DIY Hacks & How To’s: Make a Magic Wand

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Do you know a kid that likes to pretend that they are a wizard or a fairy princess? Well, this is a project for them. This project shows how you can make a toy wand that can turn on/off electronic devices like magic. Or more specifically with a magnet.

Many electrical devices use momentary switches. When working with momentary switches, you can wire multiple switches in parallel to create an OR gate. This lets any of the switches activate the device just like the original would. A magnetic reed switch can be used in this way so that the circuit can be activated by a magnet as well as the button. So all you need to do is embed a magnet in a toy wand and wire a reed switch to one of the buttons on the electrical device. Then when the magnet is brought close to the sensor, it acts like the switch has been pressed and activates the circuit.

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Complete instructions can be found at here.

Here are links to the wand making tutorials:

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My name is Jason Poel Smith. I have an undergraduate degree in Engineering that is 50% Mechanical Engineering and 50% Electrical Engineering. I have worked in a variety of industries from hydraulic aerial lifts to aircraft tooling. I currently spend most of my time chasing around my new baby. In my spare time I make the how-to series "DIY Hacks and How Tos."

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