Popsicle Stick Switch

By Tom Fox
Time Required: 10 minutes

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I have been Workshop Editor for both Boys’ Quest and Fun For Kidz magazine for over 15 years. One of my early projects was a Morse Code Telegraph. Of course this project needed a switch to send out the code. I came up with the Popsicle Stick switch since it could be easily made from a Popsicle Stick (a regular craft stick also works fine) and a couple of screws. This I thought would be great for kids to make themselves since in making it they would learn the basic principles of an electric switch. In addition to having a nice sound to its name, the switch worked out better than I hoped. I have used it in numerous other projects, including my Wireless Telegraph, Popsicle Stick Electronic Organ, Solar Powered Flashlight, Electric Buzzer, Reaction Timer Game, Game Timer and more.

March 11, 2013, 10:33 pm PDT

Parts

popsicle stick, or craft stick (1)
1/2' 6-32 round-head machine screws (1)
3/4' #6 wood screws (3)
6-32 steel machine hex nuts (2)
small piece of cushiony packing material (1)
Hook-up wire (1)
duct tape, electrical tape (1)
6' length of 1x4 board (1)

Tools

3/4" #6 wood screws
1/2" 6-32 round-head machine screws
6-32 steel machine hex nuts
popsicle stick
small piece of cushiony packing material
duct tape, electrical tape
Hook-up wire
6" length of 1x4 board

Steps

Step #1:

NextPrev

Follow drawing and make marks on the Popsicle stick for the 1/8" holes that you drill as described in Step 2.

Conclusion

This is a simple project but is quite useful especially in any homemade electronic games. It is inexpensive and yet quite reliable AND you can always fix it yourself if something does go wrong!

Tom Fox

I've been designing contraptions since I was 12. One early contraption I made was designed to turn a room light on when dark, nearly burned the house down! It also stunk the house up since its selenium rectifier overheated big time which is a real no-no.

I've learned a lot since then...thank God! Since I became interested in electricity about the time I started to crave hot dogs roasted on an open fire, I went to the Illinois Institute of Technology and received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. After that I started to turn out the electronic contraption designs and their prototypes at a furious pace. Many of these designs I had published in many electronic magazines such as Popular Electronics, Radio-Electronics, Modern Electronics, etc. etc. etc. and I am still doing it. My aim now is to instill in the viewer an interest in electronics AND knowledge of it as well. I firmly believe interest and motivation comes before knowledge--just look at the movie "October Sky"!

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