Here's a question to those of you who have used LEDs on your figures, where do you get them? I have a couple of projects I want to put LEDs in, and I don;t know where would be the best place to pick them up, thanks!

_________________

http://www.jinsaotomesdangeroustoys.com/guides.html

This guy is awesome with the bigger scale figures. ANd he just uses dollar store toys.
On this page there are 4 sub-categories, but look at Customizing and Character Specific Guides. He has one tutorial under each--an Iron Man and Transformer.

Hope it helps.

_________________

At TRU we sell a thing called a "Flash Pop" which is basically a sucker with an led inside it. Costs a couple bucks and when broken open is fun to mess with.

Another candy item is called "Fireflys" and is little gummy candies shaped like bugs with a pair of tweezers that light up when squeezed, making it look as though the fireflys are lighting up. I've seen these as cheap as 2 for $1 when on sale.

And if you're really desperate you can always go to Radio Shack and get red, green, or blue leds. But they cost quite a bit more.

_________________

I've used both of these for projects. The flash pops are little better because they had an on/off button. The tweezers were pressure sensitive.

Radio shack has multiple colors and multiple sizes. They have some power sources, and a ton of switches. In fact just yesterday I picked up an assorting bag of led bulbs of different sizes and colors for $1.50.

If you're just starting out with a light up endeavor it is way, way, way easier to start with something that already has the feature you want (ie blinking/not blinking, color, brightness, turn on/off or push button) and try to incorporate it into what you are working on then scratch building it.

Once you get the knack for what you want you start seeing things differently. Kind of like when you really started customizing you started looking at those sandwich swords differently. You start looking forward to halloween and christmas for entirely different reasons than most people. You'll also start finding ways to splice and rewire things. Oh and you'll pick up a soddering iron.

The biggest issues you will face are 1) finding a nice compact power source 2) even if you have a power source, it may not meet the requirements of the LED or bulb you want to use and 3) fitting all of that crap inside of a figure without losing any of the articulation. Having a big backpack is an easy fix for #3. Never passing up a junk toy with a light up feature is how I handle #1. #2 I'm still working on which is why I picked up the assorted LEDs.

_________________

I've used led keychains before. The lights are a good size, and they take small batteries.

_________________

everytime I go to that site I feel like I'm reading "remove your own kidney for fun and profit" and holding a dull butter knife,

The man has mad skills, a willingness to teach, and yet I'm still just lost.

I second the cheap toys idea, though, why reinvent the wheel.

_________________

For just the LEDs, we picked up some small lanterns at wal-mart last night, for five dollars each. They have six white, and one red LED in each one. The white ones don't seem to have the typiical blueish cast most white LEDs have. The wiring might not be much good, though. It uses a single button to access three functions. (three white lights, six white lights, blinking red light w/ no white lights)

_________________

I forgot that one time my son and I went to Red Robin's (YUM!) and they had these in the vending machine for 50 cents. Easy to take apart and install somewhere. I added a link to a party goods store but you can look around for free shipping or a better deal.

http://www.promopeddler.com/04-92/finger-lights-fits-size-finger-qqp380285.htm

_________________