[Rocky D.]

Hello everyone, I wanted to give a quick run down on how to make your own glowing dog leash. It is fairly easy and I think anyone could do it. The total cost of the project is about $35 including batteries, without batteries, the project costs about $25 to make.

First of all here is a list of the materials that you will need:
1. Glowing wire (can be found at almost any auto parts store (around $20)
2. Battery pack (found at RadioShack for a few dollars)
3. Connector (found at RadioShack, came in a package containing about 10 connectors)
4. Electrical tape
5. Wire Strippers
6. 8 AA Batteries (about $10)

OK so here we go...sorry I don't have any in progress pictures, but I'll try to explain it to make up for it

Like I said you can get the glowing wire from almost any auto parts store. They are made to work on your cars 12v system and most of them will plug into your cigarette lighter. When we make the leash, we will cut off the cigarette lighter adapter at the end.
Expose the wire that you just cut using the wire strippers (you can also use scissors and just cut the plastic sheathing or whatever is covering the wire; I just use my teeth like a dog

). Expose about an inch of wire.
Next, get a connector, and before you splice everything together, you have to figure out which is the correct way for everything to be wired up.
So put the batteries in the battery pack and connect the connector to the battery pack. There are two wires coming off the connector and two wires before the transformer box. Twist one of the connector wires to one of the glowing wire wires and then the other. If it glows then that is the correct way for the wiring, if not, switch the wires around and it should work.
After you get the correct wiring all sorted out, you need to splice the wires together once and for all. I usually take the two wires to be spliced and twist them together then lay them down flat. With the splice down flat, I wrap it with electrical tape. Do this for both splices and you are almost done.
Once everything is all wired together, wrap the glowing wire around your leash and put the transformer box and battery pack (with batteries) in your pocket and go for a night walk...or early morning walk...or a fog walk...or...well you get the picture
When we were at the apartment, we could really see people slowing down when they saw the leash, so it did its job...and all the kids thought it was pimp

Here are some pictures of the components and whatnot.

First here is a picture of the connector. It looks like a typical 9V battery connector and they come in a little plastic bag at RadioShack

Next is the end of the battery pack, it has the compatible connection to the connector in the previous picture.

Here is a side shot of the battery pack, since the wire is meant to run on 12v, I used 8 AA batteries (which are 1.5v each).

Here is Rocky sporting his glowing leash

Let me know if anyone has any questions and I'll try to clarify or maybe take some more pictures

. Also, if you plan to make one of these I recommend having a glowing leash and a regular leash. We just have one leash, so whenever we don't need the glowing part we take it off the leash and put it back on when we need it. After awhile the wire stops working in some places where it has been kinked and repeatedly twisted and bent.

Good luck and happy building

 

[Murphys Dad]

Interesting.... I'm too lazy to make it though

 

[Opus]

I particularly like the picture with the think geek magazine.

You're not some nerdy guy who lives in his parents basement are you? Cuz' that leash really is kind of cool.

 

[Brisen]

I'm with Eleanor...I'm waaaay to lazy to try and make something like that. But it is very cool!

 

[jassy]

That is a really good idea!

 

[fauxpasta]

You don't have to live with your parents to like ThinkGeek - my boyfriend and I buy stuff from there all the time

Lots of cool t-shirts, really neat toys, sometimes useful objects (a titanium spork - tell me that's not useful!) Great leash! Maybe someday I'll get motivated to make one, since I do like to take the puppies for a walk after the sun has set (and it's finally cool outside).

 

[angelaH]

I cant see the pictures.
Sounds like a good idea though. Here you can buy collars that have a light in them.

 

[Rocky D.]

I am a nerdy guy, just happened to marry another nerd so I could move out of my parents' house

 

[Deenyb]

Hmm may have to get the hubbyman on that project!!

 

[Rocky D.]

I may re-think some of the designs to see if I can come up with something a little more portable and easier to use...I like to build stuff rather than buy it most of the time

...true geek here