Have you ever tried building a breadboard circuit only to end up with a mess like this:

Here's a tip for you: Cut your own wires to use instead. It takes a little bit more time, but it's much easier to find faults when you're building larger circuits:

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​Here's how:

Get some single-core wire. It has one solid core inside, instead of many tiny wires wrapped together. This makes it easy to push into a breadboard hole.

When I started writing the 2nd edition of Electronics For Kids, I bought a pack with 10 different colors. I think I might have a lifetime supply now.

But the wire also has to be thick enough to fit all the way inside the breadboard hole without falling out. The ideal thickness depends on your breadboard, but wires of 22 to 24 AWG (0.02- to 0.025-inch diameters) should work.

That's about 0.2 to 0.3 mm^2 in millimeters.

Then cut off the length you need, then strip off the insulation of both ends.

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1. Cut into the insulation all around the wire, without cutting into the core

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You'll end up with a wire with a cut like this:

2. Drag off the insulation:

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You'll end up with the metal exposed:

And that's it!

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Keep On Soldering!
Oyvind @ build-electronic-circuits.com

PS! Whenever you're ready, here are two ways I can help you learn electronics:

• ​​Join Ohmify​: Ohmify is for people interested in electronics who want to learn skills like PCB design, soldering, and project-building - while also getting a proper understanding of the basics.
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• Discover Getting Started With Electronics: My introductory eBook designed to guide you through the basics. It’s filled with easy-to-follow steps to kickstart your electronics journey. Ideal for complete beginners.