Solder your Clockstar

Now that you know how to solder, let's put it to the test. Ready?

Part one - Soldering the resistors

Before soldering, please check our video tutorial once again to make sure you're doing everything right. If your Clockstar has the battery attached to the PCB, please remove it before you start soldering. Remember that it is unsafe to solder with the battery attached to the device.

The first components we'll use are the main PCB and resistors.

You will need all three resistors for this part.

Resistors are the most basic electronic components found in almost every electronic device.

They just modify the flow of electrical energy in their own unique way. The resistors that you have gotten in your package have a cylindrical shape and two tiny metal legs. We call these legs “component leads”.

First, you'll have to bend the resistors' legs in the shape of the letter U. Be careful because they break easily!

You can bend them either with your fingers or with needle-nose pliers.

Because all of the resistors in the set have the same resistance, it doesn't matter where you put them. Take one of them, and place it here:

Make sure it's on the right side (the back) so you can solder it on the front.

Take the soldering iron, and begin to solder.

When you're done, check if the soldering joints look good. Using the pliers, cut the remaining legs of the resistor. To protect your eyes, turn the board away from your face when cutting.

Take another resistor, and put it next to the first one. This one will also be soldered on the front.

Start soldering.

And, finally, place the last resistor here:

You must be careful not to touch the display with the tip of the soldering iron, since this will melt it.

This is what your Clockstar should look like when you cut the resistor legs:

Part two - Soldering the switch

Make sure all the soldering joints on the resistors are looking good before proceeding. If they are, take the switch. This is where you should place the switch. This component will be soldered at the back of the PCB. The first and last soldering joints are the easiest to solder. Make sure that the switch is pushed all the way to the board and that it's not tilted. Check the soldering joints and make sure that there are no bridges. If there are, you must clean them otherwise your Clockstar will not turn on.

Part three - Soldering the LED

Now it's time to solder the LED. On the PCB, you can see the "cut-off" part drawn where the LED should go. Your LED's head also has a somewhat cut-off part. You must ensure that the parts are aligned. The LED will be on the front, so the soldering will take place at the back. LED does not have to go all the way to the board. Don't push it too hard or it will break. You can cut the rest of the LED's legs if all of the soldering joints appear clean and there are no bridges. We are done with soldering! Check all of the soldering joints again before moving on to the next chapter, where we'll continue assembling Clockstar.

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