Ep. 61 | Last time a friend asked for one made from 18650s — today we build it; the full build is in the video, please watch patiently

Maker Zhou Xiansen builds a night light from 18650s: first an intro to the AWithZ U3 handheld welder he received (power-bank sized, USB output, 80 gears, manual / auto), then manual-mode spot welds of nickel tabs onto the 18650, a copper-wire ring for the lamp frame, LED filament, potentiometer module and USB charging module — an immersive, no-narration build

A friend asked for a night light made from 18650s. First an intro to the AWithZ U3 handheld welder he recently received: very compact, about the size of a power bank, with a USB output that can charge a phone; the weld strength gear is set by material, and 80 gears cover every need; supports manual or auto spot welding — in manual mode a press of the pen button fires the weld, and the result is excellent (demoed by welding a nickel tab on a cell’s negative end). Then an immersive no-narration build: nickel tab leads spot-welded onto purple 18650 cells, copper wire wound into a ring as the lampshade frame, LED filament and posts soldered, potentiometer / charging module and USB socket, several 18650s spot-welded side by side as the lamp base; the finished piece is a retro filament-style table lamp. Comments ask what the lamp-tube part is called, which control module to use, where the battery connects (couldn’t tell), what about charging, how thick the copper is; some say “toy welder” or “third-hand welder?”; a suggestion that with a housing it could be sold.

Outcome

Steps5 steps · click a frame to jump

1. 
   1. Preview of the result; the AWithZ U3 handheld welder arrives

   A friend asked for one made from 18650s, and today it’s here; an AWithZ U3 handheld welder happened to arrive too — very compact, about the size of a power bank.

   00:00 – 00:13
2. 
   2. U3 features: USB output, 80 gears, manual / auto

   USB output can charge a phone; the weld strength gear is set by material, 80 gears; supports manual or auto spot welding; in manual mode a press of the pen button completes the weld.

   00:14 – 00:36
3. 
   3. Excellent welds; into the immersive build

   The spot welds are excellent (nickel tab on the cell); an immersive look at the full build — follow along if you’re interested.

   00:36 – 00:49
4. 
   4. Copper wire wound into the frame, leads welded to the cells (on camera)

   On camera: nickel tab leads spot-welded onto a purple 18650; copper wire wound into a ring, posts and filament soldered; potentiometer module.

   00:49 – 01:19
5. 
   5. Several 18650s as the base, modules fitted, finished (on camera)

   On camera: several 18650s spot-welded side by side as the base, USB socket / charging module, potentiometer, filament set into the copper-ring shade.

   01:19 – 01:44

Bill of materials

Creator’s tips

• In manual mode the pen button fires the weld, which makes it easy to position small parts 00:30

Pitfalls

• Comments: couldn’t see where the battery connects, what about charging — the no-narration build leaves details unclear

Li-ion safety

Quotes