Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) I was reading up on how Radio Shack is going under and I got to thinking back to my middle school years when I frequented Radio Shack and the Hobby Shop next door. Magical times... Anyway, I am really wanting to teach my son the basics of electronics and how circuits work, etc. If he enjoys it, we may continue down that path and he and I can learn alot together. He is young, so I want to start off with something extremely simple. You guys have any ideas for us? We probably aren't microcontroller-ready yet, but maybe some neat switch lighting with LEDs or something? Any thoughts are welcome. It has been probably 15 years since I played around with a breadboard and I remember how cool it was to have some success. Edited April 19, 2015 by Opry99er 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I know a super nice book that is just perfect for your purpose: Make: Electronics (Learning by Discovery) You can PM me for, well... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKRetrogamer Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I'm in the UK, so I don't know how many Radio Shack stores are still trading over there but if you can find one of these, you might be able to pick it up for an absolute bargain and it'll teach your son pretty much everything he'd need to know about Electronics. The books provided with the Electronics Learning Lab kit are worth the price of admission alone. http://www.radioshack.com/electronics-learning-lab-kit/2800055.html#.VTOKz5Tfyqk Not as cheap as a breadboard block and a handful of passive components but kits like this offer so much learning potential. Maybe a future Birthday present? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lee Stewart Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 There is also David Cutcher's book Electronic Circuits for the Evil Genius. His website is https://sites.google.com/site/electronicswithdavid/. You can get a kit for the projects through his website, as well. ...lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 That is very cool! They are sold out online currently, but I may be able to find one elsewhere... Amazon or eBay. Thanks Dexter for the tip on the book! I have been calling around to local hobby shops and nobody seems to sell breadboards or electronics components... Crazy. Eventually I want to get us an Arduino snd teach him to program it... Used in conjunction with a breadboard and a few robotics parts and servos, some VERY cool stuff can be accomplished! FOR NOW though, simple lighting and motor control will get the juices flowing I hope. I found a video of the first project I want to do with him... I'll see if I can link it from my phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) Where I want to start:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul84Q9wE8AwWhere I'd like to get in a couple years:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ48VK7ErL0 Edited April 19, 2015 by Opry99er Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lee Stewart Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 That is very cool! They are sold out online currently, but I may be able to find one elsewhere... Amazon or eBay. ... Local stores still have them. I can look up here in MD. ...lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I started with a Radio Shack 25-in-one electronics kit with four solar panels. For Christmas the following year I received the 200-in-one and, oh man oh man. I have no idea what is out there now, but I really hope someone has or will take the baton from Radio Shack and continue creating such kits. I learned so much from Radio Shack kits and from visiting the stores. When we would go to the mall when I was a kid, my parents knew I would be in one of two places: Radio Shack or the computer store across from it (which happened to have Amigas on demo at the time.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 This is the one I had as a kid... ... I loved it so much and had so much fun with it, I wanted to share the excitement with my son when he got older and I bought him this... ... sadly he did not seem very impressed or excited about it. I think he only used it a few times for my benefit, so I decided not to press the issue. Still, the time spent together was priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Awesome Kevan. Im about to walk into a radio shack fir the first time in a couple years to see if they have anything worthwhile, or whether they try to pressure me into a new cell phone plan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I had the very original 200-in-one. Beautiful. Too bad it rotted in storage. In this pic you can see the smoked-plastic lid on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Cool, OLD CS1!!! My trip to Radio Shack was interesting... We found a small breadboard and 5 LED lights (that is all they had in the LED drawer). No prices on anything in the loose components drawers or on the breadboard. Got to the counter, $34. Said thanks, no thanks. There was a REAL nice Arduino Uno starter pack with all kinds of stuff included... The Arduino itself, Keypad, digitial numeric LCD screen, breadboard, jumpers, LEDs, resistors... Seemed pretty reasonably priced at $80. Not ready for that yet though. I asked the kid behind the counter if they had "electronics starter packs" for kids. He said that they used to carry them, but not anymore. He seemed very lethargic. Looks like I have to (once again) shop online and wait for my shipping. Yea, I'll get what I want at a reasonable price, but I do not mind paying a bit more for instant gratification. I HATE waiting on crap to be shipped... HATE IT. Anyway, the kid has been watching electronics videos and asking questions... We saw a neat Arduino robot kit there at Radio Shack, but I told him to learn circuits first, and then we can talk about microcontrollers and programming. He gets it. Now we are shopping online for his starter kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Keep coming back to this one. http://www.amazon.com/16Hertz-Electronics-Breadboard-Resistors-Raspberry/dp/B00J4RN61A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Also cool http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00D9M4BQU/ref=pd_aw_fbt__pc_img_3?refRID=0BGN8YT6Y6EDCQ71YJ12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unhuman Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) I've been buying soldering kits on ebay for work with my daughter (12, my 14 year old has different interests). It started with a clearance soldering kit (organ) from Radio Shack. After that, we built an alarm clock (ebay, $2.50) and we have an AM/FM radio $9 waiting to be built. Since I like to solder, but don't know beans about electronics, this has been a fun introduction for both of us. Just found out the local radio shack is closing (9 days left) and they have some stuff. The other 2 close by are gone. -Howie I was reading up on how Radio Shack is going under and I got to thinking back to my middle school years when I frequented Radio Shack and the Hobby Shop next door. Magical times... Anyway, I am really wanting to teach my son the basics of electronics and how circuits work, etc. If he enjoys it, we may continue down that path and he and I can learn alot together. He is young, so I want to start off with something extremely simple. You guys have any ideas for us? We probably aren't microcontroller-ready yet, but maybe some neat switch lighting with LEDs or something? Any thoughts are welcome. It has been probably 15 years since I played around with a breadboard and I remember how cool it was to have some success. Edited April 19, 2015 by unhuman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Cool stuff, those electronic starter kits! Here is also an Arduino Starterkit: http://math.hws.edu/vaughn/cpsc/226/docs/askmanual.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew180 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Get into the "Maker" movement, Make Magazine, and the book Dexter posted. Also, Adafruit (http://www.adafruit.com/) is a great site to learn on, they have a huge learning section, projects for every interest, and they sell all the stuff. SparkFun (https://www.sparkfun.com/) is another site you should spend some time on. You should also become familiar with SeeedStudio (http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/) since they sell direct from Shenzhen and help a lot of makers (and shipping is not an issue, it is FAST and CHEAP.) Also keep in mind that you don't have to start with the basics. When you started programming in BASIC or XB you were not starting with the basics... BASIC is a *huge* abstraction from the hardware and assembly language, which is the level you are suggesting you start with your son (low-level understanding of electricity, current flow, building circuits from discrete components, etc.) There are a lot of people out there just plugging electronic "modules" together and making some cool stuff. They don't know "why" a lot of it works, but they know if the always plug the +5V and GND in the right way, things power up. Just like you don't know "why" you have to always put "CALL" in front of "CLEAR", but if you do the screen is magically cleared. Arduino is a great platform to start on. It was literally designed for "artists", there is more support, examples, and projects out there than you could read about in a lifetime, and you can make things work quickly. You might not understand all the code you are writing at first, but then again who does? "If I do these instructions, the LED blinks." You can then use that blob of code any time you want an LED to blink. Certainly understanding the basics of AC and DC theory, how an LED actually turns on, why you need the current limiting resistor, etc. is good to know, but it is not necessary and your son might lose interest before you get to the good stuff. It is like learning binary and hex before you even start programming. Screw that, you will pick that stuff up along the way. I really like these 8x8 LED matrix boards: http://www.adafruit.com/products/872 Get some of those and an Arduino and make some graphics or a game. Check out the related products and projects on that page. Maybe get some wearable stuff, or make the FireWalker shoes (https://learn.adafruit.com/firewalker-led-sneakers/overview). There is no limit, just get started. They also have a Young Engineers page: http://www.adafruit.com/category/117 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Thanks matthew. I also have been looking at this kit, but the Make: kits 1 and 2 ARE on sale at RadioShack.com at half price. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Q2JYOBE/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1429470269&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=learning+kit+arduino&dpPl=1&dpID=614-Velk1dL&ref=plSrch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+InsaneMultitasker Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I had the very original 200-in-one. Beautiful. Too bad it rotted in storage. In this pic you can see the smoked-plastic lid on it. 200in1282491.jpg This brings back some fond memories! I had this same kit, though we bought it used without the nifty cover. During one of our moves it had the unfortunate demise of mixing with broken bottles (and their contents) from my poorly-packed chemistry set. What a mess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 ^^That sucks!! I am looking forward to getting started on these projects with the boy. He is jazzed too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Owen, You might also find a kit or two here at: << RAMSEY >> Does anyone else remember the old Radio Shack P-Box kits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 ^^That is cool^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazoo Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Owen, You might also find a kit or two here at: << RAMSEY >> Does anyone else remember the old Radio Shack P-Box kits? Yes! These were great, There were spring clip posts that fit into the holes. You pushed the spring down, fed the lead of the part through the slot in the clip, and let go of the spring to hold the lead firmly in place. My science project one year in grade school consisted of two of these kits, one was an AM transmitter and the other a receiver. They both actually worked, but only for a distance of 10 feet or so. Nevertheless, I was very proud of my accomplishment. And I got an 'A'! Gazoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Ive been going down memory lane today with this stuff. My first "electronics" project was using a 6V battery, some switches, resistors, and little lightbulbs... My dad taught me just about everything he knew about electronics in that one project. Then he got me into building model airplanes... At which he was a master craftsman, no doubt... Wish I still had those ME-109s and P51s... We hung them from the ceiling with fishing line, simulating dogfights. Those were great times... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 The Bf 109 is a cool looking airplane, as is the P-51, but from that era I'd rather have a Spitfire or a Corsair. Now if I was a rich man, I'd go up a few decades and 'settle' for a T-38 trainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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