Best early development science toys according to redditors
We found 1,104 Reddit comments discussing the best early development science toys. We ranked the 452 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 1,104 Reddit comments discussing the best early development science toys. We ranked the 452 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Toss it into a rock tumbler for a month or so and you could sell it on eBay for a few bucks. Might have to get one a little larger than this one though.
You can recreate this yourself for the low price of $4.52: https://smile.amazon.com/TEDCO-TT-200-Tornado-Tube-Assorted/dp/B000GYSZOI?sa-no-redirect=1
Try snap circuits:
http://www.amazon.ca/Elenco-Snap-Circuits-Jr-SC-100/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys&ie=UTF8&qid=1417963646&sr=1-3&keywords=snap+circuits
The links for the JR. Snap Circuits which is what I used in summer camp for kids 4-12. Kids love them because they can try to make their own circuits and there's some really cool ones in the attached book. There're the really basic ones that just light a bulb but they get more and more complicated. Only warning is that it comes with a fan that can fly off and potentially cut someone, so I'd supervise him very carefully.
EDIT: The kit does say 8+ but you can use it with younger kids without too much trouble. I used to keep the batteries and just make sure it was all connected properly with the younger kids.
https://www.amazon.com/Ferrotec-Magnetic-Ferrofluid-Science-Projects/dp/B00126P1NW
Amazon seems to sell some, but be careful with it. It’s quite bad for your body, kinda like Quicksilver.
https://www.amazon.com/Originial-TEDCO-Gyroscope-Twin-Pak/dp/B000FGKHZ2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1505692078&sr=8-2&keywords=gyroscope
Two for $10! These are cheap, but still fun.
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Viewing-Film-Field-Display/dp/B00129CCGS
Probably one of those silver conductive pens used for making/fixing circuit board. Or conductive copper tape.
https://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Scribe-Conductive-Ink-Pen/dp/B00OZATJ3A and https://www.amazon.com/Copper-Tape-Conductive-Adhesive-50ft/dp/B01KAJIBLA/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1497783953&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=cunductive+copper+tape
https://www.amazon.com/Anki-000-00048-Cozmo-Old-Packaging/dp/B01GA1298S
We made some of it in the lab a long time ago. People really love playing with it. Though be careful, the stuff is usually very unsafe so keep it sealed. For anyone looking for some:
Link
I have been meaning to buy this for my personal use, I do not know if it is as good as others, but there is the link anyway.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B077LHS81K/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524142069&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=stirling+engine&dpPl=1&dpID=41Ku8cGvJzL&ref=plSrch
I think this is one
Magnetic Viewing Film - Magnetic Field Display Film 6" x 6" - COOL ! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00129CCGS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-rw7BbVFD2QTA
Honestly not that expensive! Here it’s $33 but you might be able to get it for less: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LHS81K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sTh-BbY02PQ4E
I'm sure you could go down to PM and say exactly what you've said here and get more recommendations than you can handle.
There are lots and lots of cool, challenging and beautiful puzzles out there - and you live near a warehouse full of them!
I assume there's a retail store, too? and the guys who do their videos must work there as well as Allan Stein who founded the company - I'll bet they all love to recommend stuff.
That said, browsing the site is fun once you find your way around and can avoid the things you don't like
Here's my standard "how to get started" rap (a little old, so some items might be unavailable):
I'd say you probably want to check out several different categories of puzzle:
Anyway, I'd say try a couple of disentanglement things (both wire and wood), a packing puzzle or two and a few interlocking burrs (I recommend trying a relatively traditional one and a couple of the fancier ones from Pelikan or Cubic Dissection). See what sort of things appeal to you and follow on from there.
Do check out the links in the sidebar, too. Allard's Blog and PuzzleMad are great, Rob's Puzzle Page is vast and you can learn a lot just by browsing PuzzleMaster and some of the other shops.
Here is a list of wooden burr-type puzzles under $30 that I have played with and enjoyed - I made this awhile ago so thy may not all still be available, but this should get you started
**Open Box Packing aka Deadly Romance - a really nice caged burr
Cross Cage by Tom Jolly - a burr? 3D maze? Pretty cool
Four Caged - a really tough little caged burr
Epsilon - a knockoff of Vertex Burr #1 , originally designed by Yavuz Demirhan in 2012 - great puzzle
Shape Shifter - very tough assembly puzzle - soma cube on steroids
Sarcophagus - surprisingly challenging. I have a thing for "3 sticks in a box" puzzles like Tribord
Matchbox aka Oscar's Matchboxes- tricky and a cool idea
Double Saturn - similar to some of Osanori Yamamoto's classic work, this is tough little Pelikan-style puzzle on the cheap
Four L - like The Double Saturn above
Quadstair
Four In The Box - just above the $30 limit, but it's pretty fun and two puzzles in one
Feel free to ask questions on the sub about specific puzzles or categories
Puzzlers are a pretty supportive community - welcome!
Messy, yes, but $20.99 isn't that expensive. And you can always try to make your own.
A 2 ounce bottle of ferrofluid goes for almost U$30 in Amazon.
Maybe the owner can sell the transmission fluid on ebay and use the money to buy a new trans?
I think OP is referencing something quite a bit different from a standard breadboard. It's probably something more like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=zg_bs_2528073011_12
They also come with rather large booklets that give definitions of all the electrical components and what they do as well as instructions for dozens of different cool projects you can build with it. I remember mine had projects for like a rain detector, a security alarm, a morse code clicker, etc.
I used to play Rush Hour when I was a kid. It's a puzzle game where you move cars/trucks around in an attempt to get your red car out of the traffic jam. They get progressively harder as you go along.
https://www.amazon.com/ThinkFun-5000-Rush-Hour/dp/B00000DMER
Anki Cozmo
The simplest is to use a radio chip like from Silicon Labs - 99% of all radios you'd buy from Walmart, etc. use these chips these days.
They are designed for "digital" so they have SPI controls to set tuning. You'll want a custom PCB for these but it only requires power, clock, SPI microcontroller, antenna, and audio power amplifiers.
You can also build "old school" discrete FM radios using discrete parts (e.g. transistors or older FM ICs). Google for circuits for these. They are strictly more complicated to build.
Ones like this are "minimally functional" - it's not high fidelity. These are so-called "super-regenerative" radios which can product radio interference or added noise in the audio. But it's quick-and-dirty easy.
A superheterodyne is better but far more complex. You need IF transformers and more circuitry. Strictly the Silicon Labs are implementing a superhet internally. I recommend an FM radio kit rather than design/build your own completely from scratch.
https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-FM-88K-FM-Radio-Kit/dp/B004YHZE0G
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/fm-radio-kit?rmvSB=true
https://www.sciplus.com/p/amfm-radio-kit_2451
One of these is more reliable than the original wiring
I was thinking more like a rock tumbler instead of a Yeti type thing. Lol.
Query: If I had several small stones like OP's, and wanted to do something fun with them, what kind of results would I get by passing them through one of those cheap, commercially available tumbler/polisher things like this one? I always wanted to give it a shot, but I always thought the results on the box seemed suspect. Do you have any experience with such devices?
https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Viewing-Film-Field-Display/dp/B00129CCGS
$12.99 on Amazon and free shipping!
They might be interested in something like this.
I'd actually got that for my 10 year old nephew before and he had a blast with it until he ran out of projects to make. Teaches them how to make all kinds of neat little inventions while they learn how circuitry and electricity works.
It is called Rush Hour ;)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Fun-5000-Rush-Puzzle/dp/B00000DMER
Preschool teacher here!
Expensive STEM stuff -- I've worked with all of them. If I had to get one, I'd probably do Osmo.
Bee bots
Dot and Dash
Cubetto
Osmo
---------
Other Manipulatives and Toys:
Reptangles - I found these at Savers and my students are super in to them right now.
Snap Circuits
Ikea Cars (not really stem but fun and high quality)
Mobilos -- can create cars but also so many other things
Marble runs of any style
"Pattern Play" Blocks -- We have these but I don't have the instructions, but kids still end up making fun designs out of them!
BIG Waffle Blocks
Architectural blocks sets -- for example
------
I have a major soft spot for board games (and related) at this age. Here are a few I love.
Animal Upon Animal
The Little Orchard
Count Your Chickens
Snug as a Bug in a Rug
Snail's Pace Race
Rivers, Roads, and Rails
-----
Ultimately, though, your focus should be on having fun! Your 3 year old does not need to be reading and writing or doing basic math. He should be learning to play cooperatively, self regulate, and be independent. I would focus on language skills and his ability to communicate effectively and understand directions. I teach Pre-K (currently 5 year olds about to go into Kindergarten) and I do not care at all whether they can write their names or do simple math.
https://www.amazon.com/Ferrofluid-2oz-Bottle-Science-Projects/dp/B00126P1NW
Why is this $8,300 again?
You could get them an indoor star projector thingy like this. Or maybe a moon in my room and a really soft throw blanket.
Or how about a theme park gift card? That way they can buy the tickets when they want. Maybe if they like a certain theme park with certain characters you can buy them a novelty from it (like a Steamboat Willy) and some candy themed from there.
Nature? Awesome! How about wildlife documentaries on DVD? Maybe a cool wilderness guidebook? What about a butterfly kit? Oo! How about a firefly light?
Ok I'm out of ideas off of the top of my head for now, but I think it really is doable. :)
^I'm ^trying ^here
That looks really interesting! For younger kids I would recommend snap circuits for ease of use.
There are lots of great gender neutral toys for all ages! I'm especially fond of building toys, especially for younger kids. Blocks and tinker toys are great (I looooooved mine), and legos (especially those open-ended sets) are good for when they get a little older.
Educational toys are also a good one. A three-year-old isn't gonna realize that a set of Go Fish Alphabet cards will help them learn the alphabet. They think it's just a fun game. Older children can move into board games and puzzle games like Rush Hour.
A lot of arts and craft kits are gender neutral, too. Remember those Klutz books? Sure, they've got Glitter Face Paint While You Do Your Nails and Have a Tea Party kits (which, tbh, I actually don't think are that bad), but they've also got some awesome kits for paper airplanes, origami, learning magic, and learning to sew (a skill that everyone should have).
Also, science toys and kits. Chemistry sets are perfect for older kiddos, and younger ones are happy with dinosaur action figures or solar system plushies.
Finally, books. You can never go wrong with books.
What did you enjoy playing with as a child? Does the giftee have any particular interests (e.g. crafts, music, reading, science)? I'd start with those two questions and go from there.
I think this is the bun version for the Rush Hour Traffic Jam game...
https://www.amazon.com/ThinkFun-Rush-Traffic-Logic-Girls/dp/B00000DMER
It costs $180-American. Most likely much more if you're from a different country.
Don't take out the screws or the software gets corrupted. Corrupted as fuck and crazy expensive. You may also discover the terrible secret of the Snap Classic. Seriously though, this 'info vid' was made around '06-'07 and is truly a piece of work. He's a terrible liar. One of the worst I've seen. Awkward. He can't even look in the camera when he starts laying it on thick.
That box could be replicated for under $20. A box, a couple of lights, switches, a timer relay, and the secret 'Miricle Whip' size container. The guy doesn't even bother with an A/C adapter and ops for the 9 volt battery. I guess your Bio-Photon Analyzer needs to be portable. He sells these things for $1900USD on eBay.
Dude has a whole series of vids for this scam.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIDXbNXtRd82LHjfO9ycLKhAySlskwfHG
This. You can find decent starting irons on Amazon with solder. You might consider buying a few ”learn to solder" soldering kits from Amazon. They come with all the parts needed, and the instructions teach you how to assemble the components (you then have to solder them in the board it came with)
Iron set example: (good for basic /beginner projects) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01H1IFT54/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1523313329&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=soldering+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=51rAt23O28L&ref=plSrch
Electronics kit beginner example (these are fun to do imo)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002LUAL6/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1523313465&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=elenco+soldering+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=519bj4ev-jL&ref=plSrch
http://www.amazon.com/4M-3653-Tin-Can-Robot/dp/B0014WO96Y
A desk Stirling engine is such a cool and fun knickknack to have. Gave one to my ChemE sister and she absolutely loved it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LHS81K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XkhoDbE637TY2
i've always been a bit of an audiophile. I've been interested in electronics since I was 7 or 8. My dad found an old electronic project lab from Radio Shack similar to this one here from Amazon. I built everything in the project book ranging from a light-sensitive alarm clock to a complex circuit that could simulate random dice rolls. I even built a small AM transmitter that could broadcast my voice 3 feet.
So loving electronics and audio, I was determined to find out as much as I could about it. I even tried to build my own audio mixer, but the ol' project lab didn't have enough components to do much more than make a karaoke machine... :( But it had an audio output and the mic had an input level, so to me it was pretty cool at the time!
Then a friend of my parents gifted me his old encyclopedia of electronics and in it was a blurb about Pseudo-Stereophony or Pseudostereophonics, the study of which is apparently called Psychoacoustics. According to the encyclopedia, it was only a concept that would one day find a practical application, but at the time of the writing (1980's?), there wasn't much going on with it and it was only a concept. About two paragraphs, but I said it was possible to do with any audio source, on the fly.
Here's an article explaining a bit more for the technically oriented who care about it.
EDIT:
For what it's worth, in order to produce a sound as if it were coming from in front of the listener, one would require to produce a sound and then a fraction of a second later, an echo that is out of phase since the echoing sound would be out of phase of the original sound.
To produce a sound as if it were coming from the rear of the listener (make a raspberry noise!), one would require to produce a sound and two echos. The first sound would be quieter due to the shape of the ear, sound cannot easily enter the ear canal from the rear. Then the first echo, out of phase similar to a source in front of the listener, since that sound shit likes to bounce. Then depending on the environment, another much quieter echo would then be played (again out of phase...damn echos) to simulate the original sound bouncing off any objects in front of the listener. I would say that any earphones that support this technology would need two audio drivers in the earpiece. A high-quality one for the original sound source and another, fine-tuned driver that would produce sound on a spectrum consistent with the spectrum of audio commonly carried in by echoing sound waves.
God, I'm a nerd.
Following this idea, the OP could get one of the electronics kits where instead of programming, you put some circuit blocks together, as in SnapCircuits: http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-300-Snap-Circuits/dp/B0000683A4
Check out Snap Circuits and Snap Circuits Jr. as well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008BFZH/
I got this for my gfs niece last year. Her mother said she loves it. https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1467901834&sr=8-8&keywords=science+toys
>First, can any of you recommend some good kid-friendly resources for learning the fundamentals of physics, electrical theory and engineering, particularly as they relate to Nerf blasters?
https://smile.amazon.com/Nerf-Blaster-Modification-Guide-Unofficial-ebook/dp/B07KGG7P89/
https://smile.amazon.com/Thinking-Physics-Practical-Lessons-Critical/dp/0935218068/
This same kind of thing can be accomplished using breadboard, nerf mod supplies, switches, battery packs, solid-core wire, and a multimeter.
https://smile.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Electronics-Exploration/dp/B00008BFZH/
https://smile.amazon.com/3D-Printing-Projects-DK/dp/0241302218/
And then when a bit older
https://smile.amazon.com/Research-Design-Qualitative-Quantitative-Approaches/dp/1506386709/
If they liked the perplexus, get the child a Snap Circuit Jr. Its a great learning tool for electronics and circuits, but also a ton of fun to build things along the way. Comes with instructions for like 80+ different mini games etc.
https://www.amazon.ca/Elenco-Snap-Circuits-Jr-SC-100/dp/B00008BFZH
You can also add onto the kit later if they enjoy it.
You can't really skip the theory if you want to work on meaningful, original projects; you probably don't have to read "The Art of Electronics" (1000+ pages!), though. If you have a basic understanding of physics or software engineering, I would shamelessly plug my own short but anatomically correct guide to electronics here.
When it comes to hands-on experience: IMO, single-purpose kits (from Sparkfun and so forth) are probably not that great. They are good to practice soldering and get results quick, but do not teach you much: when you are done, you likely won't be able to recreate that circuit from scratch, or alter it to your liking. Trying to understand - and then building - various projects from All About Circuits, Make blog, or so, might be more worthwhile, as they usually come with a much better and more verbose explanation of how things work, and how the author arrived at that particular design.
Oh, and here's an unorthodox tip: if you are intimidated by breadboards or perfboards, this great set should be a good way to experiment with fairly sophisticated circuits, too. I have it for my kid, but I would not be ashamed starting with it as an adult: unlike their "snap-on" sets, it's not dumbed down at all.
What next? As soon as you are reasonably comfortable with analog electronics, you should try harnessing the power of digital circuits. My recommendation would be to start with understanding 7400 series ICs (well, 74HC), and build a variety devices with it. Heck, a calculator or a rudimentary computer is really not that complicated, and it's extremely satisfying to put them from basic logic components alone!
At that point, moving to AVR ATmega microcontrollers (using avr-gcc or WinAVR) should be a breeze - and will enable you to do complex data processing and output control for your circuits with little or no effort.
A seemingly convenient shortcut is to go with Arduino for digital circuitry instead; the upside is that the platform has a less pronounced learning curve, and a vibrant hobbyist community. The downside is that you end up paying a lot more, and you will soon realize there is no escaping the pesky low-level details if you want to master more advanced devices.
Want to learn to solder without screwing up your bass? Buy one of these kits for like $12 instead. It comes with a cheap soldering iron, good instructions, and a little siren kit you can put together and screw up with no worries. http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA
If you're taking your first steps into wiring, then you should get comfortable working with wires and tools. Here is a kit that will introduce you to wiring, soldering, etc.
Along with that, there are a few tools that might be useful to you:
And there are videos on YouTube that will teach you how to properly solder a wire to a soldering point. For that Elenco kit, the main goal is to get both the siren and the flashing lights to work, which it will if you wired everything correctly and used the correct resistors. It can be easy to make mistakes while learning to solder for the first time but most mistakes can be fixed, and it's very difficult to cause enough damage to render the board completely unusable.
Also, one note of caution: soldering irons are extremely hot, as the intent is to liquify the solder and attach it to the soldering points.
I had a gyroscope when I was ten-ish... like this one... it was pretty cool (I still think they're cool).
Normally you wouldn't want ferrofluid around kids. It shouldn't be drank for obvious reasons, and it's extremely messy if it gets on clothes, furniture, etc.
You can buy fluid on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Ferrofluid-2oz-Bottle-Science-Projects/dp/B00126P1NW. Get an enclosed glass decanter to put it in and some neodymium magnets.
I really like the spring-connect kits for your purpose. He'll be able to learn some from the manual, and hook it up without requiring other components. $65 is a bit steep tho. Try amazon.
Came here to say a butterfly growing kit. You get the kit and a voucher to order the cup of butterflies when the parents are ready to have them. Then they hatch and you let them free. It’s super cool. Ages 2 through myself at 34 love them. Insect Lore Butterfly Growing Kit - With Voucher to Redeem Caterpillars Later https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000ISC5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_obnTDbVK4AB6X
When I was a 9 year old girl, I thought building circuits was the freakin' coolest thing ever. Snap Circuits is a cool kit for building some fun electronic projects. This is one of the smaller kits - there are bigger ones or upgrade kits if she gets into it. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000683A4 Seriously, people love this thing.
These are in regular rotation at my house:
[Snap Circuits] (https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479317434&sr=8-1&keywords=snap+circuits)
[Xyloba Musical Marble Run] (https://www.amazon.com/Xyloba-Musical-Marble-Run-Mezzo/dp/B0039BDB8U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479317393&sr=8-1&keywords=xyloba)
[hot wheels cars and track] (https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hot+wheels+track) - we don't have any of the prefab sets, just the track - miles of it from what it feels like.
Art Supplies - paper, paint, markers, colored pencils, oil pastels
[And then adding on to Legos, books like Crazy Contraptions or Chain Reactions] (https://www.amazon.com/Klutz-LEGO-Chain-Reactions-Craft/dp/0545703301/ref=pd_sim_21_17?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D9EYSBSVT92VETETB5WS)
Board games -
Sleeping Queens, Card and Go Seek, Creature Clash, Battle Ship, checkers, Sorry
No, I haven't actually. But telling people to be careful does no preclude people from being able to do some basic soldering. Because assembling a keyboard is actually pretty low on the required skill level.
If you'd like to learn how to solder, here's a kit you can buy. You'll realize that it's actually quite a fun skill to have, and attempting the assembly of a keyboard might be something you'll learn you're interested in.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA
If you're interested in learning to solder, you can get a cheapo beginner's kit for less than $20. These take about an hour or two for a novice to get through. It's a nice card to add to your man deck without investing too much time or money.
Learn to solder kit complete with iron... $14.81
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009Z3JJA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aVZDDb8TYXTHK
something like this
please forgive the lack of formatting below, but here are a few toy favs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4W4PTS/ref=s9_acsd_zwish_hd_bw_bNEt4N_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=QCMJ545PGH645VFRWMDW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=84225ac7-32bd-54a6-8497-91c509904cf0&pf_rd_i=343404011&th=1 if you want a traditional pet
https://www.amazon.com/Wish-Novelty-Control-Interactive-Robotic/dp/B076KF1CSM/ref=sr_1_6?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1510792179&sr=1-6&keywords=robotic+pet another traditional but cool pet
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075CXV6Z6/ref=s9_acsd_topr_hd_bw_bNEt4N_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-11&pf_rd_r=QCMJ545PGH645VFRWMDW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=84225ac7-32bd-54a6-8497-91c509904cf0&pf_rd_i=343404011&th=1 getting a little out of the norm but still a cool companion
https://www.amazon.com/MSRM-Smart-Ball-App-Enabled-Robotic/dp/B01KMC76DE/ref=sr_1_9?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1510792179&sr=1-9&keywords=robotic+pet my personal favorite
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014WO96Y/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_bNEt4N_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=QCMJ545PGH645VFRWMDW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=84225ac7-32bd-54a6-8497-91c509904cf0&pf_rd_i=343404011 a classic
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075BNF5Y5/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1 middle of the line type toy
Youtubes
Trial and Error
Stuff like aftermarket stereo (assuming a basic install of head unit + Subwoofer) are relatively easy, but also very easy to do very badly.
The basics are - everything needs Power(+) and Ground(-), and in cars a some stuff will get it's ground from the frame (door pins, etc) or engine block. Everything needs a fuse. If you're connecting a new wire directly to the Positive (+) battery terminal it MUST HAVE A FUSE OH GOD PLEASE READ THIS AND NEVER FORGET IT.
For example, on a basic head unit you have a bunch of wires, but they're all doing really simple things. 4 pairs ( 8 wires) are for speakers, each one has a - and a +. Then you have the main power, the ignition power, and a ground (used by both powers). Then you usually have a + and - feeding a power antenna/signal booster. So you really just have 3 things wired up - Speakers, Power, and Antenna.
If you really want to learn it, grab some cheap "Electrical experiments" kit and you'll learn quick how different components work together and what kind of mistakes you can make in a pretty low-risk environment.
After almost 4 long months, I have just completed my (almost) fully labeled Deep Space Ergodox
Parts Listing:
I have always been a buckling springs fan.
And then one day I saw the "Deep Space" keyset and fell in love.
Since Deep Space obviously doesn't work on a buckling spring board, I decided to get a Cherry MX board.I was back home in the States for a month with a lot of free time, and I didn't just want to buy one so I started looking at kits. Once I saw the Ergodox I knew I had to build one.
Unfortunately this was in Auugust of this year, so the Deep Space group buy was long over, and there was no groupbuy up for the ergodox (or infinity ergodox) either.
Using the ergodox site I sourced and ordered the parts. I had never assembled anything using a soldering iron but decided to give it a shot. I used a cheap Amazon radio kit just to get a feel for it (I never got that damned kit working btw).
The ergodox assembly went great. Had it finished in a day. It all worked first try. I had forgotten to order a TRRS cable though, so I had to wait an excruciating 3 days to find out though. After three months of use I discovered that I missed two solder points on diodes so the keys acted erratically, but that was a quick fix.
I originally ordered it with blanks instead of Deep Space keys, because I wanted to test out DSA profile and they were considerably cheaper than the full Deep Space set. Once I decided I liked it I went ahead and ordered the Deep Space keyset.
I ordered it a week before I planned on leaving the U.S. and it, of course, arrived an hour after my plane took off.
I finally got the set a month or so later which was when I realized I made a mistake. Unfortunately I wasn't looking at the sets when I ordered. The ergodox Deep Space set is DRASTICLY different from my layout, and combined with the core does not cover the board.
By this time 90% of the PMK Deep Space set was sold out, so I had to hunt for people selling it. I came across a great deal on mech market for the function keys and ordered those. I also managed to catch a grab bag which covered the rest of the board. A few PMK blanks and it was at least covered in the proper colors.
As of this time I am still missing a 1.5 Return key in deepspace colors (do they even make this?) and a 1.5 Shift key in deep space colors (which only seems to be in the ergodox set which is a $44...and sold out). I'd also like to order a Planetary Set if it comes in stock to replace my Ravens with the Yellow Galaxy swirl.
Snap circuit sets are cool - they aren't necessarily something you play with afterwards, but since he likes putting things together, he can take apart and rebuild endlessly. It's for 8 and up, but if he can read on an 8 year old level or just follow the charts, he should be able to do it. He can also try his own projects. They're fun.
Easy fix my friend.
Where is the red car?
This?
I had one of those Elenco 300 in 1 project kits as a kid and they are a wonderful way to learn the basics
First of all props to you to introduce your son to electronics and ask to find a good method for him to learn it out of interest.
I remember having electronics kits which had a bunch of simple components connected by those metal spring terminals. They often came with booklets to go step by step through simple projects to gain some understanding.
Perhaps you could look at toy shops and see if they carry some educational electronics kits? I remember book shops also sold them though I'm not sure if they'd still.
I found this on Amazon, seems a bit different with magnets snapping together but looks like it goes step by step in explaining: https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-300-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B0000683A4/. Looks a bit expensive but not sure if that's different in the US.
Oh boy I even found one of those kits with the spring terminals: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IUD2
Best of luck!
I'm an engineer at an electric utility and we use Snap Circuits to demonstrate basic concepts of electricity to middle- and high-schoolers. The kit has a lot of variety in the activities and is a simple means of experimenting with electricity. It's easy to assemble and reconfigure too, which is nice. I've spent hours at various public outreach events playing with this toy and would recommend it to kids and adults alike.
Snap circuits would be perfect.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-300-Snap-Circuits/dp/B0000683A4
Snap Circuts is the modern version of my favorite toy as a kid... It's pretty easy to start on this and by the time he's able to safely use a soldering iron he'll totally be able to design and build circuts.
Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Exploration Kit | Over 100 STEM Projects | 4-Color Project Manual | 30 Snap Modules | Unlimited Fun https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YBD9BbYEFZTDE
http://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B00008BFZH
My daughter loves hers. It's enough of a "toy" to not have a serious mentality.
Toy robots like Transformers Rescue Bots might work for her age. As she gets older, introduce her to toys like Snap Circuits to help her learn about electronics. Understanding about electronics will come in handy for anyone who likes building robots.
Way back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and I was a young fella, I forget how old but probably pre-teen, my parents bought me something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-200-in-One-Electronic-Project-Lab/dp/B0002AHR04 To make a circuit, you'd just bend back a spring and shove a wire in between the coils. Looking at the "related products" on Amazon, it seems like there are a few competitive products out there too. The kit my parents got me kept me entertained for a very long time. This was possibly enhanced by my father who, being an electrical engineer, would periodically involve me fixing broken appliances, handing me the sledge to help tear down walls during renovations and whatnot.
This kit taught me the basics of flip-flops (which can be used to MAKE NOISE! as well as flash lights), relays etc.
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My current flight of fancy is the Arduino and that may prove a more useful tool for you because it can all be done with low voltage, a bread board and a bunch of wires and even better, it needs a computer to program it. The Arduino IDE includes a whole bunch of example programs.
The most basic program is "flash" which just literally flashes an LED. Your next step would be to alter the duty cycle of the flashing. Now have it flash two LEDs and have them on different duty cycles.
A Chinese Arudino UNO clone Starter Kit (which in addition to some basic components and a breadboard includes a stepper motor, servo, tilt switches and other cool things) will set you back less than $50. Additional wires (I recommend getting a pack each of M-M, M-F and F-M dupont leads) are cheap as chips and will help you hook up all the other awesome things you can get like the "arduino sensor kit" which contains no less than 37 different kinds of "sensors" including ultrasonic range sensors, joysticks, push buttons, etc.
Armed with those two kids, a bunch of wires and a laptop running the Arduino IDE, there's a whole world of awesome to play with.
Show me pre-teen who wouldn't like an ultrasonic alarm pointed at her door to make a buzzer ring when mum opens the door, and I'll show you a kid who... is too engrossed in a book to notice. (OK, so my analogies aren't always top notch)
Now try and recreate that chip using only discrete components so you can understand how it actually amplifies signals. You should be able to make a little push-pull amp with only two transistors, some supporting components, and maybe an impedance matching transformer for audio output.
Edit: http://www.circuitstoday.com/push-pull-amplifier
Edit: also, not even joking, maybe you can pick up one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Maxitronix-200-in-One-Electronic-Project-Lab/dp/B0002AHR04
I had that as a kid in the 90's and it really jumpstarted my understanding of discrete components. I learned the hard stuff first because of that kit, and only later in the 2000's picked up microcontrollers. At sixteen years old in '98, I built my own working guitar pedal, was so proud of myself because I learned the basics from that kit. It did distortion by overdriving with a preamp stage and also had a 8-ohm speaker output for portability. It sounded like utter trash, but it did what I wanted.
That's a tough one to answer really, but here are a few thoughts on the subject.
If you are looking for the really basic stuff, as in you still need to learn ohms law and how to read a circuit diagram you can start out with the absolute basics;
Now, if you already have the circuit reading and ohms law down and you just want to know where to go from there, you've got a lot more choices.
Well, lot to think about there. Good luck, and don't forget /r/AskElectronics for help.
For a soldering kit, I used this one on amazon, it was great practice.
As for a soldering iron, look on ebay/amazon for a "936" soldering iron. Any of them are about the same, most are clones of the famous hakko 936.
The original 936 is too expensive in my opinion, I'm using a sparkfun clone 936 that unfortunately is no longer sold. Most of the other clones should be ok though.
The only think I would really recommend getting legit is a hakko chisel tip, like this one. Don't get those 10pc tip sets, they are cheap and it is much better to use just one good tip than a bunch of bad tips.
Lastly, if you want your tip to last a longer time, don't use a wet sponge, that can damage your tip. Use one of those copper hard brush things, I forget what they are called, but you can buy them at amazon/ebay.
Learn to Solder Kit
You should look into a kit like this one
It has a soldering iron, and a bunch of components so you can learn how to solder. Pretty basic stuff.
After that you should look into building a couple of the Velleman kits
Beyond that, it's really up to yourself and what your interests are. Getting a grip of soldering and understanding how stuff is put together is a good starting point.
cant find the exact version but heres one https://www.amazon.com/Originial-TEDCO-Gyroscope-Twin-Pak/dp/B000FGKHZ2
Kinetic sand
Backstory... I'm a bit of a geek. Seriously. I've also got Gallium And ferrofluid.
BEST april fools prank. I have one I just did, so not really april fools but still wonderful. My coworkers helped me saran wrap one of my employee's car. It was fantastic, yes I have photographic evidence if anyone is interested. Truly. Another is taping an airhorn to the underside of my GM's chair.
Fin or embarrassing fact or story... um... wow. Okay, this is fun and embarrassing. OK, here goes....
I like Zumba... Like REALLY like zumba... I would do it every day if I had time. Lots of panting and sweating with my wii controller strapped to my hip. So fun.
http://www.amazon.com/Ferrofluid-2oz-Bottle-Science-Projects/dp/B00126P1NW
should be as simple as pouring the fluid into the container.
RadioShack used to have those electronics project kits, like the 30 in 1, 160 in 1, etc.
They came with a manual and some easy diagrams for the first few projects, then the connection listing for more advanced ones.
All the wiring is done between spring terminals.
Like this https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_qgHXDbWM7TM2X
Well, a love for Dr Stone is a love for science. I don't know how old your brother is, but when I was a kid in the 90's science kits were way more common. I've seen some in Walmart and there's this $5 store called 5 below that has some but I'll look on Amazon and see what relevant kits I can find.
here's a telescope for $33. Senku's thing is space. Space is awesome. You may also consider seeing if your local college has a telescope, I was surprised to find out that mine does and it's open to the public!
Here's a crystal growing kit. Chrome loves rocks.
Here's a microscope and here's the one I lusted after after I saw one on TechTV Screensavers $18 so cheap now! Tempting...
Electronics kit!! I had one of these! My parents threw it away because they said I was obsessive about it.. now I watch Big Clive tear apart garden lights... Senku make a radio too, which I think you can make a crystal AM radio with this kit if I remember correctly.
Yeah, the innerfidelity video is great. I also practiced my soldering on a cheap little kit with a lot of components like this. That helped me become comfortable with my iron and again, more confident in what I was doing.
Here is one I found on Amazon, but I'm sure there are several different variants you can find
https://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Scribe-Non-Toxic-Conductive-Silver/dp/B00OZATJ3A
Haven't these existed for decades?
http://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Scribe-Conductive-Ink-Pen/dp/B00OZATJ3A
Has she hinted at anything she would like? One of my friends offhandedly mentioned loving her wedding bouquet and wanting to get an artificial replica made; I commissioned a watercolor painting of her bouquet from etsy. She absolutely loved it. Maybe a painting based off one of their wedding photos?
Otherwise, when you say creative, do you mean crafty? Do they like building things? I've been eyeing the LEGO Star Wars kits for awhile now (those things are pricey!), maybe get one of those along with custom LEGO figures based off her & her husband? Or how about a 3D doodler pen? Or a cute robot buddy, or a drone/quadcopter (they were all the rage last year ish, we got a pretty high end one as a off-registry wedding gift).
[Stirling Engine] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LHS81K/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_WStSDb6QH23EV)
Reminds me of this "Rush Hour" game from my childhood.
It could still be a painted lady. Those are the butterflies that generally come with these kits: http://www.amazon.com/Insect-Lore-Live-Butterfly-Garden/dp/B00000ISC5
So they can occasionally be found released into the wild.
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Crafts-635-Rock-Tumbler/dp/B00000ISUU/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1406207238&sr=1-2
Yeah, I'm looking for a tumbler.
I've found a few online, but they look kind of sketchy....
http://www.ukge.co.uk/UK/Stone-Tumblers.asp?gclid=CNquv8S53a4CFUcRfAodqk9Kag
and this one is purely for kids, don't know if it's going to be worth a try at all.
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Crafts-Rock-Tumbler/dp/B00000ISUU
.... and good luck try not to electrocute your self too hard.
Honestly these things are pretty good. Not for the hardware, but for the manual that comes with it.
Work through every single project, and for each one, once you've built it, change a detail. Predict what effect your change will make before making it, that's what'll really promotes learning and reasoning.
This thread a few days ago might be interesting too.
Got access to the network equipment? It'd be a pity if her access and only her access were affected periodically.
I bought a few different kinds of birthday and christmas presents for my older boy when he started spending too much time on a computer or tablet. I got him things like a microscope, snap circuits, rock tumblers, things that drive their mind. Being a sibling, that may not be so applicable to you, however.
In your situation, if you want change, you have to effect that change. You're going to have to be the one to provide alternative entertainment. Hanging out with her. Take her to do things outside. I don't think you'll get anywhere trying to just rule alongside of your parents.
There are usually a lot of “fidget” blanket kind of things on Etsy. Some might be more applicable than others.
If it’s specifically mechanical / electrical then maybe one of these circuit kits with big easy pieces: https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-300-Electronics-Exploration/dp/B0000683A4
Start them off with something like Electronics Projects Kit. I'd be worried about what kind of person would watch a 7yo's online activities.
> I do agree that DIY needs to improve and be as foolproof as possible, but right now the efforts are pretty good, for example with epipen alternatives.
To me the "future" lies in comparing which simple plant-based herbs and medicines (which can be cross-referenced against the pubmed tests) have already been mastered by Native populations (such as aspirin, alcohol, other teas and herbal crap.
This, to me, would reduce the commercial aspect of treating health as a "Value".
Thus the DIY would supplement but not fully replace Big Pharma. But in my view, with equipment for testing, there's not much holding back tomorrow's adolescents from building a circuit to test impurities or other measurements.
What about something like this? http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-300-Snap-Circuits/dp/B0000683A4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289873765&sr=8-1
I had something similar to this when I was a kid. It made electronics very easy to understand.
How about Electronic Snap Circuits?
I had something similar as a kid (although not nearly as cool) and enjoyed it a lot. I kinda miss it, actually. It has very good reviews on amazon.com but is recommended for 8-14 year olds. However, that may not be a problem if you're helping, eh?
>Grade 10
>Access to CNC, vacuum former
I am so jealous. In high school I had access to half a Snap Circuits kit.
There is competition, but they don't seem to emphasize learning curves, where they start with simple projects that grow in complexity as new concepts are learned. The kits seem like a hodge-podge of parts and a project book, without a lesson plan.
This is an ideal product, though it involves simpler circuits and targets 8-and-ups. I'm hoping to target 12-and-ups.
I have a 7 yr old girl (and 5 yr old boy) both of whom love science & any type of hands-on activity. I emphasize hands-on because I would suggest not getting a DVD set or book set.... kids are more apt to get excited about actually DOING science (oh, and I'm a former science teacher too). My daughter also enjoys reading science books & I just let her go wild at the library & she always finds something that surprises me.
We got my daughter "Snap Circuits" last xmas and BOTH kids love it. It's a little hard for them to do alone & MANY (most?) of the circuits/projects are over their heads conceptually. Regardless - this is a set that they can both use for years (in the reviews, there are many teens and pre-teens who enjoy experimenting), and it DOES help to show the basic concept of what a simple circuit is/does and what components may be present. They have come to understand that a circuit includes a closed loop, power source, etc... Looks like their smallest model is less than $30.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-100-Snap-Circuits-Jr/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376360010&sr=8-1&keywords=snap+circuits
Another thing that both kids have loved is just a basic "science experiment" kit that my bro-in-law gave her for her 6th b-day. I was opposed to ever buying one of these sets b/c so many of the ingredients are just simple household items - I thought I'd much rather have them experience the "magic" of science via materials in the kitchen cupboards. But - the kits are really great & provide a lot of instruction & explanation & include things that you wouldn't necessarily have on hand. I think they're actually well worth getting (and contain lots of fun pipettes & test tubes/etc). I can't find a link for the one she got, but search Amazon & you'll see lots of selection for $20 or less.
Abstract toys are a good idea, we've got a few sets of those for kids to play with. I remember the tub of Legos I had growing up and how much fun that was building things with it.
In addition to abstract toys, I'm looking for things that parents wouldn't normally have access to. Many kids already have Lego sets but they probably don't have something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008BFZH
My 11 yo son got snap circuits a few years ago and loved them. I think they'd still be cool for your son. Snap circuits are electric parts that snap together like legos and you can make projects such as a light that flashes or a siren. It teaches them about electricity and it's my favorite educational purchase ever. It's $20 for a basic kit that does about 80 different projects in increasing difficulty. They are rated #1 in science education on amazon. They come with everything.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00008BFZH/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1426979922&sr=8-1&keywords=snap+circuits&dpPl=1&dpID=51J81R-V0TL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40
This was the one I asked my parents to buy me for my birthday: http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-200-in-One-Electronic-Project-Lab/dp/B0002AHR04. I also bought a couple of Forrest Mims books as well to go with it.
Wow, you guys have a lot of toys.
The nerdiest things I own are electronics project kits. I got my first one as a kid, this one, the 130-in-1 (a different brand, but exactly the same, down to the colors).
While in high school, I found a great deal on this 200-in-1 kit that had a little slicker layout and meter on the front.
Towards the end of high school, I went to radio shack and picked up this beauty, which has a breadboard and a whole bunch of components. It comes with two books, Basic Electronics and Digital Logic Processors. The latter dives into ICs, all of which are included.
I haven't played with them in a while (too much external stresses), but when I do, I'm also going to learn how to program Arduinos to see how I can combine what I learn from each to make something really cool.
Get a practice kit like this. It's $12, you actually make a thing that does something when you're done, the instructions have you intentionally foul up a few joins so you can learn to correct them. And it won't matter if you royally foul it up because it's not your keyboard.
If after reading these comments, you decide to learn to solder, here's a simple $8.59 kit that I recommend. Iron not included.
Cool project. The soldering should be pretty simple, and it's fairly easy to learn. I would recommend buying a soldering project kit, something silly like this: amazon link that you don't mind messing up and learning on.
Something along these lines would be a good place to start, just to get more comfortable with soldering in general: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002LUAL6
Or honestly, any other kit that looks interesting to you on Amazon, Adafruit, Sparkfun, etc.
Specifically for mechs, grabbing some switches from a switch tester and playing around with small boards like these could be a good follow-up step to get direct experience with what you'd be doing when assembling your own board:
Hope that helps.
Just to add onto this, I used this kit as my first project before soldering Game Boys, and it helped a ton. It comes with an instruction booklet explaining how to solder, strip wires, mount 555 timers and resistors, etc. It even has an unused part of the board you can practice on.
I would start by doing one of these practice kits to brush up on soldering. They come with instructional booklets. As for mods just figure out one you'd like to do and go for it. AV mods tend to be pretty simple. Further reading:
MMMONKEY
Console 5
One way you could help make yourself a valuable part of the team is by learning to solder. You can pick up an entire soldering kit for pretty cheap that will include some practice stuff. Here is an example:
Learn to Solder Kit
Soldering is fairly easy, especially if you are just soldering the pins on switches like in that Sentraq kit.
While a better quality iron is nice, you will get by just fine with a basic iron. Here is a basic iron that includes a practice kit.
> Is there such thing as a cheap/inexpensive kit?
Yes, here's a link to one in Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA/ref=pd_ybh_a_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MNYGJG5K180P793GN41W
Main thing I would ask in response is why do you want to avoid Arduino for now? I think the base level of knowledge required to do anything interesting with Arduino projects is a little lower and more condusive to beginners.
There is a cost side of things too. You can get a pretty full Arduino kit for $30. To make much progress on the analog side of things you are going to quickly run into a need for a power supply, function generator, ect.
If you are just wanting to meander through electronics and see what there is to do, I would get that kit or something similar and add in a few op amps and 555 timers.
If you are dead set on avoiding Arduino, then I would either recommend you look into the construction type kits that /u/Susan_B_Good suggested. I had one similar to this when I was starting out.
Non-mobile version of that link:
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA
Well then, before you take on any Gameboy soldering, you should get a kit like this and practice. The deluxe kit comes with a much better soldering iron though for only $20 more which will last longer. Finally, buy some rosin flux before you mess with the Gameboy, it makes modifying existing solder joints sooo much easier and more pleasant.
Yep, that's the one (it's partially put together on my kitchen table right now). I'll tell what I bought and let you decide what to get (I overbought since I have nothing to start with). Keep in mind that I am completely new to the RC hobby and this is my first quadcopter build.
laptop screws for the motors
nylon spacer kit
Nylock nuts for the props
Velcro straps
XT60 connectors to make power lead
Wire to make power lead
zip ties
heat shrink
Like I said I overbought but I think this will work for me (for example my batteries have an XT60 connection).
Some other stuff I got because I'm a newb and want my quadcopter to light up the sky:
Helping Hands Magnifier -> this works very well
Learn to solder kit -> it helped me
Pretty lights
https://smile.amazon.com/Originial-TEDCO-Gyroscope-Twin-Pak/dp/B000FGKHZ2
bam
I know it's been a few days, but thought I'd still say something. I have a few of these guys and they've always worked well for me!
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Here are your smile-ified links:
these guys
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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot
Yeah it is a long drive, but just get up early and drive out there, takes a couple hours, and trust me, it's worth it. In Ocala, you can hike all day, then setup camp, and then walk over and go swimming in a spring, two nights in a row. But you need to either hike with a partner and self shuttle, or pay someone to drop you off on the other end of the trail. But definitely you want some easier overnights under your belt. I think Hillsborough and Starkey would be good shakedown hikes.
Edit: alcohol is cheaper, and since you're student, if you want advice on making an alcohol stove, you can start here: http://andrewskurka.com/2011/how-to-make-a-fancy-feast-alcohol-stove/
https://www.amazon.com/TEDCO-TT-200-Tornado-Tube-Assorted/dp/B000GYSZOI
you can find these at kids science type stores, some walmarts etc.
they just need a bit of trimming
tornado tube
My gravity setup: 1.5ml Evernew Bladder -> Squeeze -> Tornado Tube--> 1L Smartwater or another Evernew.
FWIW that cleaning coupler looks like it's pretty much the same as one of these tornado tube things that you can get a little cheaper. It's also useful for setting up a gravity system.
For same price you can get [2oz of Ferrofluid] (https://www.amazon.com/Ferrofluid-2oz-Bottle-Science-Projects/dp/B00126P1NW/ref=sr_1_6?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1483820626&sr=1-6&keywords=Ferrofluid) , the one you linked is like 1/40th of 2oz. The bottle is 2oz but the actual Ferrofluid is 1/40th that.
I'm sure you can find even better deals looking around.
If you love magnets so much you should buy yourself some ferrofluid! Here's a cool video showing how it reacts under magnetic fields. Or you can also make a science project out of it and make it yourself!
https://www.amazon.com/Applied-Magnets-Magnetic-Ferrofluid-Projects/dp/B00126P1NW/ref=sr_1_6?crid=13P1BNAWH6YVU&keywords=ferrofluid&qid=1575086391&sprefix=ferrofl%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-6
Wear a thimble. It's not exactly a perfect shield, but stuff would stick to it instead of you. Also, when I passed a sheet of magnetic viewing film over sheet metal with a magnet on the underside, I got no reaction, so it's a decent shield.
Use this on the key http://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Viewing-Film-Field-Display/dp/B00129CCGS to figure out how the magnets are organized then arrange your own to match and boom key made
Science Gifts
Glow n’ Grow TerrariumCrystal Growing LabSolar System Model KitMagic Science KitShopkins
Dress Up
3 Pair Dress Up ShoesSofia the First DressSheriff Callie Dress Up SetAwesome weird thing is right here!
I've got this guy, who walks quite well.
Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center
Elenco has stuff like this that you could even get the kids involved. Also, these go on sale sometimes for about 20 bucks. Do a search for "Elenco Kit" will show up other related stuff too. I'm not with this company, I have this kit on my desk and made me think of it.
You could also get into making speakers and amps. Or Raspberry Pi stuff for robotics or automation (or endless other things :)
I'm also not really sure what you're looking for heh
Edited1:
I had a bread board to play with growing up. It was a really fun activity and came with a project book.
It was similar to this, though not this exact model
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7W5IDb1NSJ95C
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412479994&sr=8-1&keywords=Electronic+kit
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronics-Snap-Circuits-Snaptricity/dp/B0013BL3LK/ref=sr_1_38?ie=UTF8&qid=1412480035&sr=8-38&keywords=Electronic+kit
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-EP-50-Electronic-Playground-50-in-one/dp/B00000IUD2/ref=pd_sim_t_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KPKE2ZHBDF256TN2M8K
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-EP-50-Electronic-Playground-50-in-one/dp/B00000IUD2/ref=pd_sim_t_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0KPKE2ZHBDF256TN2M8K
I had the Electronic Playground thing back when I was a kid. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot from it.
Just to add one more suggestion. I had something like one of these Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center when I was really young and I probably built 90% of the circuits in the book. It's a lot of fun and they do a fairly good job of describing how the circuits work. You connect components using precut wires to "spring" terminals.
Here's the style I had as a child.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417537035&sr=8-1&keywords=electronics+kit
If you're looking for actual breadboard stuff - something like this might be what you are looking for.
http://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Ultimate-Starter-Includes-Instruction/dp/B00BT0NDB8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417537035&sr=8-2&keywords=electronics+kit
Get one of those electronics kits.
First result on Amazon
Was it like this?
https://www.amazon.ca/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/
I considered it but I figured that it would not be much more difficult to just use real components and then he wouldn't be stuck with such a rigid platform. But maybe something like that would make it less intimidating.
My favorite toy was either my roll-out walk-on piano, or [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=pd_sim_t_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1522BANMZ9R4XS3WJ55K). I would spend hours on this thing. I can also still jump out Chopsticks like nobody's business.
I really wanted some Kinex or other Lego-like toys with motors to make robots.
my personal recommendation is to get a soldering kit first and watch the EEVBlog tutorials on soldering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ part 1 is equipment, part 2 is throughhole, and part 3 is surface mount (which you don't have to watch). Part 2 is the most important; because you're just doing throughhole you can buy a cheap soldering station for like 25 bucks since throughhole components can take a bigger beating than SMD stuff.
I got the Elenco FM radio kit on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-FM-88K-FM-Radio-Kit/dp/B004YHZE0G because it was cool and gave me more of an incentive to finish. This part is to just work out how to throughhole solder on something that doesn't cost 80-100 dollars; you'll probably feel like you have the hang of it after a couple minutes, but it's better to get that way before you start on your board
How about an FM radio circuit kit, like this?
I think you might need to get a soldering iron though.
Don't suppose you could give me some details on how the wiring works (pics would be helpful if you can take him apart)? The most electrical engineering I've done was following the instructions of one of these :/
There is a company called Kiwi Crate that will deliver monthly projects to your house. I am considering ones for my 6 & 8 year olds for Christmas. Last year we got them snap circuits and they enjoyed those too.
Snapcircuits!
You can make all sorts of electrical projects with them, or invent your own stuff. Great for STEM-oriented education.
Yep. Now, be careful as you gently abrade away the coating, as the ink won't be that thick. I'd suggest using a voltmeter to tell when you are through.
You can use very fine sandpaper, pumice, or something similar (even a razor blade, but that is riskier) to get the coating off.
Read up on whatever conductive material you use. Conducto compound, which I have always used (but wouldn't recommend for you; I have a lifetime's supply of it, and it was CRAZY-expensive), needs to be cured at 100°C, or with UV light.
Here are some things to take a look at:
https://www.adafruit.com/categories/221
Also:
http://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Scribe-Conductive-Ink-Pen/dp/B00OZATJ3A
Not sure but it might be easier to just buy the pen
https://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Scribe-Non-Toxic-Conductive-Silver/dp/B00OZATJ3A
how would this pen work? https://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Scribe-Non-Toxic-Conductive-Silver/dp/B00OZATJ3A
I have soldering stuff before, Mostly gameboy advances and what not but this pen seems neat.
You could get this sassy robot instead.
Cozmo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GA1298S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_1G2izbWEQ707Q
For those wondering this little guy's name is Cozmo. It's almost $200 and is great in introducing children to programming.
https://www.amazon.com/Anki-000-00048-Cozmo/dp/B01GA1298S
Here's the link for Amazon
You know you want one.
Cozmo
The same guys who made this. How do we make parking...fun?
this guy:
http://www.amazon.com/toys-games/dp/B00000DMER
The same people who designed this
more like Rush hour
ThinkFun Rush Hour anyone?
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Fun-5000-ThinkFun-Rush/dp/B00000DMER
My 4 year old understands Set if I limit the variables a bit (like picking only 1 colour to play with) so your 5 year old could probably play. She also likes Rush Hour which is a solitaire game, but I set up the scenarios for her. She’s starting to get into Quarto which is a bit like Set mixed with tic tac toe.
Labyrinth is a pretty easy game, though she lost interest in it pretty quickly (probably due to the overwhelming cuteness of Pengeloo which came home shortly after).
Can't go wrong with Rush Hour.Link
Another one I've enjoyed is called Solitaire Chess Link
It's been a while since I've played them, it might be time to play again
Classic games are always good as you are familiar with them and you can re-use components for some. My favorites in no particular order
Games
Hangman
Read a list of words from a file, randomly select one, and play a game of hangman!
War
Model cards and a deck of cards, give the 'AI' half the deck, the player the other half, then keep drawing with user interaction. Doesn't really require AI and is a pretty simple simulation
Tic-Tac-Toe
Self explanitory. Bonus points for functional AI
Rush Hour
See classic rush hour games. Get the player's car to the other end of the traffic jam. Bonus points for a hint system where the next move is given to you.
Sudoku
The classic numbers puzzle. Again, bonus points for a prediction system. bonus points + 1 for a solver (given any soduku puzzle from your favourite puzzle book, it will automatically solve it for you)
Applications
Tip Calculator
Calculate tips. Bonus points for not using any buttons (I.e., the tip is automatically re-calculated when you move a slider / edit a value)
Grocery List
Create a list of grocery items for going to the store. Be able to save out and read back in Grocery Lists. TripleQuadruple bonus points for being able to print.
Edit: I would like to add -> you shouldn't focus on projects for python. Think about what you want to do, then think about the best tool for the job. All of these can be done in python. But you should be focusing on the overall process, not the specific language you are learning if that makes sense. For example, if you learn to do it in Python, you should be able to do it in C# and Java as they have pretty similair (relative) mechanics. Write down a lot of crap before you write a line of code. What objects do I need? How will these objects interact? Am I even going for an OOP model, or can/should this be implemented functionally?
With ThinkFun, were you looking at games like this? I played games like that in the gifted classes I had in elementary school, and they were a lot of fun. These days, you can even download that type of game for an iPhone or iPad for 99 cents, or for free.
For older kids (say, 10 and up), the card game 24 is great for building critical thinking and math skills.
I bought this game for the daughter of a friend of mine in China. So I guess she should be prepared when this happens.
I got this and released 5 butterflies into the garden last week https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00000ISC5/ref=pe_385721_137472691_TE_dp_3
http://www.amazon.com/Insect-Lore-Live-Butterfly-Garden/dp/B00000ISC5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396929401&sr=8-1&keywords=butterfly+kit
This is awesome for kids of just about any age.
Hahaha oh man..memories of cutting hay riding on weekdays and during Halloween in Auckland, there were other crashes at the end of the year, they sent the cocoons: http://www.amazon.com/Insect-Lore-Live-Butterfly-Garden/dp/B00000ISC5.
You can buy kits my daughters nursery had them and the children were fascinated.
If you love butterflies, you could always raise your own in the spring. I'm happy to see that you are trying to find who you are and to be happy with yourself. Keep smiling!
This! I got it for my daughter at the same age and she loved it. The caterpillars come separately.
One of these
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00000ISC5/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1457216174&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=insect+lore+butterfly+garden&dpPl=1&dpID=61ZnofBFtqL&ref=plSrch
This basically you put everyday rocks you find in world into it and it tumbles them for like a week i think and when you take them out they are all shiny and smooth. then i don't know what you do with them, but you would have a bunch of really shiny and smooth rocks.
With the proper bits, polishing paste, a rotary tool stand and an industrial rotary tool that specific agate could take hours. With just a regular old dremel, water and some crappy bits /u/ces614 is right that agate could take you days.
Source I do a lot of rotary tool work on shells, and have practiced on some small soft stones. On the Mohs scale they would fall between 3 and 5, an agate is what roughly 7 on the scale. The hardest thing I've worked on with the dremel I have is a striped fox conch, if you mesured it against the Mohs scale it would be about a 6 maybe 6.5. I was making a shell horn, it took an hour and a half total to finish it. Imagine spending an hour and half on that agate, thats if you only do one side. You'd have to take a lot of breaks even with a stand or a flex shaft. I guess if your just doing the one stone you could do it but man that's ify.
Personally just drop the $80 on a nice Lortone tumbler, they are simple and last damn near forever. Use the rotary tool, or whatever you already have to shape your agate then throw it in the tumbler. If you want to do it super cheap, buy a toy tumbler they cost about $30. After 2 or 3 sets of rocks they start to leak, unless they have improved them any since I was a kid (I'm 30 now) which I doubt.
Learning the fundamentals of electronics usually involves lab equipment like oscilloscopes, meters, signal generators, etc. For this I'd take an electronics lab course for some hands-on learning and experience with the various electronics test equipment.
Basic info about components is in places like the AskElectronics Wiki and the Big Clive videos.
An Electronic Project Lab kit is basically a lot of simple projects and a good learning tool to start out with.
This kit has everything you need: https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-300-in-One-Electronic-Project-Lab/dp/B00005K86O/
This is how I got interested in electrical engineering.
The problem was I only realized years later that a lot of EE is programming and not actual circuits and circuit design. I love circuits and stuff but hate programming so take that for what it's worth.
Switched to chemical engineering sophomore year of college and never looked back.
This one looks more like the one my brother had. Sad face for the price :( I want it, but cant really justify the cash.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005K86O/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000IXPYSM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=025Q89FM43XNZ6ZHZRPP
yup. a friend of mine got a kit like this for his five year old, and i happened to see it at the science store, too. i played with it for quite a while myself. it's something i'd get for my own kid, if i ever have one.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-300-Snap-Circuits/dp/B0000683A4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324335395&sr=8-1
Elenco Snap Circuits SC-300
https://www.amazon.ca/Elenco-SC-300-Snap-Circuits/dp/B0000683A4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=toys&ie=UTF8&qid=1512047030&sr=1-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=thebigaawes06-20&linkId=1f1f6d40c534b0c798a6af3f047a9a5b
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91D2lq0SH9L._SL1500_.jpg
This is the kit that I've used when starting to learn
https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-300-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B0000683A4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522937812&sr=8-3&keywords=snap+electronics
I think it was awesome and the fact I didn't need breadboard really helped making quick projects easily without wires floating everywhere
i also enjoyed microscopes and scientific experiment kits when i was little. i think the best present i got was a "fun with electricity" cd rom! you could connect electrodes and a battery and create things like metal detectors and closed circuits. [here] (http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SC-300-Snap-Circuits/dp/B0000683A4/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1333731473&sr=8-10) is a similar kit i found on amazon
I'd recommend a snap circuits board to teach them about electricity. Something like this.
Anything with simple machines (screw, ramp, pulley, wedge, lever, wheel, etc.) that they have to assembly is also a good idea but most will require the ability to use a screwdriver and limit their ability to experiment on their own. Those that don't will likely be a little lame like simple kinex and lego stuff.
Finally chemical sets are nice but will definitely require adult supervision.
What I mean is that just getting a bulb to glow is way too simple. There more complex stuff in those my first circuit sets.
Sonya, Your Momma wouldn't tell you this but ....
Sweet child, this world is made up of all kinds of people with different ways of thinking, believing and feeling, this is important because be different is not being wrong, being different is what makes you unique. Love what makes you different, and love what makes others different.
I hope it's okay to share more than one thing that I think every child should have.
rock tumbler
Snap Circuits jr kit
Prime Club game
Happy birthday!!
My minecraft kid really loves the shirts that feature his youtube heroes, in fact i'm getting him a pat and jen shirt this year, but he also loves the dantdm one from walmart. As Ejalamung suggested, sunglasses are huge and a watch is great. Those are two really good ones.
Nerf shooters go over really big, as well as the toy archery kits.
Have you looked at anything like snap circuits?
https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478652891&sr=1-1&keywords=snap+circuits
My kids also really loved this, moon in my room
https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Control-Décor-Night-Light/dp/B000EUHKUE/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478653304&sr=1-1&keywords=moon+in+my+room+uncle+milton
Hope you have a wonderful christmas!
Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1426979922&sr=8-1&keywords=snap+circuits&dpPl=1&dpID=51J81R-V0TL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
If people are looking for ideas for educational toys, this range of kid's electronic circuits are great - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Jr/dp/B00008BFZH/
They are compatible with other simlar ones (e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cambridge-Brainbox-Primary-Electronics-Kit/dp/B001MJ7DB2/)
Great to find in charity shops and car boot sales too since you can keep building up a library of components
I did not design the transmitter, I found it on the internet, I was being lazy. This guy was great starting out: http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-200-in-One-Electronic-Project-Lab/dp/B0002AHR04/ref=sr_1_2 for non-microcontroller projects.
One of the projects is a transmitter (I think using 1 or 2 transistors)
I have been at this a long time but don't let that discourage you. With the internet there has never been more resources to learn electronics than now.
Not the exact same brand, but some of these classic kits from the 80s are still available new in box. You can find, e.g., the elenco 130 in one and 200 in one kits on Amazon for very reasonable prices.
Holy hell, you're amazing , I'm print a hold to Arduino to complete this learning process.
>
Edit: also, not even joking, maybe you can pick up one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Maxitronix-200-in-One-Electronic-Project-Lab/dp/B0002AHR04.
This is actually really amazing, how didn't i hear of it before?
Thank you so much man, you are using a lot of ways for me and lighting my way, Thank you
I had a Radio Shack branded 200-in-One project kit when I was a kid.
Edit: This 500-in-One version has a breadboard also.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Practical-Soldering-Project-Kit/dp/B0002LUAL6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1324164212&sr=8-6
Get something like this to learn the basics:
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Sports-Cards-MX-906-Electronic/dp/B00005K2SY/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1313696934&sr=1-1
The various parts in there will be useful when you start breadboarding stuff.
and this to learn soldering:
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Practical-Soldering-Project-Kit/dp/B0002LUAL6/ref=sr_1_4?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1313696934&sr=1-4
You might have a local hackspace where people would be willing to help you out if you are having trouble with the soldering.
I suggest this:
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Practical-Soldering-Project-Kit/dp/B0002LUAL6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1406761425&sr=8-4&keywords=learn+to+solder+kit
It's a very good kit, and will give you plenty of practice before you solder your Poker 2. No frills, and will give you plenty of practice for through hole soldering.
Combine this with a practical, but good quality soldering station:
http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_3?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1406762091&sr=1-3&keywords=soldering+iron
A desoldering pump:
http://www.amazon.com/Sucking-Vacuum-Desoldering-Solder-Remover/dp/B005GIPKOW/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1406762167&sr=1-3&keywords=desoldering+pump
And some solder:
http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-AT-31604-60-40-Solder-Ounces/dp/B00030AP48/ref=sr_1_1?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1406762345&sr=1-1&keywords=solder
To learn, there are plenty of Youtube videos, I recommend you also solder the Elenco kit, then desolder everything to get a feel for how the desoldering pump works (it's super easy, you can't really screw it up). Then, solder it together one more time for extra practice.
All together, about $66 bucks. Add in the cost of the switches, and you're looking at a little over 100. Still a bunch cheaper than the Poker 2 from Massdrop ($143.50), and you've just learned a life skill. For me, that's totally worth it, but then again, I'm an engineer, and learning useful skills is what my entire profession is based on.
---
EDIT: Get this soldering kit instead:
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-SP3B-Practical-Soldering-Project/dp/B0002LUALG/ref=pd_tcs_compl_t_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=00RQRQTCJ767WDS4D7KV
Cheaper and has more soldering points. The other one has a shitty speaker which doesn't add much to the soldering lesson, but drives the cost up.
Hey! I actually had very little knowledge of drones/electronics, and then I started lurking on this subreddit and became inspired! I did a bunch of research first, which pretty much consisted of watching build videos and googling "how do I build a quadcopter". I made sure to google any words or lingo that I didn't understand, like "what is an ESC", and "how does a flight controller work". I also tried to search this subreddit for things like "what flight controller should I use" and watched a lot of build videos.
Once I had a decent understanding of the basic parts and components, I bought a toy grade RFT quad, flew/crashed it, and took it apart to look at the various components. I also decided at that point that I wanted a deeper understanding of electronics, and bought this book, though I think that step is highly optional and not required to build a quad. I started working through the book, and also bought this soldering practice kit. After completing the practice kit, I felt more or less ready to try to build this tiny whoop.
Since this was my first build, I tried to keep it simple. It really just consisted of some very easy soldering and then putting the rest of the parts onto the frame. If you'd like more specific instructions or explanations of anything I did, let me know! I think this build could definitely be accomplished by anyone with a desire to learn. I learned a lot along the way, and I'm already planning a bigger more complicated build.
Hey bud, I think it's great that you're interested in this hobby and am happy you're doing some research before plunging in. Do you know how to solder yet? That's an important skill in building your a drone since nearly everything in the building phase will require it. I had to start out with a little soldering practice kit before I started building a quadcopter. Soldering with a quadcopter can be difficult because everything is so small!
If you've got soldering down though, and you want a good starting kit that comes with pretty much everything, you can find some on eBay for pretty good prices, I've built four ZMR250 DIY kits purchased on eBay over the last couple years and they've all flown great. (That kit isn't totally complete though, you'll still need a transmitter/receiver and batteries.)
That kit is about £61, you can get a FlySky FS-T6 transmitter which comes with the receiver for £35 which leaves you over £50 to cover a couple batteries, a LiPo Charger, other misc electronics/parts you might need like voltage regulators or connectors and shipping. (which might end up being a little over £150, but that's how this hobby tends to go..)
I'm in the same boat so I got a practice soldering kit from Amazon for $11. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002LUAL6/ref=sr_ph_2?qid=1463770366&sr=sr-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=soldering+kit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002LUAL6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482521154&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=solder+practice+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=519bj4ev-jL&ref=plSrch
This is the one I used.
this is a higly recommended kit. It doesn't include practice with de-soldering but has some practice boards and solder with it. https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465915944&sr=8-1&keywords=amerikit+soldering
ok my advise would be to buy the part and also buy some solder practice kits like this https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523380566&sr=8-3&keywords=learn+soldering and once you feel comfortable solder the part to the drive you should be able to get comfortable after a few hours its not super hard just dont rush.
The soldering required to build a quad is not very difficult. If you are rusty you can always go to a local hobby shop and buy one of those kits that requires soldering and use it as practice.
You could also just get something like this. - http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriKit-Learn-Solder-Kit/dp/B0009Z3JJA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418060308&sr=8-3&keywords=Radio+kit
You-Should-Solder spiel:
if you have normal fine motor ability, soldering is easier than you think. unless you have an adustable iron turned up to max, or you're holding the iron on the pad for more than 5 seconds, you'll have a tough time ruining the PCB. Check out this comic, watch some youtube videos. If you want some practice before you embark on an expensive project, there are cheap kits you can get online.
I started with this kit. The iron it comes with is about as crappy as you can find, but it's served me very well through many projects, including building 3 keyboards, and unless it breaks or I need to do something very complex with surface-mounted parts, I don't think I'll need to replace it.
Get one of these to practice, it's easy!
Buy something like this and get over your fear of soldering. Basic soldering skills are pretty much a requirement for the next level in this hobby, and it's not too hard. A but if practice with a kit like that and you'll have no problem soldering connectors and PDBs.
http://www.amazon.com/Originial-TEDCO-Gyroscope-Twin-Pak/dp/B000FGKHZ2
Here's one off Amazon if anymore can't be bothered to build one [Gyroscope] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FGKHZ2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000FGKHZ2&linkCode=as2&tag=rafnieto10-20&linkId=844488613f55cab2eeb9a5dd5326e31a)
Pretty sure he's using this, they're designed for it, but if you really want to do it low budget, the same effect can be created with some tape and the original caps.
I have collapsible 5 gallon containers (plastic similar to the sawyer bags) and one of the adapters to make 2L bottles into a tornado in my car camping kit. Dirty bag > filter > adapter > clean bag. Hang or drape over a log and let it do its thing.
Edit: u/Swingmerightround I am leaving my mobile mess above, but wanted to edit that they are 5L, not 5G. Still a chunk of water. Containers and Adapter
Bismuth is pretty cool.
http://www.amazon.com/Educational-Innovations-Bismuth-Crystal/dp/B008MB1MCE/ref=pd_sim_indust_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=13DYYME1DPBPMTE7TFWC
You could also get some ferrofluid, it's this awesome magnetic liquid.
http://www.amazon.com/Ferrofluid-bottle-GREAT-SCIENCE-PROJECTS/dp/B00126P1NW/ref=pd_sim_indust_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1DE658YEG7SG10M6TQ8R
https://www.amazon.com/Ferrotec-Magnetic-Ferrofluid-Science-Projects/dp/B00126P1NW
$8300 USD....lol. Considering Ferrofluid is only $20 for 2oz on Amazon I have no clue where they are getting their price from. Its definitely not eight grand to create nor that amazing of an idea that it cant easily be replicated at a much lower cost.
To be honest I think these guys really screwed themselves with this initial "Limited run of 24 clocks at $8300 each". Probably will be able to buy knockoffs of this on alibaba by summer.
Buy some ferrofluids. Make patterns with magnets. Shit bricks.
http://www.amazon.com/Ferrofluid-bottle-GREAT-SCIENCE-PROJECTS/dp/B00126P1NW/ref=pd_sbs_indust_4
So what I would do is get a piece of magnetic imaging film [1] and survey the desk area for fields. Besides that I would introduce an insulator, for any development board I work on, I have used those green craft boards [2] which are seem to be great insulators. You might also try using a wrist connected grounding strap [3]. If there are any electrical posts built into the table, unplug them, and inspect the insulators and neutral & ground runs.
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Viewing-Film-Field-Display/dp/B00129CCGS
[2] https://www.amazon.com/Hobby-Craft-Double-Healing-Cutting/dp/B00GEKIM8W
[3] https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Static-Wrist-Strap-Grounding-Adjustable/dp/B002O6U65W
Found some on amazon. "Magnetic viewing film"
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Viewing-Film-Field-Display/dp/B00129CCGS
May be a good place to start :)
Same principle as the thin film that does the same, except easier to see how it functions.
The film I’m talking about
this magical film lets you see magnetic fields
Aw, I hope you feel better
Have your very own pet tornado or tin can robot
Turn that frown Upsidedown
http://www.amazon.com/Toysmith-3653-Tin-Can-Robot/dp/B0014WO96Y/ref=pd_sim_t_2
This caught my attention. Hope you like it.
Steam
If you are ever looking for fun projects to do, I have a sack full! Have you seen this one yet?
Tin Can Robot
Magnetic Pen
Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things
Radian Wall Clock
USB beverage cooler
Check out thinkgeek.com
Perhaps you might enjoy something more like this. https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=asc_df_B0035XSZDI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312003162663&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12376681281660115618&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052566&hvtargid=pla-434851101009&psc=1
The Arduino kits focus more on the microprocessor and getting things to work with that.
Since he is interested in technology, you can see if he would be interested in this kit. You can also show him some youtube videos of science experiments and see if he would be interested in doing any of those.
Nice. I had this http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Electronic-Playground-Learning-Center/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_8?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1370635549&sr=1-8&keywords=electronic+science which was quite good. Also a tin of bits and bots is another good one, LEDS, buzzers, wires etc.
Legend! I was able to find the same products in the Aussie Amazon, thanks very much!
Edit in case anyone is looking https://www.amazon.com.au/Elenco-130-1-Electronic-Playground/dp/B0035XSZDI/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1523316972&sr=8-12&keywords=elenco+electronic
This is really excellent advice! Sometimes just staring at a book is not going to make it stick. Another fun way to get some hands on electronics experience is with those project kits built to teach kids. Doing all of the projects in something like this or this shows you a lot of the theory in a way that will stick better because you have actually seen it work. And they cost less than a text book.
Didn't know you were talking about free-energy videos. Anyway, those are a complete hoax. Sorry, but there's no way to create free energy. As for your son, here's a list of electronics and magnetism science kits I would recommend:
I highly recommend this one, I had one as a kid and loved it!:
$34.99 Elenco 130-in-1 Electronic Playground and Learning Center (ages 12+)
$26.49 Thames & Kosmos Magnetic Science (ages 8+)
$24.00 Thames & Kosmos Motors and Generators (ages 8+)
$18.85 4M Magnet Science Kit (ages 8+)
And here's some nice assortments of fun magnets to play with:
$19.95 46 small-medium magnets
$34.95 100 small-medium magnets
$69.95 26 medium-large magnets
Electronics kits is the way to go. Buy something recenable cheap and try to make it work. Try not to shake on your hands...
https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-FM-88K-FM-Radio-Kit/dp/B004YHZE0G/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1469015634&sr=1-3&keywords=build+electronics
Also buy these, that will rescue you when you use too much solder...
http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-5-Feet-2_0mm-1_5m-Desoldering-Braid-Solder-Remover-Wick-Cable-Wire-CP-2015-p-49770.html
Wash your hands, and dont worry too much about the fumes. It is a problem if you solder every single day, but you will be soldering for a short time, every month only.
Also one of these will help you, not burning your fingers.
https://www.circuitspecialists.com/content/98947/zd-10f-0.jpg
Might want to just look around for radio building kits for sale; probably cheaper than buying the individual components by themselves. Here's a couple of examples:
https://www.amazon.ca/CF210SP-Double-Frequency-Electronic-Assemble/dp/B07GYNHHHP/ref=sr_1_10_sspa?crid=3EAT06389T0I7&keywords=radio+build+kit&qid=1566855907&s=gateway&sprefix=radio+build%2Caps%2C226&sr=8-10-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTVNCTzlWWUFYUFZFJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzEzOTE4Mk5TMkpDTVFOOEMwQyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODE4NjczM0tEUUhRQlZBVlNIViZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
https://www.amazon.ca/Elenco-FM-88K-FM-Radio-Kit/dp/B004YHZE0G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EAT06389T0I7&keywords=radio+build+kit&qid=1566855907&s=gateway&sprefix=radio+build%2Caps%2C226&sr=8-1
Just remembered about building a crystal radio kit as a kid (way back in the day and was great because it used no batteries) so went back to Amazon and searched with the phrase "crystal radio kit" which returned quite a number of hits for not only crystal radio kits but also other kit options like the ones mentioned above.
Wholey smoke, those links. Lol.
For cleaner Amazon links you can scrap all the tracker junk after the product ID:
https://www.amazon.ca/CF210SP-Double-Frequency-Electronic-Assemble/dp/B07GYNHHHP/
And
https://www.amazon.ca/Elenco-FM-88K-FM-Radio-Kit/dp/B004YHZE0G/
I would find an old electronic item, disassemble and practice desoldering things on there. You'll find very quickly there are different types of tools/iron tips you're going to want. I say old electronic item because motherboards from like a computer or stereo component are difficult to work on. The solder doesn't flow as easy and you'll want to develop a technique/acquire all the tools before you attempt something like that.
They have a plethora of soldering kits where you can solder a digital clock, radio etc
I remember spending countless hours with Snap Circuits.
The buzzer was the most fun.
Anyone who might find this in the future I decided on this snap circuit
I figure we can do it together and I think it'll be fun too!
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Snap-Circuits-SC-300-Physics/dp/B00CIXVIRQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406588697&sr=8-2&keywords=snap+circuit Give me a price /u/PriceZombie
These things!?. They were my jam back in grade school.
Hijacking to give some tips on toys and fun activities that can help solidify all this in your brain if you're more of a tactile learner (don't feel bad that these are "kids'" toys, as most of the people I know really only use their children as an excuse to buy them...):
Snap circuits help you get the idea of electricity transmitting information. Plus the informational material is written for someone who is actually nine.
https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuits-SC-300-Electronics-Discovery/dp/B00CIXVIRQ
Then you can look at how those work a little further using Arduino:
http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/accessories/apd/a9335657?ST=pla&dgc=ST&cid=302851&lid=57581044&acd=1230980731501410&ven1=A9335657:54715087668:901pdb6671:c&ven2=:&ven3=272703650778773293
Lego robotics also use Arduino:
https://www.fractuslearning.com/2016/08/29/making-programming-lego-robotics/
You know how Lego has that picture by picture guide to building? Imagine learning robotics that way. My daughter at some point decided she didn't want to use Lego for whatever reason, though, so she's getting this for Christmas:
http://www.robotshop.com/en/makeblock-mbot-ranger-3-in-1-transformable-stem-educational-robot-kit.html
I realize these are costly items. But there are also budget versions and we also use programmr to help understand how code actually executes actions in an environment.
If you're interested in learning more, or if you know someone who is (especially a kid), hands on is really the way to start. Otherwise they'll be like me and take apart your electronics to see what's inside... that's also fun.
Take the motherboard out and look for blown capacitors or damaged board.
Some places can just replace the capacitors (Very small soldering iron tip and flux)
I had a similar problem not too long ago. Turns out the bottom of the board had a short. Looked like water damage had erroded the board away and broke part of the copper connection inside the board itself. That's harder to fix but you can use something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circuit-Scribe-Conductive-Ink-Pen/dp/B00OZATJ3A to repair the connection.
I advise against this but as a last ditch effort you could try.
Other than that it's a new mobo i'm afraid. Good news tho. Motherboards are fairly cheap (Depending on what type you want/need)
Childrens toy https://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Scribe-Non-Toxic-Conductive-Silver/dp/B00OZATJ3A
Yeah, I remember the kickstarter for this. You can buy one here, but they're $30 a pop. It's silver that makes that ink conduct.
Amazon!
$179.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GA1298S
$179 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Anki-000-00048-Cozmo/dp/B01GA1298S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506453378&sr=8-1&keywords=cosmo
Got one for my son last Christmas and we both still play with it.
Name: "Anki Cosmo"
$180
Amazon Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GA1298S
$180, you can buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GA1298S/i
Similar to your engine model idea, a Sterling Engine would make a cool desk toy:
https://www.amazon.com/DjuiinoStar-Low-Temperature-Stirling-Engine/dp/B077LHS81K/
or
https://www.amazon.com/Sunnytech-Stirling-Educational-Electricity-Generator/dp/B01CE6Q71S/
I think these are cooler than the model, because they are real functioning engines.
DjuiinoStar Low Temperature Stirling Engine Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LHS81K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7g5YAbXC54P2B
Googling "simple piston motor" led to this low-temperature stirling engine as the second link.
https://www.amazon.com/DjuiinoStar-Low-Temperature-Stirling-Engine/dp/B077LHS81K
Something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Anki-000-00048-Cozmo/dp/B01GA1298S/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1502938439&sr=1-3&keywords=cozmo
This will take you to the robot cozmo.
https://www.amazon.com/Originial-TEDCO-Gyroscope-Twin-Pak/dp/B000FGKHZ2 pretty good, and at a low price.