back or pocket them.

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Image Notes
1. The people got into the action by tossing Throwies as a family.

step 7: Other applications and upgrades

Other applications:

Other than tossing it, you can also use your LED throwie to write in the air with light while taking a long exposure flick. You can put them on your bike as an additional
reflector. You can put the on surveillance cameras to make them more visible at night. You can use them to play a version of bocci ball on a magnetic surface in the dark.

Upgrades:

You can make a better LED throwie by using shrink tubing on each lead to make sure they don't short to each other or the battery. This upgrade will allow you to bend the
LED so it faces in the direction you choose. You can also dip the throwie in epoxy, silicon or potting compound to make an all-weather LED Throwie. A resistor in series
would allow you to increase the throwie shelf-life. Bigger batteries = longer life. Stronger magnets = increased stick probability. You could add a solar panel, photocell,
etc...Have fun.

User Upgrades:

Flickr instructional set for thowie on/off switch mod -- by A. Joyce, aka. EverythingDigital

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Image Notes
1. Fi5e

Related Instructables
How To Start
Your Own
Graffiti
Research Lab
All Surface LED LED Throwie by fi5e
My LED LED Throwie - Electro-Graf by
Throwies by Talkie by Instant
Throwies by Q-Branch
SniperNinja pcunning Messanger
zildjian
Tube by
adambehman

Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 1209 comments

everythingdigital says: Feb 25, 2006. 6:33 PM REPLY

I have posted a how-to on making throwies with removable tabs where you can pull it out to turn the LED on and slide it back in to turn it bad off. It's not very
hard to implement, and is quite useful for conserving battery power.

Here's the link: http://flickr.com/photos/everythingdigital/sets/72057594069888500/

I'm also working on throwies that automatically turn on upon sticking to something and off when they are removed (as suggested above), and I have a few
prototypes working but there are still some bugs to work out.

Q-Branch says: Feb 26, 2006. 10:52 AM REPLY

I have included your how-to on the G.R.L. Throwies site and in the upgrade section of the throwies instructables post. Thanks so much for the mods and
looking forward to the next rev!

sensoryhouse says: Oct 15, 2007. 12:43 AM REPLY

fun with LED throwies

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Kirbsome! says: Nov 26, 2009. 10:50 AM REPLY
INTRODUCING:

Throwies on steroids -
The LED ULTRIE!

7 LEDs arranged in a ring

frenzy says: Jun 14, 2010. 11:51 AM REPLY

I have great news, you are today's winner of the "I Made It" Challenge for the month of june. Thank you so much for being a part of the instructables
community and encouraging authors to post more projects!

For winning you are receiving a 3 month pro-membership.

http://www.instructables.com/community/June-is-I-Made-It-Challenge-Month-Win-a-Pro-Mem/

Dipankar says: Jan 7, 2010. 3:31 PM

(removed by author or community request)

soremite says: Jan 13, 2011. 6:13 PM REPLY

Useless?

Are you kidding me?

No more useless than "HANG YOUR GIRLFRIEND with scotch tape".

Not useless at all if you like LEDs.

Dipankar says: Jan 14, 2011. 6:51 AM REPLY

I am sorry if it hurt you but really in the long run it serves no purpose, and I am entitled to my opinion.
"HANG YOUR GIRLFRIEND with scotch tape". was just a joke don't take it seriously.

Nutrition Man says: Jan 2, 2011. 12:30 AM REPLY

And then you can go and collect them when they die, reuse the LEDs, recycle the batteries!

manutea says: Sep 19, 2010. 2:11 PM REPLY

I agree...sorry

ericman37 says: Mar 29, 2010. 1:30 PM REPLY

Hey, I was able to make 100 of these for under $0.30/each by getting all my stuff on ebay. only prob is it's mostly from china so shipping is kinda slow.
But they make great party decorations and you can't find better decorations for the price I think!
P.S. I put some in clear and frosted balloons and then plow them up and tie and float 'em on my pool, they look awesome!

sammyd901 says: May 18, 2010. 5:46 PM REPLY

Right you are i bought some laser diodes from hong kong and waited for like 2 months for them to arive.

dylanjackson says: Jan 6, 2011. 2:01 PM REPLY

can you use 3mm leds

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 roflbot says: Nov 20, 2010. 10:55 PM REPLY
how long would the batteries last?

Nutrition Man says: Jan 2, 2011. 12:29 AM REPLY

About 2 days I think...

ylpihs says: Oct 7, 2010. 7:26 AM REPLY

Are these the ones featured in the latest "Step Up 3D" movie?

csoldier83 says: Dec 24, 2010. 4:10 AM REPLY

yes and no
they were featured BUT they were copied

k247br says: Dec 24, 2010. 2:04 AM REPLY

i think that is true.maybe you should think about it.
if it were entirely based on current limitation and not voltage, wouldn't hooking a 12V LED up to a car battery which is capable of pushing 300 CCA require a
massive amount of resistance, compared to, say, hooking one up to 4 CR2303 batteries in series?

this is you web site :http://www.magical-led.com

bboyx3 says: Dec 19, 2010. 1:17 PM REPLY

you should have not coppied that off a book

genericanonymity says: Nov 29, 2010. 9:35 PM REPLY

"Note that the positive terminal on the battery has a larger contact surface than the negative terminal. The positive terminal extends around the sides of the
battery. Don't let the cathode lead of the LED accidentally touch the positive terminal of the battery. This will create a short and cause the LED to function
improperly."

Is this particularly common? I'm hoping to let people choose their own colors for an LED project, so I'm not intending to attach all LEDs to a battery in
advance of the project.
If you know any good tricks to avoid letting the cathode lead from contacting the positive side of the battery, what are they?

bobthedog says: Nov 29, 2010. 6:04 PM REPLY

hey before you go ranting here about how we are going to damage the environment and kill the planet by entertaining ourselves, why don't you go attack the
movie industry for example. They spend billions of dollars making useless explosions and waste huge amounts of resources for a little bit of entertainment.
Keep it in perspective buddy. The effect this will have on anything is negligible and the effect you're going to have on people's opinion is even smaller

h3idi says: Nov 23, 2010. 9:43 AM REPLY

Dealextreme.com for batteries, LED's AND magnets. Free shipping worldwide. I don't work for 'em, I just love 'em. A couple weeks' wait...

thepelton says: Nov 18, 2010. 10:59 AM REPLY

If you substituted a velcro hook patch for the magnet, you could attach it to wool clothes.

joseph 101 says: Nov 17, 2010. 5:32 PM REPLY

know it all

coastus says: Nov 16, 2010. 4:54 AM REPLY

I have a question about: led strips. What do I need to connect it? I would like to connect led strips for a 17 feet line. I could find some information in this
article How to resize a led strip , but what do I exactly need? And how can I create the right length.

solarblade90 says: Oct 23, 2010. 5:21 PM REPLY

this is really cool!

brunovenga says: Oct 23, 2010. 1:05 PM REPLY

It's really great what you're doing! have you ever tried doing this on clothes? i mean trying to throw the leds, and once they get near your clothes they light
up?
do you think it's possible?

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Shagi says: Oct 22, 2010. 4:01 AM REPLY
HOW about if you could modify these 2 last longer......try puttin an LDR r smtin.....im gonna make this bt can u tell me if this works......

psmeredith4 says: Sep 28, 2010. 1:01 PM REPLY

These are too cool, Are they being made commercially? I would like to see them here ! I think they wouls sell very well, since people are always looking for
something different.

mohtaprashantrocks says: Sep 26, 2010. 12:28 AM REPLY

i found it pretty nice .................................

ezeco says: Sep 9, 2010. 2:51 AM REPLY

yes i really like a display screen in my house, nor matter what it takes me to have it will do it.

woodstockdirdy says: Sep 3, 2010. 5:22 PM REPLY

how many darn led's are in the picture????

Mainz says: Aug 25, 2010. 8:01 AM REPLY

would the LEDs still be as bright if you put 3 or 4 on a single battery, I know it would go flat quicker but I think they would look cooler

snow2801 says: Aug 24, 2010. 2:18 PM REPLY

how can they be a temporary alteration? They will still be there even when the battery has run out as the magnet will hold them in place, they could be too
high to be removed.

boomaster says: Aug 7, 2010. 12:53 PM REPLY

These were in Step Up 3D, called neoflies or something. Seemed almost like they took the idea from you.

fritzle says: Feb 9, 2010. 7:56 AM REPLY

Hi there,
aren't the LEDs and batteries harmfull to the enviroment, just toxic waste once they're burned out???

alancj says: Jul 16, 2010. 4:21 PM REPLY

So much debate... yet nobody has answered if the components are particularly bad. The battery in my view is the only thing potentially harmful. But not
all batteries contain heavy metals by definition. Lithium batteries contain, well, lithium and either manganese, copper oxide, or carbon. None of which are
toxic. The led's are sealed in a plastic case, and the magnets are pretty innocuous. So Chill out! just don't get the mercury chemistry button cells... that
have been made illegal for general use since 1997. If you are worried about energy used to make the parts here is a rule of thumb. --- If it is expensive it
used a lot of energy. ---- Think about it for a few minutes and you'll see why. There's a few exceptions but you'll know it when you see it.

jpjp.xx says: May 19, 2010. 12:37 AM REPLY

keep your hair on lolage totaly

zack247 says: May 9, 2010. 9:35 AM REPLY

but the leds wont be burnt out, just the batteies are. the batteris can go to a recycling plant, and the leds and magnets could be reused

livebriand says: Jun 9, 2010. 4:12 PM REPLY

Yep exactly! :P

Schuyler says: May 9, 2010. 10:07 AM REPLY

Right. Except that the whole idea is based on a "cheap, throwaway" philosophy. How many of those "throwies" in the video do you think were
recycled? This is a bad idea at its very core.

zack247 says: May 9, 2010. 12:37 PM REPLY

but the idea is entertaining, you have to give him that

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/
 Schuyler says: May 9, 2010. 1:24 PM REPLY
I give him that. I repeat, not all entertaining, artistic, creative ideas are good ideas. Taking a step back, as stated elsewhere, unless you are
absolutely sure that the battery in any "Throwie" that you make is going to be recycled, don't make it.

lindraal says: Jun 30, 2010. 8:37 AM REPLY

Remember that even if the person making the throwies didn't make them, other people would have used exactly those same parts to build
something else, and there, the chance of the batteries being recycled is still almost zero. If anyone uses them, the chance of the batteries
being reused is next to nothing, so the batteries are a bad idea, not the throwies.

Schuyler says: Jul 3, 2010. 3:40 PM REPLY

Hmm. No. You aren't thinking. Your logic justifies building anything made out of "exactly those same parts." Hell, why not build a
nuclear warhead, if you don't do it, somebody else will, and we've got all the parts right here. I believe I said in the beginning, just
because something is a great idea doesn't mean it should be built(like nuclear bombs). Obviously we aren't talking about something
so dire, but the harm here is more insidious, because it does seem so harmless(and fun). We should not be manufacturing and using
products which by their nature(i.e., human nature) will pollute(in this case in a fairly significant way). The little button batteries used in
these "throwies) will almost certainly end up in the landfill(or worse), and they will leak heavy metals into the environment. If you want
to make these toys with a total commitment to recycling the batteries when they are worn out, go right ahead. I saw a little video of
people blithely tossing these things onto the side of a building where they were certainly not going to be recycled. Not to mention the
trash left for others to clean up. The revolution starts with you.

badideasrus says: Oct 22, 2010. 12:55 PM REPLY

my friend, you are being a little extreme. first, he already said that the lithium batteries don't have toxic componets.

second, where do you think the 'heavy metals' came from? the environment. you same argument is what makes getting rid of lead
bullets idiotic. animals thrive in civil war battle areas, and there must be tons (literally) of lead on those feilds.

don't get me wrong, i think recycling is a good thing. but the only thing that we should really be worried about is synthetic
materials. everything else already came from the earth. things like metal and cloth and magnets, those all are natural. if you picked
up a rock, carved on it alittle, and left it somewhere, whould you recycle it? no, you'd just let it erode.

that said, while these throwies are fun, if you take it to an extreme, or put them in impossible to reach places, you are basically
vandalizeing, and littering. the officails you're trying to wow may not be so pleased, particularly if you don't take them down
yourself.

zack247 says: Jun 30, 2010. 10:14 AM REPLY

what if someone made solar throwies? ones that charge during the day, and turn on at night?

Schuyler says: Jul 3, 2010. 3:42 PM REPLY

I'm not sure about the pollution involved or how throwable they might end up being. My point from the beginning has been, "Clean
up after yourself."

rottenrecords says: Jul 4, 2010. 11:35 AM REPLY

Sorry, but I've gotta butt in. I think people need to be more environmentally conscious and all that--conserve energy, stop
using plastic bags, buy locally-grown foods, etc., but you have to pick your battles. There's no way to live completely without
any kind of environmental impact. And trying to do so would take the fun out of life. The point should be living sustainably,
which does mean you're allowed to consume resources and impact the environment, as long as you allow those resources
time to replenish and the environment to recover. In the grand scheme of things, it's pointless to deny yourself throwies when
you probably damage the environment far more just by commuting to work (especially if you fly regularly) or produce more
toxic waste each time you throw away an old appliance like a fridge or TV. So instead of getting all up in someone's face about
minor occasional environmental trespasses, concern yourself more with the regular industrial-scale pollution that most of us
contribute to by living in a consumer society. Do you buy products manufactured in countries with poor industrial/environmental
regulations? If so, fix that before blowing throwies out of proportion.

Schuyler says: Jul 5, 2010. 4:58 AM REPLY

I'm not battling anybody. I'm just saying(this isn't rocket science), take responsibility for your actions. In this case, may I
suggest as gently as possible, if you are going to throw "throwies" around, clean up after yourself. Do not leave them
behind for someone else to clean up, and particularly, do not leave them, and especially their batteries, behind to break
down and pollute the environment. It matters! It is not a matter of proportion, it is a matter of changing the way we think
about our environment and how we fit into it.

view all 1209 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/