Make: Electronic Skill Badge

Learning to solder has never been so easy.

  • Author: Marc de Vinck
  • Time required: 5 to 10 minutes
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Add Note x
  • x 7

At Maker Faire, we teach folks to solder for $1 in the Maker Shed store. What do you get for $1? Not much these days! Well, that's just not the case here. For just $1, you get expert advice on how to solder and a really cool electronic skill badge!

Tools
Relevant parts
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Make: Electronic Skill Badge  ¶ 

  • Check your kit's contents. You should have:

    • Printed circuit board

    • Rainbow LED

    • Battery holder

    • 3V CR1220 battery

    • Tie-tack pin

    • Tie-tack clutch

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Start by adding a "blob" of solder to the battery pad on the back. Just a little will help the battery stay snug in the holder.

  • Next, place the battery holder in the printed circuit board (PCB). It goes on the back of the PCB, and is oriented according to the silk screen on the board.

  • Now you can solder the battery holder from the front of the pin. Flip it over, and place it on a flat surface.

  • Now heat up the pins of the battery holder with your soldering iron and solder it in place.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Next solder in the tie-tack pin.

  • Place the pin though the hole in the front of the PCB. It will not fall through the hole; just let it go!

  • Now apply heat to the pin from the back, and solder it into place.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Now add the light-emitting diode (LED).

  • First, note which wire lead is longer on the LED. This wire is the anode, or positive (+), lead and will eventually be inserted into the hole marked (+) on the PCB.

    • The shorter lead on the LED is the cathode, or (-), lead. This is placed in the (-) hole on the PCB.

  • Now that you have identified the (+) and (-) leads, hold the LED so it is oriented correctly on the board and bend the leads 90° down towards the board.

  • Now you can insert the LED into the PCB. It should sit flat against it.

  • Flip the board over, and spread the leads apart. This will keep the LED in place

  • Solder the LED in place.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Finish it up!

  • Now all you have to do is insert the battery.

  • Make sure the (+) side of the battery is facing up.

  • Now you can pin it to your bag, hat, or whatever and show off your soldering skills!

For more information, check out the Soldering category page.

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