X-mas clothespin fridge magnet RGB-LED DIY

Make a fridge magnet with a RGB-LED from a clothespin / clothes peg. A nice X-mas gift. No soldering experience needed. Follow these simple steps.

Used materials:

clothes pin / clothes peg (old style wooden peg)
2 strips of copper tape width 6mm length 5cm
3mm RGB slow flash LED, 3v
a tilt sensor SW-520d
a 1cm neodymium magnet
a 8mm washer
some glue (I prefer strong geltype, dries in 24hrs)
a cr2032 3v button battery
some flux / rosin will help soldering on the metal of the pin
a piece of putty rubber
and of course a soldering iron with some solder, and other tools….

Circuit

The copper tape on the legs of the peg conducts electricity from the battery to the LED. Notice that I use the metal of the spring to conduct the current too, by putting the copper tape in one slot under the metal spring.
The battery has a positive and a negative side. Often the positive side is marked with a ‘+’ sign. The LED also has a positive leg (long) and negative leg (short). By sliding the battery in the mouth of the pin it powers the LED. But the tilt sensor must be upright to conduct the power, it acts as a switch. Once placed on the fridge you can turn the LED off by turning the clothes peg upside down.

Step by step instructions

basic soldering project: Clothespin LED fridge magnet X-mas

Stick the tape on the peg, start just below the metal

On the inside make sure the tape is not too long

Wiggle the tape a bit in the slot with a needle or small screwdriver

Strip the tilt sensor with a knife, watch your fingers

Bend one of the legs of the tilt sensor 90 degrees

Put the tilt sensor upside down in a piece of putty rubber, the bent leg to the right

Put the LED upside down next to the tilt sensor. Keep the long leg (positive anode) on the left side

Bend the long leg of the LED towards the bent leg of the tilt sensor. Make them touch, and solder them together.

Add some flux to the metal spring. We’ll solder the negative side of the LED to the spring.

Heat the flux and pre-coat the spring with tin

Bend the short leg (anode) of the LED parallel to the metal of the spring

Disassemble clothespin again and bend the remaining leg of the tilt sensor inside, touching the copper tape.

Assemble the clothespin again, and add some glue. Watch the orientation of the peg, the copper tape which doesn’t connect with the metal spring is on top now…

Drop the washer on the glue. Wiggle it a bit. If you used slow drying gel type glue, let it dry. I use a washer so I can reuse the neodymium magnet.

When dry, attach the neodymium magnet and attach the battery. The positive side of the battery is on the washer / magnet side.

See the other projects or check my youtube channel