Small project

Eathrin

Hi

I was thinking of trying a small project.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-an-Iron-Man-Arc-Reactor/

I'm quite new to electronics so I don't have much experience with circuits.
So I have a few questions about this project!

1. Should I be able to do it given my minor experience?

2. Where could I buy LEDs, resistors, polymorph (probably ebay), copper wiring and a battery holder+ switch, suitable wood for creating a mould? (Avoiding online)

3. I found an old soldering Iron out in the shed. It's tip is fairly rusty. I tried it out and takes a few seconds before any solder actually melts, on top of that its only a small unrusted spot on the front that actually melts the solder. When the solder melts it doesn't stick to the iron, just falls and forms a ball. So is this iron unsuitable?

Thanks

maxfresh

Radionics should have that stuff, they have a trade counter

http://radionics.rs-online.com/web/generalDisplay.html?id=aboutRS&file=abtrs_tradecounter.html

Eathrin

Thanks, seems a bit out of the way, Anywhere closer to the city centre. Woodies and power city are local to me but I don't think they would stock that type of stuff or am I wrong?

maxfresh

Maybe maplins

http://www.maplin.co.uk/store-locator/dublin-central

Eathrin

maxfresh wrote: »

Maybe maplins

http://www.maplin.co.uk/store-locator/dublin-central

Looks the business , cheers

djtony1

HI Cian. you should get all your electronic parts in Peats electronics in Capel street. did course project last year and most students got parts there (Cheaper than maplins).As regards soldering iron clean the tip of it with a file till u get back to clean metal, heat up the iron and put some solder on tip and wipe off quickly with damp sponge . lidl are selling soldering iron /accessories this week and quite cheap .Cheers

Carlow52

djtony1 wrote: »

HI Cian. you should get all your electronic parts in Peats electronics in Capel street. did course project last year and most students got parts there (Cheaper than maplins).As regards soldering iron clean the tip of it with a file till u get back to clean metal, heat up the iron and put some solder on tip and wipe off quickly with damp sponge . lidl are selling soldering iron /accessories this week and quite cheap .Cheers

Have Peats a gaff in Capel Street? not listed here:
http://www.peats.com/cgi-bin/about_v2.cgi?id=contact

Eathrin

Peats are up on parnell street if I'm not mistaken. Thanks for the info.

djtony1

sorry Cian dunno wat i was thinking bout der.

Eathrin

Ok so I'm getting some polymorph off ebay (€9)
Components from Peats (€5-10?)
May find some balsa wood in art n hobby shop (€?)
And soldering iron from lidl (€10)

This is looking like an expensive project already! Hope it works out for me

mccarre4

hey cian, i know u wanted to avoid buying online, but seeing as u already bought the polymorph of ebay, u may consider buyin ur balsawood there also, theres one irish supplier and a couple of uk ones u may fine of use.
otherwise i do know of one other balsa supplier in ireland, www.balsa-wood.net
they also have electric motors

Eathrin

Cheers I'll check that out

mccarre4

no worries, u might want to post your photos when ur finished the project

Bruthal

I find ebay great for electronic components. Got a fair few this year from it.

Eathrin

Oops,

Well I've destroyed almost all of my Leds so I'm going to have to order more.
I spent hours on it and I must say it's really frustrating stuff.

I wasn't fully convinced of these Surface mount LEDs I bought though, a whole lot of Them I broke by the Anode or cathode plates coming off when slightly bent. Was I being too harsh on them or did I buy cheap components. Basically I had the led's soldered to the resistors and when I twisted it to lie flat on the wood the plates often came off.

At least I still have loads of Solder, wire and resistors but those LED's aren't too cheap!

Bruthal

Cian A wrote: »

Oops,

Well I've destroyed almost all of my Leds so I'm going to have to order more.
I spent hours on it and I must say it's really frustrating stuff.

I wasn't fully convinced of these Surface mount LEDs I bought though, a whole lot of Them I broke by the Anode or cathode plates coming off when slightly bent. Was I being too harsh on them or did I buy cheap components. Basically I had the led's soldered to the resistors and when I twisted it to lie flat on the wood the plates often came off.

At least I still have loads of Solder, wire and resistors but those LED's aren't too cheap!

They are surface mount led`s so are meant to be quickly soldered to a pcb, and not have any mechanical strain applied to them.

It sounds like standard led`s would be more suitable here.