How to Install an Audio Jack for Circuit Bending

Video Transcript

"AMANDA CLAIRE: So, why don't we try that first? Why don't we install an audio jack or a 1/4-inch guitar jack so we can just right away run this into an amplifier. That's not really circuit bending because you haven't modified the circuit by doing that but still it's an important step that is good practice in learning how to position a new component into your project. We'll learn how to solder with it. We'll learn a little bit about how to work with wire so let's try that. So here's our jack. This is our 1/4-inch guitar jack. This is a mono jack 'cause it only has one sort of piece of metal, one little tongue of metal that will contact the plug when it comes in. Because the plug comes in this way, we want this to be on the outside of the toy of the project. So the first thing you need to do is take this little nut off so these will always have like a little hex nut on it. You can see it there. I'm taking it off so when I take that little nut off and I'm going to set it aside. And then they'll usually have at least one, sometimes two washers. This one only has one washer. It looks like the other one is kinda integral to it so take that off and set that aside for a second. Actually, I want to set the other ones aside. Set the nut and the washers aside. Keep the jack. All right. Now, this jack also has threads on it, right? And so it's actually a lot thicker than you think it is because of the threads. And so when you a drill a hole into this case to accept that jack, you're going to want one that is big enough for the jack and the threads. So here I've got a bit that's about a 3/8-inch drill bit, and it looks like that might be about the right size."