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Step 2Solder the LEDs
First place nine of the LEDs in your newly built jig. Position them so that the legs point in the same counter-clockwise direction. The photos show the cathode pointing clockwise with the anode facing out, but I'd turn the LEDs around if I did it again in order to keep the leg from obstructing the view of the LED.
Solder the sides together, one pair on each side. Use small clips to keep the legs clamped together while applying the solder.
Once each of the four sides are soldered, move the clips to hold the corners together and apply solder to each. Lastly, solder the cathode of the middle LED to one of the sides and trim away the excess.
Repeat three times.
You should now have three sets of nine LEDs. Position two of the sets one on top of the other. Keep the distance equal to the spacing already established between LEDs. Once you're comfortable with the spacing you can clamp each set of legs using two clips, one in each direction, to keep the legs firmly in place while soldering. You may need to bend around a LED to get a good connection. Solder each of the nine pairs, one at a time.
Do this one more time and you're done with the cube.
Place the cube on one side of the the perfboard. Make sure the nine legs are positioned apart evenly while you guide each one through a hole. My board has five holes between each set of legs. You want to leave as much room as possible on the other end of the perfboard to fit the various components.
Add a few clips to hold the legs in place once you're happy with the positioning. Leave plenty of leg poking through the bottom since this will make it easier to solder the resistors later. Turn the board over and solder each of the legs to keep them in place. Flip the cube back over once all the legs have been soldered.
Lastly we need to solder a lead from each of the levels down through the bottom of the board. Strip a piece of solid wire and bend a small hook on one end. Hang the hook on one of the center LEDs legs and guide it through a hole on the perfboard. Solder the hook end to keep the wire in place. Repeat again for the other two levels.
The next step is to build the rest of the circuit.
Solder the sides together, one pair on each side. Use small clips to keep the legs clamped together while applying the solder.
Once each of the four sides are soldered, move the clips to hold the corners together and apply solder to each. Lastly, solder the cathode of the middle LED to one of the sides and trim away the excess.
Repeat three times.
You should now have three sets of nine LEDs. Position two of the sets one on top of the other. Keep the distance equal to the spacing already established between LEDs. Once you're comfortable with the spacing you can clamp each set of legs using two clips, one in each direction, to keep the legs firmly in place while soldering. You may need to bend around a LED to get a good connection. Solder each of the nine pairs, one at a time.
Do this one more time and you're done with the cube.
Place the cube on one side of the the perfboard. Make sure the nine legs are positioned apart evenly while you guide each one through a hole. My board has five holes between each set of legs. You want to leave as much room as possible on the other end of the perfboard to fit the various components.
Add a few clips to hold the legs in place once you're happy with the positioning. Leave plenty of leg poking through the bottom since this will make it easier to solder the resistors later. Turn the board over and solder each of the legs to keep them in place. Flip the cube back over once all the legs have been soldered.
Lastly we need to solder a lead from each of the levels down through the bottom of the board. Strip a piece of solid wire and bend a small hook on one end. Hang the hook on one of the center LEDs legs and guide it through a hole on the perfboard. Solder the hook end to keep the wire in place. Repeat again for the other two levels.
The next step is to build the rest of the circuit.
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Sep 16, 2011. 3:45 PMMudbud
says:
I flipped the anode in and dude... HUGE MESS.... Like, it wasn't a cube shape lol. Don't try it..
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Sep 6, 2011. 8:17 PMaxeman911
says:
Thanx so much in all the other other instructibles they make it really confusing on the build of the cube. Ur's is s simple! :)
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