NJ2X: 3D Xmas Tree Kit

December 18, 2011

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!

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 LED's 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 based of the tree.

There is something about blinking LEDs that really makes a project come to life - the 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

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© Michael W. Maher and NJ2X.COM, 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Michael W. Maher and NJ2X.COM with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.