What is it?

This Sakura Doll is designed to start your SMD soldering adventure beautifully. All passive components are 0805 in size. The SOT363 package of NL27WZ04 may be a bit challenging. With a fine-tip solder iron and steady hands, it is not difficult to make it blinking.

You can use a black marker to paint the eyes of Sakura Doll.

Both the kit package and the fully assembled Sakura Doll are available. The CR2032 battery is not included but required to make it blinking.

Why did you make it?

In April, a friend posted a photo of cherry blossoms. Then I received an invitation message about I-can-solder-kit contest. Naturally I start to think about how to make a beautiful and unique kit. Sakura Doll is the result after two iterations. (Sakura is the Japanese term for cherry blossom trees and their blossoms.)

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." said Marcel Proust.

This Sakura Doll kit is using all SMD components. SMD is more challenging than through-hole one. Being able to solder SMD components opens the door of electronics wider.

What makes it special?

The design has the shape of Russian doll and the details of cherry blossom. With a CR2032 battery, the Sakura doll can stand on its own.

At the start, the idea of several different kits with different component sizes (such as 0805, 0402, and 0201) was considered. Let's start with 0805 for now.