Multilingual DIY Kit (incl. 27 RGB LEDs + Raspberry Pi Pico)
Bring some engineering magic to your festive season with the Wordy LED Christmas Tree, a unique DIY electronics kit designed by Elektor. This beautifully engineered 3D Christmas tree combines eleven PCBs, a Raspberry Pi Pico, and 27 addressable RGB LEDs to illuminate Christmas greetings in seven languages: Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Unlike ordinary LED trees, each word inside the tree has its own light chamber, creating a refined, softly glowing display without sound or flicker. The LEDs are fully WS2812-compatible and driven via the popular Adafruit NeoPixel library, making custom animations and color effects easy to create.
Perfect for makers, tinkerers, and festive electronics fans, this kit offers both an enjoyable build and a striking, conversation-worthy decoration. The Wordy Christmas Tree is your perfect holiday maker project!
Features
Multilingual greetings (7 languages) milled into the front panel
3D construction from 11 interlocking PCBs
Powered by Raspberry Pi Pico
27 individually addressable RGB LEDs (pre-mounted)
Smooth fade-in and fade-out animations
Fully programmable using the Arduino IDE
A 5-V power supply (with micro-USB connector) capable of ≥1 A is recommended for maximum brightness (not included)
Dimensions (H x W x D): 130 x 115 x 75 mm
Included
All required PCBs with LEDs and other SMD parts mounted
Raspberry Pi Pico (to be soldered & programmed by the user)
3-way pin header (to be soldered by the user)
3-way pin socket (to be soldered by the user)
4x Self-adhesive dome bumpers
Project Page
Elektor Labs
Learn, Build, and Understand Electronics – with Elektor
Projects, expert knowledge, archive access, and exclusive discounts – all in one membership.
Would you like to learn electronics, develop your own circuits, and gain a better understanding of modern technologies? Elektor Magazine has been one of the leading sources of information for electronics engineers, developers, start-ups, and companies for 65 years. With an Elektor Green Membership, you get:
✅ The international electronics magazine Elektor (in digital format)
✅ Access to the Elektor archive with 65 years of electronics know-how
✅ DIY projects, tested circuits, in-depth reviews and tutorials
✅ Exclusive member discounts at Elektor.com
Why Elektor?
For 65 years, Elektor has stood for in-depth electronics knowledge, practical projects, and innovative technologies.
From microcontrollers and embedded systems to Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and ESP32, as well as IoT, AI, measurement technology, audio, RF, and robotics, Elektor covers the key platforms and application areas of modern electronics.
Whether you are a beginner, maker, or professional – Elektor helps you take your skills to the next level.
Who is this membership for?
Beginners – Start your journey into electronics with clear fundamentals and first projects
Makers – Discover new projects, ideas, and inspiration for your own developments
Professionals & Engineers – Stay up to date with modern technologies and deepen your expertise
Your benefits at a glance
Magazine (Digital) – Receive every issue digitally, delivered straight to your inbox
65 years of electronics knowledge – Access the extensive Elektor archive anytime (since 1974)
Hands-on projects – Turn your ideas into reality with guides, circuits, and tutorials
Exclusive discounts – Save on every purchase at Elektor.com
Unlock all Elektor benefits today!
Free Membership
Green Membership
❌ 8x Elektor Magazine (Digital Edition) as PDF
✅ 8x Elektor Magazine (Digital Edition) as PDF
❌ 12 Months of Access to the Full Elektor Archive
✅ 12 Months of Access to the Full Elektor Archive
❌ Access to Over 5,000 Gerber Files
✅ Access to Over 5,000 Gerber Files
❌ 10% Member Discount at Elektor.com
✅ 10% Member Discount at Elektor.com
✅ Read Elektor weekly every Friday
✅ Read Elektor weekly every Friday
ℹ️ Do you prefer reading Elektor Magazine in print? Find out everything about the Elektor Gold Membership (Print) here.
Elektor GREEN and GOLD members can download their digital edition here.
Not a member yet? Click here.
Relio v1.0 - Presence Detection and Remote ControlA Matter-Enabled Smart Controller for AC Appliances
Designing Better PCBsA Practical Guide for Professionals and Makers
KiCad 9Top New and Updated Features
Precision Picoammeter (1)With Curve Tracer Functionality Down to the pA range!
Christmas Star 2025A Star Is Soldered
100 mV Continuity Tester
Who’s Pushing the Boundaries of European Electronics?Companies to Watch
productronica 2025: What’s New in Electronics Development and Production
Automation to Tackle Reshoring Manufacturing, Tariffs and Labour Shortages
Beyond Future ProofCircularity in Electronics
Passive ComponentsLow-Loss Inductors Enabling High-Efficiency DC/DC Converters
How Desktop Manufacturing Machines Are Democratizing PCB Production
Starting Out in Electronics...Needs Power
UHD Displays Driven with EaseYour Guide to Easily Put Various TFT-LCDs Into Operation Quickly
Soldering in 2025Practical Soldering Tips Straight from the Workbench
SimulIDEAn All-in-One Tool for Circuit Prototyping
2025: An AI OdysseyFrom Autocomplete to Colleague
Wordy Christmas TreeA Festive Electronics Project with a Linguistic Twist
Err-lectronicsCorrections, Updates, and Readers’ Letters
Analog Pipeline DistortionA Cool Audio Effect For Guitars and Other Instruments
ESP32 Audio Transceiver Board (Part 3)Stereo Transmission and Dual Radio
The Whadda 3D Xmas Tree Kit is aimed at hobbyists and beginners who are interested in soldering and electronics. With this DIY kit, you can build a festive LED Christmas tree.
Features
16 flashing red LEDs
Extra green and yellow LEDs provided to customise your tree
Can be hung on and fed through wires
Will operate on 12 V DC (e.g. in cars)
Specifications
Low power consumption
8 mA
Power supply
9 V battery operation (not included)
Dimensions
102 x 88 x 80 mm
Weight
65 g
Downloads
Manual
This upgraded version 2.0 (available exclusively from Elektor) contains the following improvements:
Enhanced protective earthing (PE) for furnace chassis
Extra thermal insulation layer around furnace to reduce odors
Connection to a computer, allowing curve editing on a PC
Features such as constant temperature control and timing functions
The infrared IC heater T-962 v2.0 is a microprocessor-controlled reflow oven that you can use for effectively soldering various SMD and BGA components. The whole soldering process can be completed automatically and it is very easy to use. This machine uses a powerful infrared emission and circulation of the hot air flow, so the temperature is being kept very accurate and evenly distributed.
A windowed drawer is designed to hold the work-piece, and allows safe soldering techniques and the manipulation of SMDBGA and other small electronic parts mounted on a PCB assembly. The T-962 v2.0 may be used to automatically rework solder to correct bad solder joints, remove/replace bad components and complete small engineering models or prototypes.
Features
Large infrared soldering area
Effective soldering area: 180 x 235 mm; this increases the usage range of this machine drastically and makes it an economical investment.
Choice of different soldering cycles
Parameters of eight soldering cycles are pre defined and the entire soldering process can completed automatically from Preheat, Soak and Reflow through to cool down.
Special heat up and temperature equalization with all designs
Uses up to 800 Watts of energy efficient Infrared heating and air circulation to re-flow solder.
Ergonomic design, practical and easily operated
Good build quality but at the same time light weight and a small footprint allows the T-962 v2.0 to be easily bench positioned transported or stored.
Large number of available functions
The T-962 v2.0 can solder most small parts of PCB boards, for example CHIP, SOP, PLCC, QFP, BGA etc. It is the ideal rework solution from single runs to on-demand small batch production.
Specifications
Soldering area (max)
180 x 235 mm (7.1 x 9.3")
Power (max)
800 W
Temperature range
0-280°C (32-536°F)
Heating method
Infrared
Processing time
1~8 minutes
Power supply
220 V AC/50 Hz
Display
LCD with Backlight
Control mode
8 intelligent temperature curves
Dimensions
310 x 290 x 170 mm (12.2 x 11.4 x 6.7")
Weight
6.2 kg
Included
1x T-962 v2.0 Reflow Soldering Oven (Elektor Version)
2x Fuses
1x Power cord (EU)
Downloads
Manual
Elektor GREEN and GOLD members can download their digital edition here.
Not a member yet? Click here.
Relio v1.0 - Presence Detection and Remote ControlA Matter-Enabled Smart Controller for AC Appliances
Designing Better PCBsA Practical Guide for Professionals and Makers
KiCad 9Top New and Updated Features
Precision Picoammeter (1)With Curve Tracer Functionality Down to the pA range!
Christmas Star 2025A Star Is Soldered
100 mV Continuity Tester
Who’s Pushing the Boundaries of European Electronics?Companies to Watch
productronica 2025: What’s New in Electronics Development and Production
Automation to Tackle Reshoring Manufacturing, Tariffs and Labour Shortages
Beyond Future ProofCircularity in Electronics
Passive ComponentsLow-Loss Inductors Enabling High-Efficiency DC/DC Converters
How Desktop Manufacturing Machines Are Democratizing PCB Production
Starting Out in Electronics...Needs Power
UHD Displays Driven with EaseYour Guide to Easily Put Various TFT-LCDs Into Operation Quickly
Soldering in 2025Practical Soldering Tips Straight from the Workbench
SimulIDEAn All-in-One Tool for Circuit Prototyping
2025: An AI OdysseyFrom Autocomplete to Colleague
Wordy Christmas TreeA Festive Electronics Project with a Linguistic Twist
Err-lectronicsCorrections, Updates, and Readers’ Letters
Analog Pipeline DistortionA Cool Audio Effect For Guitars and Other Instruments
ESP32 Audio Transceiver Board (Part 3)Stereo Transmission and Dual Radio
Elektor GREEN and GOLD members can download their digital edition here.
Not a member yet? Click here.
Accelerating IoT Innovation
A Color E-Ink Wi-Fi Picture Frame
ESP-Launchpad TutorialFrom Zero to Flashing in Minutes
ESP32 and ChatGPTOn the Way to a Self-Programming System…
Walkie-Talkie with ESP-NOWNot Quite Wi-Fi, Not Quite Bluetooth!
From Idea to Circuit with the ESP32-S3A Guide to Prototyping with Espressif Chips
AIoT Chip InnovationAn Interview With Espressif CEO Teo Swee-Ann
Simulate ESP32 with WokwiYour Project’s Virtual Twin
Trying Out the ESP32-S3-BOX-3A Comprehensive AIoT Development Platform
Electronics Workspace EssentialsInsights and Tips From Espressif Engineers
The ESP RainMaker StoryHow We Built “Your” IoT Cloud
Assembling the Elektor Cloc 2.0 KitAn Elektor Product Unboxed by Espressif
Unleashing the ESP32-P4The Next Era of Microcontrollers
Rust + EmbeddedA Development Power Duo
Who Are the Rust-Dacious Embedded Developers?How Espressif is Cultivating Embedded Rust for the ESP32
Espressif’s Series of SoCs
Building a PLC with Espressif SolutionsWith the Capabilities and Functionality of the ISOBUS Protocol
The ESP32-S3 VGA BoardBitluni’s Exciting Journey Into Product Design
Acoustic Fingerprinting on ESP32Song Recognition With Open-Source Project Olaf
Circular Christmas Tree 2023A High-Tech Way to Celebrate the Holiday Season
A Simpler and More Convenient LifeAn Amateur Project Based on the Espressif ESP8266 Module
How to Build IoT Apps without Software ExpertiseWith Blynk IoT Platform and Espressif Hardware
Building a Smart User Interface on ESP32
Quick & Easy IoT Development with M5Stack
Prototyping an ESP32-Based Energy Meter
A Value-Added Distributor for IoT and More
In-Depth Insights: Interview With Arduino on the Nano ESP32Alessandro Ranellucci and Martino Facchin Discuss Espressif Collaboration
Your AIoT Solution ProviderInsights From Espressif
Streamlining MCU Development With ESP-IDF Privilege Separation
An Open-Source Speech Recognition Server……and the ESP BOX
The Thinking EyeFacial Recognition and More Using the ESP32-S3-EYE
ESP32-C2-Based Coin Cell SwitchDesign and Performance Evaluation
The Smart Home Leaps Forward with MatterUnlocking Smart Home IoT Potential
Tech the Future: Where Is Smart Home IoT Headed?
This bundle contains the popular Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi Pico and the new Elektor Laser Head Upgrade, offering even more options for displaying the time. Not only can you "engrave" the current time in sand, you can now alternatively write it on a glow-in-the-dark foil or create green drawings.
Contents of the bundle
Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi Pico (normal price: €50)
Elektor Laser Head Upgrade for Sand Clock (normal price: €35)
Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi (Raspberry Pi-based Eye Catcher)
A standard sand clock just shows how time passes. In contrast, this Raspberry Pi Pico-controlled sand clock shows the exact time by "engraving" the four digits for hour and minute into the layer of sand. After an adjustable time the sand is flattened out by two vibration motors and everything begins all over again.
At the heart of the sand clock are two servo motors driving a writing pen through a pantograph mechanism. A third servo motor lifts the pen up and down. The sand container is equipped with two vibration motors to flatten the sand. The electronic part of the sand clock consists of a Raspberry Pi Pico and an RTC/driver board with a real-time clock, plus driver circuits for the servo motors.
A detailed construction manual is available for downloading.
Features
Dimensions: 135 x 110 x 80 mm
Build time: approx. 1.5 to 2 hours
Included
3x Precut acrylic sheets with all mechanical parts
3x Mini servo motors
2x Vibration motors
1x Raspberry Pi Pico
1x RTC/driver board with assembled parts
Nuts, bolts, spacers, and wires for the assembly
Fine-grained white sand
Elektor Laser Head Upgrade for Sand Clock
The new Elektor Laser Head transforms the Sand Clock into a clock that writes the time on glow-in-the-dark film instead of sand. In addition to displaying the time, it can also be used to create ephemeral drawings. The 5 mW laser pointer, with a wavelength of 405 nm, produces bright green drawings on the glow-in-the-dark film. For best results, use the kit in a dimly lit room. Warning: Never look directly into the laser beam!
The kit includes all the necessary components, but soldering three wires is required.
Note: This kit is also compatible with the original Arduino-based Sand Clock from 2017. For more details, see Elektor Magazine 1-2/2017 and Elektor Magazine 1-2/2018.
Quite unintentionally a one-page story on an old Heathkit tube tester in the December 2004 edition of Elektor magazine spawned dozens of ‘Retronics’ tales appearing with a monthly cadence, and attracting a steady flow of reader feedback and contributions to the series. Since launching his Retronics columns, Elektor Editor Jan Buiting has never been short of copy to print, or vintage equipment to marvel at.
This book is a compilation of about 80 Retronics installments published between 2004 and 2012. The stories cover vintage test equipment, prehistoric computers, long forgotten components, and Elektor blockbuster projects, all aiming to make engineers smile, sit up, object, drool, or experience a whiff of nostalgia.
To reflect that our memories are constantly playing tricks on us, and honoring that “one man’s rubbish is another man’s gem”, the tales in the book purposely have no chronological order, and no bias in favor of transistor or tube, microprocessor or discrete part, audio or RF, DIY or professional, dry or narrative style.
Although vastly diff erent in subject matter, all tales in the book are told with personal gusto because Retronics is about sentiment in electronics engineering, construction and repair, be it to reminisce about a 1960s Tektronix scope with a cleaning lady as a feature, or a 1928 PanSanitor box for dubious medical use.
Owners of this book are advised to not exceed one Retronics tale per working day, preferably consumed in the evening hours under lamp light, in a comfortable chair, with a piece of vintage electronic equipment close and powered up.
Vision and Mission Elektor believes that innovations in electronics will lead to a better world. Elektor is a multi-faceted platform in the applied electronics industry that unites hundreds of thousands engineers, programmers and developers in a worldwide community of knowledge and expertise. Since its founding in 1960, Elektor has been dedicated...
Read more
,
by Lobna Belarbi
Kickstart Your Electronics Journey with Elektor’s Learning Collection
Whether you're new to electronics or aiming to level up your embedded skills, Elektor’s Learning Collection delivers expert-curated kits, courses, and hands-on bundles. The first...