Hi Ian,
Three of these in series: http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/Duracell-45v-Flat-Battery.html
will supply 13.5V which is close to what you have in a car. For testing LED circuits they will probably last for years! ;)
Oh I forgot!
You can download SBM from here: http://web.onetel.net.uk/~stuorguk/StripboardMagic.zip
I have LochMaster but its too large to upload here!
Well, hammering a nail without a hammer might cause injures to your hand! :o
I suggest you try strip-board for small projects like this.
A good place to start is where they make a circuit just like the one you need and conveniently enough on a strip board! ;D
Here it is good luck...
Yes, bigger and heavier gives a nice feeling when incrementing the voltage. Here are a few examples of crank-type knobs: http://www.surplussales.com/ShaftHardware/Knobs-12.html I am sure you could find many more of a similar type at other suppliers. The finger hole knobs are often used for...
For these multi-turns I try to find heavy machined aluminum knobs with a small crank or one with a finger hole; this gives you a smooth and accurate feeling.