3D Xmas Tree Kit - Velleman

The return of cold weather means less time in the field and more time warming the workshop with a soldering iron.  Winter 'tis the season of father and son kit building!

Shea (KC2VSR) had a great time building this Velleman 3D Xmas Tree Kit.  The holiday theme really put us into the holiday spirit too.

The kit comes with a set of detailed instructions.  No issues understanding what to do.

The first thing we did was to layout the parts to make sure everything was included. We found the kit had all the parts and enough extra LEDs to make the trees solid red or a combination of red, yellow, and green. KC2VSR chose to go with the multicolor design.

The parts are all through-the-hole which made soldering a breeze.

KC2VSR used this handy project vise to hold the circuit parts steady during installation and soldering.

KC2VSR demonstrating proper soldering technique - heat the part first (not the solder) and let the solder flow.  Nice work!

Voila!  The finished 3D Xmas Tree.  It worked the very first time powered up.  We like the clever design of using the 9V battery as the base of the tree. 

There is something about blinking LEDs that brings a project to life.  There is an LED fun factor. 

The 3D XMas Tree looks great in the dark too.

Pros

• Great kit for anyone interested in developing soldering skills
• LED adds a "fun factor" to the finished product
• Clear instructions
• Low cost
• Creative design
• Exposed components show off the builder's skill - conversation piece
• Possibilities for experimentation - e.g. changing values of capacitors, trying different transistors, ...

Cons

• None!

This is an all-around wonderful little kit.  It would make a nice gift for any kit builder you know.  It would also be a fun project for anyone interested in learning how to solder.

Happy Holidays from KC2VSR and NJ2X

Related articles:

• Project: Wheel Of Fortune Kit (Velleman)
• Brain Game Kit - Velleman
• 3D Xmas Tree Kit - Velleman
• Project: Tiny Mint Tin Switched 9v Battery to Anderson PowerPole
  
• Soldering 101
• Desoldering 101
• KN-Q7A Single Band SSB Transceiver Kit - New Arrival

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