ZAP! Fzzzt...

I almost had a DIY electrostatick flocker today...
A while ago I found some instructions to make a static grass applicator from an electric flyswatter and a small sieve. So today, I set to work making one. The instructions were clear and easy and I had it together in no time. :-D To be on the safe side, I built the low-powered version, because it meant less (no) messing around with the circuit board, plus it meant not overriding a safety feature.

On to testing!
I prepped a piece of plasticard with wood glue, stuck the ground pin into the glue, and fired her up. The LED in the handle lighted up cheerfully, grass went through the sieve, contacted the glue below it.... And stood up nicely!
However, when finished, I accidentally touched the ground clip with the sieve. That made a pretty, blue, ZAP!
I thought nothing of it, assuming electric bug zappers were supposed to go ZAP. I mean,  the instructions for the DIY static grass build even noted that you needed to discharge the thing in this way, if you built the high-powered version. So it should be harmless, right?
On the next base: Glue applied, ground stuck in, LED glowed happily... But gone was the standy-uppy-magic!?
Ripped it open again, checked all the connections I made, all was well.
Re-assembled it, tried again. LED works fine, but no magic...again.
So, as it didn't work properly anyway, I decided to convert it over to the high-powered version after all and see if that would change anything.
And it did!
Now the LED wouldn't light up anymore as well.... :-C
So here I am, with a nice, shiny, new, static-grass-applicator-shaped inert object. 

Still can't figure out why it failed on me.
I don't think I did something wrong building it, it wasn't that difficult, and the instructions were clear.
Best guess is that either the ZAP shorted out something important after all, but all the components seemed intact.
I could just have had a faulty bugzapper, I didn't test it before the conversion to static grass applicator (I didn't like the idea of having atomised bug-gore in my basing).
So right now, I'm debating with myself: Do I assume faulty goods and get another bug zapper? It's only a few bucks after all. Or do I chalk this one up to experience and leave well enough alone?

Luckily, my 6th Ed 40K rulebook arrived yesterday, so I won't have to get bored while deciding the issue. :-D
I'm off to the couch for a nice read....

Bye!