Plush Toy: An Elephant
Make sure you don’t accidentally hit the switch on the foot while you are working.
What You Need
Plush toy,
Soldering Iron with a way to clean it
Solder
Helping hands
3.5 mm female jack
Wire
Heat shrink tube
Lighter
Seam ripper
Needle and thread.
Electrical tape and or zip-tie
Test The Toy…
Always test the toy before adapting it.
There is nothing more frustrating than adapting a toy and it not working and because you did not test if first, you don’t know if its the adapting or the toy
Important Note: on this stuffed animal there is only the button on the foot. However, most other ones there is a battery pack with an on off switch and a button on the animals foot or hand; for these you need to put the batteries in and turn it on
Prepare The Female Jack
To learn how to do this check out Preparing The Female Jack.
Find The Wires
Go to the location of the switch on the animals (usually the foot or hand) and kind of pinch the switch. Then follow it down to the leg or arm and find the two wires. These wires connect the switch on the foot to the battery pack, the circuit. You can pinch the fabric on the leg or arm to find the wires.
Rip The Seam And Pull Out The Wires
To find the seam, push the fur out of the way.
I did the seam that connects the elephant’s leg to its body. The reason I used this seam instead of the one that connects to the elephants foot is because it puts the jack out of sight so that the elephant looks just like an elephant.
To use the seam ripper you are going to stick the sharp point in-between two strands of the seams at a little less then a 90 degree angle and lay the seam ripper so it is flat and then pull up.
As you are doing this you are going to gently pull the two pieces of fur apart, checking whether or not you have ripped a big enough hole.
You are going to want to pull the wire out enough so that you can work with them, but be careful not to pull them so much that the button comes out of the foot.
Cut One of The Wires
You want to cut one of the wires at a time because you need to match the wires correctly. If you cut both wires at the same time, you run the risk of crossing the wires, which would not create a circuit.
Strip Each Side of The Wire You Just Cut
Using your wire stripper, strip each side of the wire you just cut. For many of the plush toys I have adapted I usually use the 20-24 gauge. For this particular toy is was 22 AGU.
Twist the Two Sides Together
Twist the two sides of the wire you just stripped together. By doing this you, are connecting the circuit that you just cut. Now, if you press the button on the elephant’s foot it will work.
Strip The Ends of The of The Female Jack
Strip each of the wires on the female jack. For this specific toy, I used the 22 gauge slot on the wire striper but again this might differ based on what plush toy you use.
Attach The Wire
Important: Before attaching the first wire you are going want to make sure to add heat shrink tube
There are two ways you can attach the wires together. For this toy I decided to go with the more challenging model in which you separate or spread out the strands on each wire (the one on the jack and the 2-in-1 on the elephant) and interlace them together, before finally twisting them together.
Solder The Wires Together
Now place the wire of the jack into one of the alligator clips on your helping hands. Then, take the soldering iron into you dominant hand and the solder into the other and hold the solder and the iron to the wire for several seconds. I start with my soldering iron on medium but you may need to adjust it as you go. Once some of the solder melts onto the wire, pull back the solder but leave the iron there for an additional few seconds.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
You should notice the solder on the jack becomes shiny, this means it is heated up enough.
Careful not to burn the fur or to drop solder on the toy.
You really don’t need a lot of solder, I am definitely guilty of this.
Shrink the Heat Tube
Pull the heat shrink tube up on the wire so it covers all the exposed metal wire. Next, use a fire source to shrink the tube.
The Second Wire
Since you have already done these steps when you attached the 1st wire, I am just providing an outline of the steps and notes on how they differ from the 1st wire.
Prepare The Second Wire
Cut the wire of the toy.
Strip each side of the wire you just cut.
Then twist the stripped wires together.
Attach the Second Wire
Place a piece of heat shrink tube on the wire of the jack and put it down as far as you can
Separate or spread out the strands on each wire (the one on the jack and the 2-in-1 on the elephant) and interlace them together
Then twist them together. This will be even more difficult than it was with the 1st wire so just do your best.
Solder The Wires Together
Shrink the Heat Tube
Pull the heat shrink tube up on the wire so it covers all the exposed metal wire. Next, use a fire source to shrink the tube.
Optional: Add Electrical Tape & a Zip Tie
The following 2 steps are optional but they add extra security.
Wrap the wires together with electrical tape.
Recommended: Add a zip tie. I have mixed feelings on this method of securing the wires. I have found that it can be hard to get the zip tie tight enough that it does not slide. In the past, I have added some hot glue to help keep the zip tie in place.
