I didnt get all the parts yet =(
I hope you will do this again soon! I just got back also from being out all day and I think I messed some of it.. I will deffinitely catch this next time. Wish you could save the tutorial and all and post it!
Lori B
As you wish!
First things first: Parts! I used a different box that I surreptitiously obtained from yet to be named sources, but it'll work just the same. From left to right:
1/4 Watt 220 ohm resistor,
superbright mini led,
OEM dse901 connector ($3!! check the "actual 801 and 901 connectors
thread to order yours!),
A box!
USB cable - These were only $0.99 at fry's so they're not black, oh well.
Next we drill our holes - I used a handy drillbit sizer to figure out what size my holes needed to be, but of course the perfect fit the 901 atty was the ONE drillbit I don't have, so I used a zipbit in my dremel to enlarge it slightly. Here they are drilled and ready to go:
Now, before we continue, make sure everything fits, I've gotten to the end before and stuff doesn't fit, it sucks, don't be me.
Next, drill the hole for your USB cable. Make it snug, you'll glue it in place, but snugger is better.
Right, now you've got all your holes, its time for the funpart, cut off the end of the USB cable you're not using and strip the wires to the appropriate length, you'll want your negative wire to be the right length for your battery connector ground, the red will be shortened for the switch. Strip the main insulation from the USB cable, and then snip the white and green wires, these are for data and useless to us. You should be left with only the black and red like so:
Now, solder your negative wire to the body of the connector, I used my helping hands for this, you need to get the body hot enough for everything to stick, and make sure you use FLUX. If you don't have flux, or know what it is, go buy some. Right now, I'll wait.
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Great, now you've got flux, solder your black wire to the body, and the positive to one leg of your switch. Then use a very short piece of wire to connect the center post of your atomizer to whatever leg of your switch closes when you push it. Use a voltmeter to test this. On the radioshack ones, you'll see little lines on the bottom of the switch between the legs. The lines are always connected, across the lines are connected when you push the switch. Now everything should look like this:
Now its time for LEDs, I for one love pretty lights, so I'm all about LEDs. Solder the negative from your LED to the body of the connector, then the positive leg of the LED to a resistor, and then the switch. Unless you've got 5v LEDs, then you don't need a resistor. Now it should look like this:
Woot, now *everything* is soldered, that means you're done, all you need to do now is button everything up. I use hotglue, be careful placing the switch and make sure it doesn't bind and works properly. Glue the switch first, then everything else after. I usually liberally apply glue to all of the connections to pad them against drops etc.
So now you're all buttoned up, guess what, you have a USB passthru, that's it, you're done! You've got vapor, you've got pretty lights, you've got a button that makes a kickass clicky noise when you push it.
Now all thats left is to repackage everything all pretty-like and drop it in the mail for its new owner!
Any questions?
