Instructables user Shenzhen is finding clever ways to use carbon fiber — survival techniques, heated clothing, touch screen gloves, and more. If you are someone who likes it hot (or if you just expect to face some extreme cold in your near future), you can follow the instructions for his most recent tutorial to make a “cool” carbon heated beanie.
The idea behind this project was to create a hat that would keep his head warm without being too bulky. By inserting a strap of battery heated carbon fiber tape into the lining of a knit beanie, Shenzhen creates what is essentially an electric blanket for the head. The tight fitting beanie and the flexible carbon fiber allows you to get a close but comfortable halo of warmth around your head.
The carbon fiber is rigged with a lightweight rechargeable cell phone battery and controlled by a simple click switch and a thermostat switch to keep the hat from getting too hot. Included in the tutorial is an optional LED light to show when it is turned on.
Because it calls for a beanie that is already lined, this project requires only some minimal hand sewing. You will need to rip a hole in the lining big enough to thread the carbon fiber and battery around the opening of the hat. Once it is in place, you can stitch the hole so it is just closed enough to keep the USB charger from getting lost in the lining.
If your head is hot enough as it is, but you would like some other part of your body to be warmer, Shenzhen has got you covered. With a whole collection of other heated clothing tutorials, Shenzhen is not likely to get very cold this winter.
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