Tap Light Projects
Whether you enjoy do-it-yourself projects or simply enthuse over reusing and repurposing household products, it can be a rewarding experience to take something destined for the junk pile and recycle it into a useful game, accessory, or functional item that contributes toward your safety. Usually this can be done with just a few supplies already around the house, or a quick trip to the hardware store. Consider the once-popular tap light, now taking up space unlit in most closets, and let you mind run free.
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Ashtray
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Turn over the tap light, remove the batteries and mini-light bulb, then using a plastic cutting knife, carefully cut around the edges of the light's rim to remove the base. Smooth any edges with a rasp or sandpaper. You'll just have the thick outside plastic rim and the inner part that you push to turn on the light. Gather some decorating supplies such as silver and gold stars (often used by teachers), glitter and paint, then get creative on decorating the inside and outside of the tap light. Are you a nonsmoking household? You can still get creative this way--use the tap light as a jewelry holder, coin catcher, or even a small candy dish to hold wrapped sweets.
Walkway
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If you live in an unlit area or have a long walk from your car to your front door, you can create a project of brilliant, helpful light from just a set of tap lights. Procure as many lights as you'll need from your parking spot to your porch, leaving at least a few inches of grass/ground between each. Remember, you'll also need batteries for the lights. Once you've added the batteries, cover each light with a thin (not tight) layer of shrink wrap. This is to prevent rain from soaking in and corroding the bulb and batteries. Make sure the wrap is not so tight that it prevents you from pushing on the light. Next, stake the ground where they'll go; flatten round areas of grass or make indentations in the soil so they won't be blown over by a strong wind. Test their placement during the daytime. Then, fill each tap light with batteries and line them in place. Come nightfall, when you leave your house, simply tap each light with the toe of your shoe as you pass by. They'll remain on until you come home, tapping them off.
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Outdoor Checkerboard
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Families or game enthusiasts with a large backyard can create an enjoyable way to while away sunny afternoons with a giant checkerboard. Using masking or duct tape, section off a large area of the yard into the squares required for the checkerboard. (If you own your property, you can spray paint the board alternating colors; even temporary spray paint will work.) Next, gather 24 tap lights and remove their batteries and lamp bulbs. Spray paint 12 of the lights red; it's your choice whether to leave the other 12 white or paint them black. After the lights dry, position them on the board and begin play.
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