Light-Up Papercraft Soldercorn

For Open Sauce, I designed a papercraft version of our mascot Sparkles, the soldering unicorn. If you’d like to make your own, you’ll be able to download a blank one here soon and print it yourself. Below are more detailed written instructions to accompany the numbers on the model. I’ve also, brace yourself, made a video. I know, it’s been a while.

Attach the pieces using tape/double-sided tape or glue.

  1. Cut out the three pieces.
  2. Add copper tape to the two indicated locations.
  3. Fold up the soldering horn as indicated on the model, it will become one flat roll. Squeeze the edges of the end and insert an LED so one leg touches each of the copper tape strips.
    • A piece of clear tape around the outside will hold things in place nicely.
  4. Attach the battery holder to the unicorn head at A.
    • It should be sticking off the back in the middle of the hair.
  5. There are three strips sticking out from the soldering horn, long and medium ones with copper tape, and one short one without copper tape. From the outside of the head (no text side), feed the longest and shortest one through the slot in the forehead. The medium one with copper tape showing should go toward the back of the head.
  6. Tape the short strip to the inside of the forehead where indicated, and the long strip going the other direction. Fold over the extra and secure it.
    • DO NOT cover the copper tape inside the battery compartment (i.e. after you’ve folded it over) or your soldercorn will not work.
  7. Follow the instructions on the model to fold up and tape the battery compartment.
    • You will have two flaps left that you’ll do soon.
  8. Tape the tabs to the inside of the soldercorn’s jaw where shown to form the face.
  9. Bend the final battery holder flaps down so they create the back of the soldercorn’s head, which is also the part that goes behind your knuckle as a finger puppet.
  10. Insert a 2032 coin cell battery into the compartment and slide the outside copper tape strip behind the battery. If it doesn’t work, try the battery the other direction. You also might need to squeeze the legs of the LED and/or battery compartment to secure the connections.
  11. The long pieces at the back of the head are the hair. Curl the hair around a cylinder like a pencil, or leave it as a mohawk if you’d like.
  12. Place your puppet on your finger, and play to your heart’s content!