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Buzz wire game

Make a game where you guide a loop along a wire spiral without touching it.

Age
9+ yrs
Time
45–60 min
PDF
Scan for the online version

What do you need?

Materials

  • Wooden board
  • Iron wire
  • Heat-shrink tubing
  • Buzzer
  • Battery holder
  • Batteries
  • Solder

Tools

  • Saw
  • Drill
  • Wire cutters
  • Sandpaper
  • Pliers
  • Soldering iron
  • Glue gun
  • Lighter

Steps

Step 1, photo 1
1

Prepare the board

  • Saw a wooden board to approximately 15 x 5 cm.
  • Drill the holes for the spiral about 2 cm from the edge of the board.
Step 2, photo 1
2

Prepare the wires

  • Cut 30 cm of iron wire for the spiral and 12 cm of iron wire for the handle.
  • Sand the iron wire so it makes good electrical contact.
  • Bend a loop at the end of the handle.
Step 3, photo 1
3

Build the spiral

  • Cut three 2 cm pieces of heat-shrink tubing.
  • Slide one piece of heat-shrink tubing to the middle of the long piece of iron wire.
  • Bend the iron wire into a spiral.
  • Put the other two pieces of heat-shrink tubing around the start and end of the spiral. Do not shrink them yet.
  • Place the ends of the spiral in the wooden board.
Step 4, photo 1
4

Place the electronics

  • Use a small amount of glue from the glue gun to attach the buzzer. Its long leg should touch the spiral.
  • Glue the battery holder next to the buzzer. Make sure it can still be opened.
Step 5, photo 1
5

Soldering

  • Cut the black wire from the battery holder to length and solder it to the short leg of the buzzer.
  • Solder the long leg to the spiral.
  • If necessary, extend the red wire from the battery holder and solder it to the handle.
Step 6, photo 1
6

Shrink the tubing

  • Slide the heat-shrink tubing into the correct positions and shrink it with a lighter or the side of the soldering iron.
Step 7, photo 1
7

Test it

  • Put a battery in the holder.
  • Guide the handle through the spiral without touching it. If the handle touches the spiral, the buzzer should sound.
  • You're all done!