If we had to nail down a specific goal for makers as a community, I’d like to think it would be the pursuit of “creating something for everything.” In the spirit of that, we’re going to need some hardware for St. Patrick’s Day, and what better than some shamrock-shaped creations?
Here are our picks for three standout selections that channel the luck of the Irish for awesome results:
#1 – LED40 Shamrock V1
This soldering kit uses 40 LEDs to create a Shamrock shape. It’s powered by 5 volts via your choice of a USB connector or a screw terminal block. The display is static and includes a power switch, along with two holes for mounting.
#2 – Tiny Shamrock
This SMD soldering kit includes a PCB shaped like a Celtic knot, along with 20 LEDs. The lights are controlled using an ATTINY 13 via charlieplexing. It comes pre-programmed but you can upload your own code using any AVR-compatible programming method.
For those who are feeling adventurous, it’s also possible to embed plastic into the holes of the PCB using a method detailed in this video.
#3 – Shamrock LED Earrings
Maker accessories are always a delight, and these Shamrock earrings do not disappoint. They retain a perfect shamrock shape, and include LEDs powered by an ATtiny84a microcontroller.
If you have an SPI programmer and access to the Arduino IDE, you can also program the LEDs yourself. The code takes power saving seriously and keeps the ATtiny84a asleep, waking it up to determine which LED should be triggered before going back to sleep mode again.
However you decide to celebrate, we wish all our fellow Tindarians a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day this year!
