Solar Boost Bag


Make your own backup battery and recharge it with the sun! This is an upgrade project to our original Solar Charging Handbag and uses a PowerBoost 500 Basic, a solar lipoly charger, slide switch, and 2000mAh rechargeable battery, all housed in a 3D printed enclosure.

Before you begin, read through the following guides:

For this project, you will need:

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Cyber Tank Girl Costume

I’ve admired the comic character Tank Girl for ages, and this year I wanted to update her post apocalyptic Outback look for the 21st century. This guide covers the different elements I used to make this costume.

Bandolier of Light

This fun and flexible light-up accessory is made using 3D printing, DIY electronics, and a little bit of sewing.

You can easily wear it as a belt instead of a shoulder sash, and the modular design lets you customize the length that’s just right for you.

Before you begin, take a look at these prerequisite guides:

For this project you will need:

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Laser Dog Goggles Halloween Costume

Dress your dog up for Halloween! This project mods a pair of Doggles brand dog goggles with a swiveling laser diode for targeting all those ghouls and goblins lurking near ground level. After building these, your dog can be Terminator, Robo Cop, or, in my case, Tank Girl’s kangaroo boyfriend.

While this is a fairly simple electronics project suitable for intrepid novices, there are a few common sense safety considerations to keep in mind throughout:

  • Any battery-powered circuit is capable of burning your pet, but you can mitigate the risk of injury (but never completely eliminate it).
  • Protect batteries from a scratching paw with adhesive, fabric tape, or both. Mount batteries on the exterior components, never in direct contact with your pet’s face. Do not allow lipoly batteries to be abused and remove/discontinue use immediately if your battery is damaged.
  • Adhesives can give off fumes an should be completely dry (sometimes 24 hours or more) before going anywhere near your pet’s face, especially its eyes.
  • Never leave your pet unattended while wearing any costume. Observe for signs of discomfort.
  • While positive reinforcement with treats can help some pets aclimate to any costume, other pets may not tolerate wearing your project at all. Be ready to accept this fact, and don’t push the issue or abuse your pet!
  • Do not shine lasers directly into anyone’s eyes. The laser used in this project is relatively safe but could still cause eye damage if stared at for more than ~30 seconds. 

“Pfft, of course, I’ve thought of all these things and have a few more safety pointers, Becky!”

“That all makes sense to me and I would never put my pet in danger by forgetting to follow proper safety measures!”

Ok then, I think you’re ready to proceed.

Prerquisite Guides

Tools & Supplies:

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