Soldering workshop for kids and adults
Goal
Learn to solder your first electronic circuit with professionals.
We will solder the Weevil Eye that blink in the dark!
Kid soldering at MakerFaire Brussels event:
The Weevil Eye soldering kit:
Hardware
- Beginner Learn to Solder Fun Kit: Weevil Eye https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32868425122.html or at Sparkfun https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10723
- Universal Proto Board: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32677252978.html
- Wire cutter: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32725136902.html
- USB soldering pen: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32950939553.html
- CR2032 batteries: https://www.ikea.com/be/fr/p/plattboj-pile-lithium-80291156/
- Safety glasses: https://www.action.com/fr-fr/p/lunettes-de-securite-werckmann-/
- USB power supplies (2A mandatory): https://www.action.com/nl-be/p/maxxter-usb-lader-/
- USB lights: https://www.action.com/nl-be/p/dymond-usb-ledlamp-/
- Cutting mat A3: https://www.action.com/fr-be/p/tapis-a-decouper/
- Solder
- Sponge (vegetale): https://www.carrefour.fr/p/eponges-vegetales-carrefour-3560070759163
- Desoldering gun
- Anchois cans: https://colruyt.collectandgo.be/cogo/fr/detail_article/5069/boni-selection-anchois-huile-d-olive-50g-conserve
DIY third hand
In action:
Ingredients:
- pine wood block (dimensions Xcm x Xcm)
- pine wood screws + rondelle
- Hobby Deco Wire 5m (like this https://www.laboutiquedejuliette.com/164-fil-metallique.html or this https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/729076259/green-iron-wire)
- crocodile heads salvaged from crocodile clips
- USB female connector fixed with hot glue (aliexpress)
- salvaged USB cables
- USB LED lamps
DIY USB soldering gun holder
I could not find a decent USB soldering gun holder for those USB soldering guns, so I made one myself out of 2mm think copper wire from Brico.
I used some pine wood cut long enough to have stability.
Ingredients:
- 2mm thick copper wire
- wood (dimensions Xcm x Xcm)
- bolt nut
What went wrong?
- Some people soldered the LEDs in the wrong order, IMHO there should be some "+" and "-" labelling on the silkscreen of the PCB so that people at least ask themselves which leg of the LED is the "+" or the "-".
- One lamp of the DIY third lamp did not work
- We did not know how to debug the board if it does not work out of the box
- Maybe have some floating battery to test the circuit before soldering the battery
- There should be a switch (in the front) in order to avoid draining the battery during the night
- There should be a magnet to put it on the fridge
- Instructions should have been printed on paper, so that participants are autonomous
- Instructions should be translated to french
- 5 minutes briefing for everybody at the beginning with 3 bullet points
What's next?
- Make another workshop, find more kids
- Re-order the PCB at DirtyPCB or OSHPark
- Fix the PCB with improvements
- Order a Christmas tree, and add an esp8266?
First event
- When: Friday 27 sep 2019, from 10H to 18H (duration 1H)
- Where: Educode conference, Haute-École Bruxelles-Brabant, avenue Defré, Uccle, Belgium
- Who: Kids from 6y old to Adults up to 99y old :-)
- Fee: 5EUR
- Registration: by email, and specify your name and your preferred time slot
- Link: http://www.educode.be/ateliers/apprendre-a-souder/
- Contact: Benjamin HENRION moc.liamg|babooz#moc.liamg|babooz +32-484566109
Second event
At MakerFaire Brussels
Links
- https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10723
- http://huevosrancherostx.blogspot.com/2014/01/beware-weevileye.html
- https://events.ccc.de/congress/2013/wiki/File:Happy_kids_soldering_at_OHM2013.jpg
- https://clalliance.org/blog/hackerspaces-and-homeschooling-making-startup-schools/
- https://twitter.com/kate_dicko/status/1155458591568138245
- https://twitter.com/kate_dicko/status/1155451910603923456
- https://twitter.com/zoobab/status/1202591827095883776
- http://www.madlab.org/clubmad.html
- http://www.madlab.org/kits.html
- https://www.olimex.com/Products/Soldering-Kits/TuxCon-Kitty/open-source-hardware
- https://www.olimex.com/Products/Soldering-Kits/TuxCon-Kitty/resources/TuxCon-Kitty.pdf
- https://www.olimex.com/Products/Soldering-Kits/FOSDEM-85/open-source-hardware
- https://www.tindie.com/search/?q=badge