Introduction: Bite Light: the Mouth Held Flashlight Hack

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   One night I was in need of a flashlight to look for something. Since I only have 2 hands, and I needed both of them to look, I was using my mouth to hold the light. That method is fine as long as its only once or twice, but after that, the light tends to get pretty gross. and if you're like me, you usually need both hands relatively free when in need of a flashlight, this presents a problem.

Enter the Bite Light.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

  • Microwave
  • Bowl (with water)
  • Scissors
  • Kinfe

Step 2: ShapeLock, Part One

  Fill the bowl with water, not totally full since you'll need room for displacement, and pour a few grams of ShapeLock (poke at any beads that stay at the top they'll sink). Nuke it on high for 3-5 minutes, that will turn the plastic clear and should give you some time to re-heat and form your part more. Take the plastic out, squish it around between your fingers to get the water out, and flatten it into a small sheet about 1/8"(3mm).

   Note: be careful with rolling pins, I tried using mine that I got specifically for molding ShapeLock into sheets and unfortunately the hot plastic stuck to it. ShapeLock seems to have an affinity towards some things, so beware. Note to self: invest in a metal rolling pin.

   Another note: Due to contrast issues with my photos, ive decided to substitute boilingwaterinmicrowave_0067.jpg, a picture of boiling water in a microwave that was the best of the lot but still rubbish, with a photo I found online of a geyser that's full of lots of boiling water.

Step 3: Moulding the Bite Plate

While warm, but not hot:

  1. Lightly bite a piece of the ShapeLock while warm (wait a bit, it came out of boiling water, remember) to gauge where to cut
  2. Set the flashlight centerline with the end of the light
  3. Score around the inside and outside of your teeth imprints and score a tab for the flashlight
  4. Cut out the outside
  5. Reheat (by sticking in the hot water)
  6. Bite some more
  7. Cut out the inside
Repeat and modify it until you like it.

Step 4: Moulding the Flashlight Collar

  1. Heat up the tab of the bite plate
  2. Take a strip of hot ShapeLock and wrap it around the base of the flashlight and pressing it into the depressions for a form fit, creating the collar
  3. Press the tab onto the outside of the flashlight grip and smooth out the edges (If they're both hot, they'll stick just fine)
  4. Adjust the position of the bite plate to where you want it
  5. Chill it fast
  6. Score a line around the top of the collar and cut that part off
  7. Reheat the top of the collar
  8. Smooth out the edges of the collar
  9. Quickly run a finger or two applying very little pressure around the outside, ONLY ONCE, It will minutely change the inner diameter and cause the bite grip to hold on to the flashlight firmly
  10. Chill again, specifically without the flashlight in it
  11. Test it out.