Halloween Badges

This is a follow up instruction for my LED jewelry. This time I bring you my Halloween collection - a bat, spider and ghost. Make yourself a unique Halloween badge that will glow in the dark. This time I made a video for you!

Step 1: Watch the Video Tutorial!

Check out how the ghost is being designed and made. I tried to show all the steps as detailed as possible. The video should help you to see how to make these badges yourself without any trouble. Hope it will help.

Step 2: Gather All the Tools and Material

The key to success is proper material and tools. Here is what you gonna need.

Tools:

• Narrow pliers
• Round-nose pliers
• Side cutters
• Soldering station (idealy 900M-T-2C soldering tip)
• Tweezers
• Double sided tape
• Piece of paper

Material:

• 1mm/0.8mm straight brass rod
• SMD 1206 LEDs
• coin cell battery (CR2016, CR2025, CR2032, ..)
• tin solder
• soldering paste

Step 3: Start With Stencil

It's always the best to start with the paper template before actually start to waste wire. I prepared a special Halloween collection for you. You can create a bat, spider or adorable ghost. But I would love you to create your own shapes and share them with me!

Step 4: Place Everything on the Paper Stencil

Prepare yourself with the 2 copies of the paper stencil. Cover one of the stencils with double-sided tape. Use the second one to measure, cut and bend all the wire parts. Stick the wires onto the double-sided tape to match the paper template under it. Start from the outer shell, then place LEDs and finally the inner connections. Places the LEDs with the green arrow or T symbol on the back facing to you and pointing inside from the outer shell. It's wise to purchase more LEDs because these little bastards are easy to fly away.

Step 5: Solder Everything Together

Cover all the joints between the wires and LEDs with the solder paste and start slowly soldering the parts together. I am using 2mm flat-top soldering tip heated to 320°C and lead-based solder (Sn63Pb27). Soldering paste is required for the solder to stick onto the brass wires. Otherwise, it won't solder the wires together.

Make sure not to overheat the wire, the double-sided tape will start to lose its stickiness and parts will start to float around. Help yourself with the tweezers to hold the parts in the correct places.

Wanna blinky LEDs?

There is a special type of LED that contains a little microchip inside. This microchip allows for various effects from changing color to blinking. You can use these instead of standard LEDs to make a special effect!

Step 6: Create Battery Holder

Solder a wire on the back of the badge to create a pocket for a battery.

Step 7: Done

Now place a battery into the back of the badge and see how nicely it lit up! There are different types of coin batteries with different diameters and thickness. The only requirement is to use 3V battery. The battery depending on the size and number of LEDs used will last around 24h.

You might be wondering why there is no current limiting resistor. Won't the LED burn? My design uses an internal resistance of the battery. The battery itself won't allow such high current to burn the LEDs. Nasty trick.

Step 8: Make More and Share!

Make whatever shape you like, the only requirement is to create a proper circuit for the battery to lit up the LEDs.

I am Jiri Praus.

www.jiripraus.cz

Comments

[bowen93]

Hi i bought each colour of the led you mentioned but i cannot get the green ones to work at all, can you help with the reason they will not work as i thought the green would go well with the ghost. i love the instructable btw thank you

[paulfecht]

I made these but they are too bendable. I used Sn 98% Ag 2% solder... thought it would be hard enough. It is a wonderful idea but the solder joints are pretty bendable, has anyone had better results with harder(firmer) solder? If you have I'd enjoy know the type and the alloy. Great instructable though.

[vahid61]

How do you straighten the wrapped brass wire coil?

[TimothyM116]

There is a simple tool you cand find also on ebay. like this one https://www.ebay.it/itm/Artistic-Wire-Tool-Nylon-Wire-Straightener-wire-work-tool-jewellery-making-tool/323995522557?hash=item4b6fa355fd:g:7zAAAOSwsNNd4Bpx

Probably you can find a cheaper one, this is only for example.

[atripa19]

Hi, which is this software which is being used to design the template? I want to create more shapes.

[dascomp51]

The software used in the video is called Inkscape.

[atripa19]

Oh Great! Thank You!

[jiripraus]

I am using Inkscape.

[atripa19]

Got it! Thank You!

[omavel]

Hi all!
Aluminium or copper 1-1.5mm rod is okay for this project?

[LegorretaL]

it is easier to weld copper or bronze than aluminum

[sdaverede]

Im loving so far all your creations and I have a question: I want to upgrade my soldering station, which one do you use or recommend? Thanks!

[ChrisR387]

Where are some easy places to find the brass rods?

[NeilRG]

Hobby shops, also sold as brazing rod at hardware or welding supply stores

[desolderer]

I think electric copper wire should work too. Stretch it to get thinner wires and remove isolation easily.
Or wire that florists use to bind their flowers ...

[TimothyM116]

I've found mine on ebay from the UK. Probably hobby shops or similar could have brass, but here is impossible to find one.

[AndyW63]

As several people have asked, where do you get the blinking LEDs? I've been looking all over because they would be perfect for a project I am wanting to make but I can't find them.

[desolderer]

I suppose you can use the ones you find on aliexpress when you search for "Flashing Blink LED Diode SMD". Just be aware that there are fast and slow flashing versions.
From what I have seen they all come in 0805 packages - so rather small.

[AndyW63]

That's perfect! I assumed they would make blinkers for all the sizes but I guess they don't. Found tons of them on Amazon as well now.

[chaotchaot]

Where did you find 1206 blinking LEDs?