What is a good experimenter's kit?

[Mark_Paulus]

What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

I'm looking for info on a decent "electronics kit" to get to play around with to re-learn some of the fundamentals of circuitry, and to use when playing/designing stuff for/with the Luxeons.

Anyone out there use a kit like this, and/or have any ideas or favorites?

Thanks.

 

[carbonsparky]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

Radio Shack has their Electronic Project kits. These kits are very nice for someone who is just getting started and wants to learn the basics. The ones I am referring to have their parts all mounted and labeled. You just connect them up as the instruction book tells you to.

It sounds like you might be up to a little more of a challenge, try the Engineer's Notebook series of books from Radio Shack. They have been printing these books for a long time. The first editions of these books kind of covered whole range of circuits. Now they print a few different versions of these books, each covering a specific type of circuit. One you might be interested in is about opto electronics. It covers LEDs and photo sensors.
Of course with the book method you will have to source your own parts to experiment with and build your circuits on a "Bread Board" or some other proto board.

A Bread Board or solderless prototyping board ( if you are not familiar) can be very useful. You can find these at Radio Shack and other Electronic parts retailers. A bread board allows you build you circuits just by plugging your component leads into rows of sockets.

 

[CNC Dan]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

[ QUOTE ]
carbonsparky said:
It sounds like you might be up to a little more of a challenge, try the Engineer's Notebook series of books from Radio Shack. They have been printing these books for a long time.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sadly, these are no longer caried by RS.

web page

 

[carbonsparky]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

Dang! Darn! Radio Shack does seem to have dropped these books. Radio Shack used to have a couple of catalog pages of books, now they seem to carry just a small hand full.
I also looked at Jameco and they only have a hand full of books. I seem to remember them having more of a selection than this?
I guess you are going to have to look for circuits and "how to" from the internet. It is amazing what one can pull up doing a Google search. As you have noticed this forum also is full of useful links to sites with circuit ideas and information on how to hook up LEDs and batteries.

 

[MR Bulk]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

THIS place always seems to have a variety of kits, mostly bought out from business distrress sales so they're pretty cheap. Also all kinds of other electronic kits and parts, although it is better to do a page by page viewing of the entire site rather than the search function if you don't want to miss anything...I have personally dealt with them numerous times, good service, fast shipping, etc., the whole nine yards.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

www.ramseyelectronics.com and Velleman also have some nifty kits.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

[ QUOTE ]
MR Bulk said:
THIS place always seems to have a variety of kits, mostly bought out from business distrress sales so they're pretty cheap. Also all kinds of other electronic kits and parts, although it is better to do a page by page viewing of the entire site rather than the search function if you don't want to miss anything...I have personally dealt with them numerous times, good service, fast shipping, etc., the whole nine yards.

[/ QUOTE ]

I highly recommend obtaining a copy of their printed catalog. I've found that it's easier to find inspiration while flipping through a paper catalog over a cup of coffee.

 

[drs2000]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

As a possible assist:

The Nuts and Volts magazine, http://www.nutsvolts.com/
has some really good articles and columns for the electronic experimenter, from beginner's level to advanced. A couple of us subscribe, and the issues are devoured eagerly when they hit. I've also kept the last 6 or so years worth for some insane reason.

Been meaning to submit something to 'em, one of these decades.

You could also sniff about the area for a ham swap meet. There you can often find the Forrest Mims books and many other good books and magazines. And tons of cool bits to tinker with.
And don't forget your local library..

Yours, DRS the mad solderslinger

Good luck and enjoy experimenting!!!

 

[WildRice]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

RE engineers notebook. I heard that there is a engineers notebook offered by radio shack for order only. I still have my copy of the engineers notebook II. in both paper and digital form. I'm not sure if the copyrights are any good still. But I would be willing to share if there are no legal concerns.

PS. I still use it

Jeff

 

[UK Owl]

Re: What is a good experimenter\'s kit?

Go for the 'breadboard' option.

If you get one of those kits, you will be limited by the components they supply. Not only that, but when you make a miscalculation and 'smoke' a component or two, there is no big deal, simply throw it away and get another from your box of bits.