How to Secure the Circuit Board for Circuit Bending

Circuit bending is a popular hobby that involves "bending," or short circuiting, an electronic toy or instrument to utilize the circuit board to create new sounds controlled by additional switches you can install on the toy. In order to effectively circuit bend, you need to make sure to secure the circuit board properly.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Electronic toy
• Heat-resistant surface
• Soldering iron
• Solder
• Batteries
• Jewelers screwdrivers
• Switches
• Tape
• Wire
• Wire cutters/strippers
• Alligator clips
• Drill
• Drill bits

1. Decide on the electronic toy you are going to bend and set up your work station. This should include a heat-resistant surface. If you do not have a heat-resistant surface, purchase a heat-resistant mat from a hardware, home improvement or craft store.

2. Gather the other tools you will need. You may find along the way you need to add tools to your circuit bending kit, such as needle-nose pliers or other handy items.

3. Explore the circuit board with the alligator clips to find different bends you can create and attach to installed switches, buttons and body contacts. Once you have found a bend to use, install the switch. If the switch needs to go under the circuit board, gently unscrew the screws and move the circuit board aside until the switch is installed.

4. Secure the circuit board, by placing it circuit side up over the plastic posts from which you removed it, and securing it with the screws you removed. Make sure to use the same screws that came from the circuit board since they are often much smaller than the standard screws from the casing.