Building your own flashlight is an excellent way to learn about electricity as well as how to use a variety of tools. Using a 3D printed frame make the process even quicker and easier and results in a nice, polished final project.

By following the links below, you can access the source file to modify the flashlight frame and insert, or download an stl file for fabrication via a 3D printer. I learned the hard way that it's not a good idea to print more than one frame at a time (otherwise they turn out too brittle and will break when you try to screw on the end cap).

 

 

Item	Supplier	Part Number	Quantity	Cost
White, Green, or Blue 5mm Super Bright LED  (Do not use red or yellow without a resistor)	sparkfun.com	White: COM-00531 Green: COM-08285 Blue: COM-00529	1	$0.95
Rocker Switch	sparkfun.com	COM-10727	1	$0.50
Copper Tape - 5mm (one roll for 100 flash lights)	sparkfun.com	PRT-10561	1	$2.95/50ft
Electrical Tape
1/8" Short Aluminum Rivets	Lowes		1	$5.28/100
1/8" Medium Aluminum Rivets	Lowes		1	$5.28/100
1/8" Aluminum Washer	Lowes		2	$1.60/30
1/2" PVC Schedule 40 Threaded Cap	Lowes	23890	1	$0.76
Battery Spring	mouser.com	534-211	1	$0.13

Next time I build one of these flashlights, I'm going to try using a brighter LED from Digikey (should be about 3½ times brighter).