Ok, thanks for that. I just want to make sure I buy the variable
resistor that will work through the range the first time. I do not
like taking things back if I don't have to...
Does anyone know a part number for Radio Shack that will work with
what I want?

On Jan 24, 2:45 pm, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:
If the batteries drive the LEDs directly, then there's no way that you can
burn them out by turning the pot all the way up -- in either case, the net
resistance in series with the LEDs is zero.

If there's a dropping resistor between the battery and the LEDs, the same is
true, if you leave the resistor in place.