Hey everyone! In this instructable I'll show you how to make your own DIY Reading Lamp, that you can mount on the book you're reading. This lamp is handy if you want to read a book in a car or in the dark without disturbing anyone else.

This lamp is bright enough to illuminate both pages of the book sufficiently. Moreover, in its 'superbright' mode, it can be used as a wide angle torch, i. e. a torch that spreads light over a wide area, unlike most other torches.

I got this idea from another great Instructable,Two AAA LED Book-lights for around $10 by crazyndhed03. When I tried to make it myself, I realised that one LED actually wasn't enough to illuminate both pages at once. I had an LED board salvaged from a desk lamp lying around, and decided to use that in the project. And it works really well with just 2 AA batteries!

Step 1: Bill of Materials...

This lamp is very cheap to make, and materials are easy to find.

Cost: ~2$ (excluding Mechanix)

Skills Required: Soldering, Using a Glue Gun, Basic Electronics' Knowledge

Difficulty: Easy

Time: ~6 hours.

Electronic components required:

Small SPDT Switches. x2
General PCB. -small
Battery holder- For two AA batteries
15-20 Ultrabright White LEDs on a PCB
Wire.

Other Materials:

Mechanix parts
Color Paper
Glue gun
Paper clip

Step 2: Making the Mechanix Frame...

I had a bunch of Mechanix lying around, so I thought I'd use them in this project. If you don't have any, you can make the frame with wood, cardboard or even 3D print it. Along with the Mechanix you would also need nuts and bolts and parts shown in the pictures above.

When starting at the base, make sure you have space for the battery holder and switches. Most of the frame's weight must be here, to prevent the lamp from toppling over when in use.

Step 3: Making Connections..

About the LED Circuit Board...

The led circuit board I got has 18 white superbright LEDs. The board itself has 3 terminals. One is the common anode, connected to +. 10 LEDs share one common cathode (-), and the rest 8 have another common cathode.

Therefore you can have 3 modes.

Turn on 8 LEDs only.
Turn on 10 LEDs only.
Turn on all 18 LEDS.

I recommend that you buy a similar LED board, and if you don't get one, it's easy to make one yourself. But actually a simple LED circuit board with two terminals is enough...

In the circuit, the 1st switch turns on/off 8 LEDs. The 2nd switch turns on or off the other 10 LEDs. Switching both switchs at once will turn on or off all LEDs...

Step 4: Preparing the LED Circuit Board...

Cut out a piece of mountboard, the shape and size of the LED board, and stick them together with hot glue. Then cover it with a colour paper, just to make it look good. After that, stick a small piece of Mechanix with strong quick glue. Follow the pictures for help.

Step 5: Put Everything Together....

Stick the battery holder and switches to the base of the frame with hot glue. Make the connections as shown in the picture. Stick the LED board and fix a paper clip to the back of the frame, taking help from the pictures.

Step 6: Finish...

Add two AA batteries, and there you have it; your own Book Reading Light and Torch. The Led board can be rotated a few degrees as desired. It can also be rotated all way round and act as a bright wide-angle torch! It fits snugly onto any book (though its difficult with thin paper magazines and similar stuff), and illuminates the pages very well.

Introduction: DIY LED Book Reading Lamp and Torch