Battery Storage Box

 After going through my battery hoard, which included some that expired in 2004, I still had about 10 pounds of usable AA batteries. They were all mixed together with different brands and ages, so they can't be used in devices that use multiple batteries. It's best to use new batteries from the same batch together so they don't reverse charge the weaker batteries. Even though these can't be paired up, they are still good to use in devices that use single AAs such as my Rift controllers, clocks, and some wireless mice.  All of my AA batteries are somewhat used and some are rather old and expired, so they can last in the Rift controllers from a couple minutes to a few weeks.
I took 3 lbs of dead batteries to be recycled. We took them to an Austin public library since IKEA won't take batteries anymore. Batteries Plus Bulbs will only take 1 lb for free, and the dump requires batteries for recycling to be individually wrapped with tape. Recycling them keeps them out of the landfill and the chemicals can be used to make new batteries. However the recycled batteries I have seen for sale cost more than the regular ones and they were already leaking in the package.

For my 10 pounds of usable AA batteries, I needed a storage box. I had the idea of making a dispenser. At first I considered 3D printing a dispenser base and making the top part out of cardboard. All the 3D models I found used a track for the entire length which wouldn't work well because I have too many batteries and they are too heavy. It would have taken a lot of plastic to print, with lots of supports, and it might jam with too many batteries. So I asked my mom to design a box made completely out of cardboard. I found a corrugated cardboard box from my new box fan, and a thin cardboard box from Triscuits. The Triscuit box was almost already the right size, but wouldn't have been sturdy or tall enough on its own. Mom added corrugated cardboard inside to make it sturdier and a closer fit. Then she made another section of box with the corrugated cardboard, with a ramp at the bottom. We used packing tape to connect it. Then I drew a circle to show where to cut a hole at the bottom to dispense a battery. It turned out that I needed a slightly larger hole as well as a hole on the opposite side. Then the battery can be dispensed by pushing it out with your finger from one side.

Next, I zip tied a piece of MDF to the wire shelf next to my computer desk. Then I taped the box to it. Now I can dispense batteries for the Rift controllers while wearing the headset, without even looking.

 Boring math time: 10 Lbs is about 4.5 Kg. If 10 batteries weigh 240 grams, then each battery weighs 24 grams. So I have about 187 batteries.