djb_rh:
So should a smaller but bright white LED be fine as long as I put a 1K resistor on it? Or dig out an old red LED and stay with the 1K? And to drive a pretty tiny relay would I also still want to use a transistor? Guessing so.
Any LED is OK with a 1K resistor. A white LED might end up not being all that bright though, as their forward voltage tends to be higher. Absolutely do not try a relay without a transistor.