Page 163 - 15 Dangerously Mad Projects for the Evil Genius

CHAPTER 11

Flash Bomb

PROJECT SIZE: Small

SKILL LEVEL: ★★✩✩

TIME SOMETIMES PASSES SLOWLY in the Evil Genius’
Lair. The winter months drag on with little
opportunity for evil. The long dark evenings can
be enlivened by inflicting pranks on the hapless
minions.
The Evil Genius likes to amuse himself by
leaving an interesting looking object lying around.
When picked up by a passing minion, suspecting it
might be something that has been misplaced by its
master, it administers a bright flash into their faces.
The device uses a secret micro-switch on its Figure 11-1 The flash bomb
base to detect when it has been picked up.

This is an easy project to make as it is built ■ Do not use this project around anyone who
using the flash module of a single-use camera, suffers from epilepsy.
which is then housed in a small plastic food ■ Do not stare into the flash tube—it is very bright
container (Figure 11-1). at close range.

WARNING! What You Will Need

This project uses a bright xenon flash tube. Because
You will need the following components to build
of this, you should take the following precautions.
this project. They are listed in the Parts Bin on the
■ When disassembling the disposable camera, be
next page.
extremely careful since the flash capacitor is
charged to over 300V and the trigger The author used a Kodak single-use camera. If
transformer produces voltage spikes of 4kV. you are using a different camera, the design will
■ Always disconnect the battery and discharge the differ from the following instructions, but you
flash before touching the circuit board. should still be able to adapt the design.

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