04-07-2009, 02:51 PM
I'm pretty sure that when I was fooling around with my V.O.M. meter I noticed that the red LED's I have had a lower resistance value. Didn't seem like much, however I guess it does make a difference. :|
When I constructed my switch panels made out of a simple piece of 1/4" MDF board I found that trimming the leads on the LED's a bit and using a pair of small pliers to hold the wire made a world of difference in keeping things steady while soldering instead of trying to use my bare fingers.
Best advice I ever received (and this goes for just about anything you are going to solder together) was to PRE-TIN the leads on the LED's and the wire connections. Then just a few sec's with a hot tip and bammo, connection soldered.
BTW - if you trim the leads on the LED's so that they are not so long use a small metal clamp as a heat sink. If the LED gets too hot from soldering it will get burned out. I lost a couple that way. Plus remember, the flat edge on the led bulb itself is where the (neg) - polarity lead is...usually... the lead closest to the round edge is the + polarity one. OR Just always keep the + one a little longer then the - one.
![[Image: DSC02444.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC02444.jpg)
![[Image: DSC02445.jpg]](http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee118/tetters73/DSC02445.jpg)
BTW - Your panel looks great!
When I constructed my switch panels made out of a simple piece of 1/4" MDF board I found that trimming the leads on the LED's a bit and using a pair of small pliers to hold the wire made a world of difference in keeping things steady while soldering instead of trying to use my bare fingers.
Best advice I ever received (and this goes for just about anything you are going to solder together) was to PRE-TIN the leads on the LED's and the wire connections. Then just a few sec's with a hot tip and bammo, connection soldered.
BTW - if you trim the leads on the LED's so that they are not so long use a small metal clamp as a heat sink. If the LED gets too hot from soldering it will get burned out. I lost a couple that way. Plus remember, the flat edge on the led bulb itself is where the (neg) - polarity lead is...usually... the lead closest to the round edge is the + polarity one. OR Just always keep the + one a little longer then the - one.
BTW - Your panel looks great!