Pencil Lead Organ

You know about electronic organs that have key boards ... bur one with a pencil lead? It's possible with this Project!

To use this Project, you'll need to draw a box four inches long and a quarter-inch wide on a sheet of paper. Fill in the box using a soft pencil Make sure that a heavy coating of pencil lead is left in the box. We know what you're thinking... "why on Earth did I do that??"

Believe it on not, that penciled-in box is the keyboard you're going to use to play the organ! Turn the power ON and place the exposed end of one of the long wires at one end of the penciled-in box. Take the exposed end of the other long wire and place it at the opposite end of the box. Carefully move the two long wires toward each other.

You'll discover that you will hear sound from the Speaker when the two long wires are close enough. As you get more skilled in moving the wires, you'll be able to play simple tunes on your Pencil Lead Organ.

Don't be surprised if you have to try several different pencils before you find one that gives good results. A very soft lead (such as the kind in a #1 pencil) will probably work best.

You might be surprised to realize that ordinary pencil lead can conduct electricity, just like a wire. Jot down a few more common items that you think may also be able to conduct electricity, well check them later and find out.