Please suggest a Hobby Kit to learn Electronics from Scratch

lancslass2008

Hi all


My partner wants to learn about small electronics (resistors, capacitors, DC projects etc) as a hobby. I bought him the book 'Electronics for Dummies' but he says that at chapter 3 it gets too technical for him. Therefore, I called into Maplin but they didn't have a 'kit' where you can learn with practical experiments. He is currently learning from videos on youtube but wants to get stuck in with components. Can anybody suggest a REALLY EASY book or even better a Kit that includes some various components to play with. Or... Any other advice...


Thank you in advance.

Inner_Zone

How about this or search electronic hobby kits on Amazon etc:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/electronics-kit-n94ch

lancslass2008

Hi Innerzone


Thank you. That's the sort of thing we're after but the guy in Maplin told me they don't do such a kit. Brilliant. Will now try and reserve and collect from the exact same store...

SailorSam

I did a nightschool class some years ago on electronics. You should check out your local colleges if they have anything.

[Deleted User]

Well, my 5 year old son likes this one -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snap-Circuits-SC-100-Jr/dp/B00008BFZH/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420556760&sr=8-2&keywords=electronics+kit

Maybe this is a bit more grown up:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Minty-Geek-Electronics-Lab-101/dp/B005IWMZ4Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420556760&sr=8-3&keywords=electronics+kit

How about a GCSE Electronics book to get him started? http://www.amazon.co.uk/AQA-GCSE-Electronics-Chris-Newbould/dp/1408503972/

Understanding the core concepts behind all this might be more interesting

Strider590

lancslass2008 wrote: »

Hi all


My partner wants to learn about small electronics (resistors, capacitors, DC projects etc) as a hobby. I bought him the book 'Electronics for Dummies' but he says that at chapter 3 it gets too technical for him. Therefore, I called into Maplin but they didn't have a 'kit' where you can learn with practical experiments. He is currently learning from videos on youtube but wants to get stuck in with components. Can anybody suggest a REALLY EASY book or even better a Kit that includes some various components to play with. Or... Any other advice...


Thank you in advance.

If he's struggling with that, then I don't have much hope for what is commonly referred to as the bible of electronics "The Art of Electronics by Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill".

As a qualified electronics engineer, all I can say is it requires passion, a keen interest and a good teacher, if he has those then he can do anything.

I don't feel that hobby kits teach very much, you learn how bang stuff together and that's about it.

I'd be more inclined to suggest a college course, whatever the modern equivalent is of the C&G 224 Electronics servicing. This used to run weekday evenings, it covered the basics and you got to tinker with components supplied by the college, rather than trying to buy your own for Maplin money.

When it eventually comes to buying your own stuff, buy a multi-value kit of 1000 0.5w resistors on Ebay (about £12 from China) and most other parts from RS, Farnell/Newark, Rapid and Maplin.
He'd need prototyping PCB (vero-board), solder, soldering iron, cutters, multi-meter, solder braid, solder sucker, heat shrink kit, prototyping boxes/enclosures and other random bits. A college course would be invaluable, even if just for learning what equipment he actually needs and how to use it properly..

bod1467

Ah memories ... the old Horrible and Hill book.

Inner_Zone

bod1467 wrote: »

Ah memories ... the old Horrible and Hill book.

Ah more memories ...C&G 224 night school classes, four years

Bollotom

Google for your nearest Amateur Radio club and they will give solid advice and may even have instructional evenings. Also buying resistors, capacitors, transistors, i/cs, even wire can be expensive unless you know where to go. Also the Amateur Radio DC kit is good. Maplins used to stock the electronics lab but don't know if they still do. It's a fascinating hobby so good luck. A link below for free electronics subjects

http://101science.com/Radio.htm

Farway

Agree about a college / night class to learn the basics, like what resistors / capacitors are for, and why they work as they do

And even the practical skills, like soldering small components

lancslass2008

Thank you all for that brilliant advice. With regard to courses my OH works full time during the day so would have to do it out of work hours, which would be fine. However, there are no courses at all in our area for this topic (introduction to electronics) and even if there was they would only be available during the working day and are mainly offered as priority to unemployed people or those receiving 'Qualifying benefits'. Nevertheless, thanks to you lot I think we have a good starting point with the suggested kits. He's not trying to rewire BT's infrastructure, just wants to know how stuff works and mess with a few sample circuits rather than sitting in the Pub (Hope this N Y Resolution keeps up), lol.


Thanks again all.