Electronics Starter Kit for Makers

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Electronics Starter Kit for Makers: What is the minimum equipment?

What is the minimum equipment and what are the costs? That’s certainly the first question you will ask. Let us have a look: in electronics we need to solder the components, a solder iron is required with its accessories. Please check below to find out in detail.

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Soldering station .	Soldering iron kit . 14,99 € CONRAD: 588332-62	Solder Wire   9,99 € CONRAD: 812811-62
Desoldering pump . 7,99 € CONRAD:  588257-62	Stripboard  .  . .  2,19 € CONRAD: 529531-62	Selfmade Stripboard Cutter . . . Click image please to enlarge
Helping hand with magnifying glass   8,99 €  CONRAD: 588221-62	Wire bender for components . .   3,29 €  CONRAD: 425869 – 62	Electronics pliers set . . 19,99 € CONRAD: 822910 – 62

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Concerning the soldering iron, you have two choices: buying a normal 30 Watt soldering iron as a kit or a soldering station which is about 170 €. Up to your budget what you will buy.

Concerning the stripboard: this is ideal for prototyping of new projects.

Learn more:

• How To Make Circuits On A Stripboard
• Free Electronic Circuits And Schematics Online
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stripboard

 

 

CONRAD order number: 400009 – 62

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Resistors have a color-code; you may buy as well for 1,99 € a help to learn to find the value of the resistors as long as you don’t know by heart the how to to know.

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Useful online help:

 

• 4 Band Resistor Color Code Calculator

• LED Series Resistor Calculator

• Ohm’s Law Calculator

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WHERE can I get the equipment?

As we know now what is the equipment required we need also to find out from where we can get it. Well, we can find out if there is a local electronics store and/or buying it online.

Find below, please, addresses of online electronics stores:

• Conrad International (from where I order my stuff…) delivers to 210 countries worldwide
• Reichelt
• RS electronics UK
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WHAT should I know about soldering?

Soldering is no magic, there are only some rules to follow to get a perfect soldering which are not difficult at all. You can find a great guide below, please read it.

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Please click the image to access the article.

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Learn more:

• Soldering presentation shortform

• Learn how to solder Kit
  • CONRAD: 192294 – 62 <===> 7,99 €

 

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How and with what should I start?

I would advice you to start with electronic kits as they are delivered with a guide who provides easy to follow steps. Please find below some good addresses from where you can buy them:

• Velleman
  • Kits for Xmas
• Radio Shack
• Kemo

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As a newbie you should buy you some books to learn the PracTICE; I recommend you to read these books (I learnt from them also…):

• Forrest Mims Engineer’s Notebook

• Getting Started in Electronics

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What else should I care about?

Protect YOUR health: Hazardous solder fumes are harmful to your health!! SO, make sure to NOT put your nose over the soldering and to breath, please! NOR to have drinks on the working place and to drink during the soldering where the soldering takes place!! Be VERY carefully ALSO about on How-To handle the soldering iron; it heats up to 150°C-450°C (30 Watt / 80 Watt)!! NEVER touch the soldering iron underneath the insulating part (on the metal) as it may be ignited and you may have severe burns!!!

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With WHATEVER tools YOU work, keep THIS in mind, please <===> Safety first!!! I am trying to give You the THINKing behind a project (Which EVER one…) LEARNing-By-Doing, should GET done with Students, LEARNers THAT way; let THEM try out till THEY find the appropriate solution. Let THEM create a blog post about it where THEY can report about THEIR adventures and HOW THEY solved the problem for BEST… Of course with photos and with the written experience; #CriticalTHINKing and #ProactiveTHINKing will emerge As well as #PracTICE of course… As a Coach You observe and guide THEM with “Couldn’t THERE be ANOTHER way to realize it?”; Make THEM curios about to challenge THEMSELVES for BETTER   Have FUN! Look at following keywords to find out about what you should think about and what this sort of creation will result in. . Keywords: creativity, motivation, self-learning,  autodidact, critical thinking, proactive thinking (learning from fails for the future…), engaging, competences, PracTICE skills, learning-By-Doing, learning to learn, problem solving , organization skills, team work, coaching, fun, gift from kids to parents for Xmas, feeling proud about having created something itself, self-esteem… .

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Learn more:

• Maker Space | A New Trend In Education And A BIG Responsibility

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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