Electronics: Popsicle Stick Circuits

While in a crafts store recently I realized something that should have been obvious, and I’m not sure that I am the first to think of this, but you can make excellent prototype and simple circuits using popsicle sticks they sell in boxes (1000 for a couple of dollars) and self sticking copper foil they sell in rolls at the “stained glass” sections. It is much easier than anything I have tried, those generic IC boards, wire wrapping, or even breadboards. Simply wrap around the stick (don’t overlap) solder closed working on the other side, and you can now stick components and wires securely. It might use more solder than you want, but there is rarely waste. You can see how I used it to make a tiny LM317 voltage regulator circuit that was its own heatsink.