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Step 3Solder wire to the LED
Basically the electronics part of this project involves soldering a couple of flying leads onto the LED and positioning the battery and switch at a slight distance from it, not exactly rocket science, but tough if you don't happen to have a soldering iron. BUT seeing as you can probably buy one for less than the value of the wand you are about to make, maybe now is the time to get one.
To make it easier to solder, push the LED upside down into a piece of plastercine, blu-tack, corrugated or foam core cardboard. That way it is held steady while you concentrate on the soldering.
To get a goo solder join, tin the wire first (to tin the wire, hold the soldering iron on the wire and touch the solder on to the wire as well, when the wire is hot enough, the solder will melt and run along the strands of wire solidifying them together.)
Handle the soldering iron with extreme care as they get very hot and will burn you easily and badly, and will make holes in tables and carpets if knocked off their stands when hot. Also never pick a soldering iron up by the metal bit, you just don't know if it is still hot or not... always use the handle.
To make it easier to solder, push the LED upside down into a piece of plastercine, blu-tack, corrugated or foam core cardboard. That way it is held steady while you concentrate on the soldering.
To get a goo solder join, tin the wire first (to tin the wire, hold the soldering iron on the wire and touch the solder on to the wire as well, when the wire is hot enough, the solder will melt and run along the strands of wire solidifying them together.)
Handle the soldering iron with extreme care as they get very hot and will burn you easily and badly, and will make holes in tables and carpets if knocked off their stands when hot. Also never pick a soldering iron up by the metal bit, you just don't know if it is still hot or not... always use the handle.
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