Steampunk USB Flash Drive


I had an old amplifier vacuum tube I came across yesterday in my garage, so I decided to make a USB flash drive out of it. I took an old flash drive apart, and soldered wires onto the +5V and Ground lines on the back of the USB connector. I then soldered two color-changing LEDs, along with a couple of dropping resistors, onto those wires.
I broke off the bottom of the tube and opened it enough to get the flash drive and LEDs inside, then designed and 3D printed a new base on the tube, with a rectangular hole for the USB plug to fit through.

Finally, I mixed up some quick-dry epoxy and cemented it all together. Now the drive works as intended for data storage, but when plugged in, the LEDs cycle through their range of colors.

And while it is a bit big, perhaps I won’t lose this one like I do most of my flash drives!!

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I love this! I want one with the candle flame leds so it flickers a little… like ‘am I browning out my usb port…’ effect…

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I was at standard issue co. today and saw a cool 3d Infinity looking lightbulb as part at an industrial looking sculpture. Here’s the bulb. Feit Electric Infinity 3D Fireworks Effect Decorative ST19 LED Light Bulb, Multi-color - 2Watt - Walmart.com I just thought it was super cool and this reminded me of it.

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That’s a cool bulb. I wonder what the practical use is. It wouldn’t give off much light I wouldn’t think

It’s a bad dual triode tube, usually used as an audio amplifier. The light is just decorative, and the only real practical use of having the tube or the lights is that it is unlikely that I’ll walk off and leave it in a computer somewhere.

I meant the one that Erik linked. I know tubes!

Oopsie.