Upcycle Inspiration: Scrap Electronics

Featured image credit: Ghana ScrapRegister

 

To make money while in college I picked up an Information Technology job 4 years ago and have been surrounded by computers and electronics ever since. As a result of both my employment and my interests I have a considerable amount of scrap electronics or “e-waste” sitting around my house. In order to get rid of this waste I could take it to my local Best Buy for proper disposal. Instead of that, I’m going to use it to make art.

Photo credit: Gregory Arth

Electronics have a unique beauty to them, from the color to the intricate designs of wires running from place to place on the circuit board. Scrap electronics has a history ob being turned into art, especially in the IT space.

Photo credit: LoadingStill

Overall I am extremely excited to finally find a use for all of the electronics in my house and to make some art that could be appreciated around my office.

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3 Comments. Leave new

  • Hi Patrick! This idea is so cool! I am in the electronics shop often and always see scrap pcb laying around, I am a big promoter of electronics recycling and am excited to see what you come up with! Do you have a specific design in mind?

    Reply
  • Hi Patrick –
    I think this is a fantastic idea for bringing a use for spare/useless electronics, and you bring up a great point about the inherent beauty of circuit boards. One question I have is if you have a general idea of what kind of art you would be trying to create with circuit boards. It seems that the particular medium would actually be difficult to manipulate in a meaningful way and if you have a plan on how to piece them together. Otherwise, I’m excited to see what you come up with!

    Reply
  • Jackson Hootman
    January 31, 2020 2:24 pm

    Hello Patrick! I think this a great use of scrap electronics and I’m excited to see what you come up with. If you feel you need any PCBs to work with, SparkFun Electronics in Niwot sells retired and failed boards for really cheep. You can get them here: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/15759. Are you thinking you want to make a 2-D piece or a 3-D sculpture?

    Reply

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