Soldering and mini electronics kits ...

[roisin]

DSs had a whale of a time at the Science Festival in Edinburgh (thanks again Tamum), and were wowed by the Madlab electronics workshop. As a result for his birthday ds2 wants a soldering iron and some mini kits. Has anyone used these? Any feedback, suggestions, or alternative suppliers?

\link{http://www.madlab.org/kits.html\Madlab}
\link{http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=8561&MenuName=Mini+Kits&worldid=10&FromMenu=y&doy=15m4\Maplin} - obviously (unlike Madlab) they sell the soldering iron and other necessary equipment too.

this si a grippign thread :)

rememebr my brother gettting one when i was little

I remember doing some soldering at home and being terrified! Ds1 was a bit nervous, but ds2 loved it and was completely fearless: so I want to encourage it.

I'm a bit nervous as dh has just taken him to a model railway exhibition, and dh says he learned his soldering/electronics by doing model railway: so I'm a bit worried as to what they might come back with! I do not want him to get into trains in a serious way!

Is no-one on here interested in soldering irons and electronics?

How come there are 95 posts about PPH's shoes? You lot need to get your priorities straight!

My DS1 has some similar kits to those in your second link Roisin, he is 7 and has had them for a couple of years now. He tends to only use them with DH's help/supervision but has great fun, he is very mechanically/electrically minded so loves them.

Do you know where you/he got the kits from MrsSpoon?

Try www.maplin.co.uk have everything from age 5 upwards. Soldering and non-soldering kits available.

Have you used them jmum6? Recommend anything in particular?

I've been browsing their site already (see link on OP), but it's not always clear which kits require soldering?

Roisin - I asked for an electronics kit for christmas when I was 13! My mum asked in a big toy shop for one, the assistant said "How old is your son??"

My mum still retells that story - hence I can remember it

re where to buy I have no idea - Mine had a big picture of Johnny Ball on the box. I spent ages listening to my home made radio and making door alarms!!!!!!!!! Twas excellent fun - even for a girl :o

Vellman kits require soldering I think, most of the others don't.

Have fun!

ds has done a couple of the maplins mini kits - the first was a huge success, the second was really tricky to solder and didn't work at the end (dry joints). Think you need to stick to the simplest easier ones to start with.

How old is he ?
There are non-mains (but still hot) Coldpoint Irons
Maplin has a good selection, start simple.

There are good solderless kits
www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=9073&MenuName=Electronic%20Lab%20Kits&FromMenu=y&criteria=Electronic%20Lab%20Kits&doy=16m4&worldid=10

But for both types worth reading them up and practising before doing it with DSes.

Snorkle - you don't happen to remember what the tricky one was do you?

The Madlab kits are categorised - beginner, more tricky, difficult. But the Maplin ones aren't. (But they are cheaper!)

DominiConnor - dss are fine with standard soldering iron (with a stand), that's not a problem.

(Though we have warned ds2 if he gets one he doesn't get it out unsupervised - i.e. at 6 am, which is when he usually creates his projects!)

We already have solderless electronics kits, which are great, but not what we're after atm.

Dss are 6 and 8 (nearly 7 and 9). But ds2 was much better, more confident, and more interested in the soldering than ds1.

Tee hee, I must be psychic, I guessed this was your thread :) I don't know anything about soldering irons I'm afraid, but we have been using Madlab kits at the festival for 14 years now, since stepds was a lad! They are pretty reliable IME, and very friendly. I wouldn't hesitate to email them and ask what they recommend- they are staffed by enthusiasts. I'm so glad your boys had such a good time.

The sucessful one was one of the simpler die (dice) kits \link{http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=22565&doy=17m4\here}. He built it on a press in board first (can't remember what you call these, but it wasn't part of the kit). The soldering wasn't too hard in that the components didn't seem to need a lot of heat to take the solder. Mind you we were using old solder from the garage, which probably contained lead and may have been easier than the modern stuff we used second time around. The final die worked well and led to some interesting investigations as to whether or not it was fair (It wasn't! We even figured out why eventually).

The second one was a timer - \link{http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=32205&doy=17m4\here}. He couldn't/didn't use the press in board first - I can't remember why, but I think some of the components didn't fit easily, or else the circuit was too complex or he was too impatient. There were only slightly more components, but even the LEDs had thicker legs and seemed much harder to get hot enough to bond with the solder/ circuit board. The actual circuit board itself started to disintegrate eventually with all the repeated attempts and some of the LEDs never worked. It also never quite fitted into the plastic case properly as some of the component legs had been left slightly too long. It would probably have been fine for a more experienced solderer.

DS was 11 when he did these and found them both challenging. I think a 7 year old would struggle to be honest unless he's unusually dextrous. The very simplest one (in terms of numbers of components) looks to be \link{http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=22544&doy=17m4\this}. I think I'd try that first, then if he copes OK with it try the Die or maybe the electronic decision maker.

Thanks Snorkle - that is so helpful! I had intended getting that kitchen timer kit, but won't now.

He made \link{http://www.madlab.org/kits/lights.html\this very simple one} at Edinburgh with no difficulties at all. But I don't want to put him off with a really tricky one.

What is a press in board? Is it a piece of cork? Sorry if this is a thick question

Hi Tamum! I like being predictable.

I'm just waiting for Binkie or Bink to post, as whenever I'm looking for something for ds2 she always posts to say she has just bought or is just about to buy the exact same thing for her ds2.

www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=425&MenuName=Breadbroads&FromMenu=y&criteria=Breadbroads&doy=17m4&worldid=3

think you mean breadboards it's basicly the same thing, pcb underneath and then just push components into holes.

Hope this makes some sort of sense :)

Hi Roisin
Did loads of these sorts of things when I was small.

Would recommend the non soldering kits for smalls, but I suppose half the fun is in the soldering!!
The components cost pence so it may pay to make your own projects and buy bits as and when.
Dont buy any solder as I have a garage full of it and would be more than happy to donate some to Roisin factory!

This is what I need, people with some technical knowledge - it's all double dutch to me.

I've always relied on my dad, but he's very poorly these days, currently in hospital, and the only metalwork on his mind is the stuff holding his disintegrating bones together

Anyway, I've been looking at \link{http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=4069&criteria=N29AR&doy=17m4\this soldering iron}. Do you think that looks suitable?

My mum gave me some solder today from dad's workshop. But it's really thick - about 8mm or so. I also suspect most of it will probably not be lead-free. In E'burgh the boys used solder wire - about 1 mm thick, which was dead easy to handle. Then my dad asked me about flux?! What's that? I'm confused!

I am thinking \link{http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2819&criteria=N29AR&doy=17m4\this is the kind of stuff we need} Yes?

My parents also reminded me that my uncle owns a very successful electronics company - I'd forgotten So if the boys get really into it, and want to design their own stuff, then we can probably catch him in a good mood and get a big pack of "useful bits" from him. But that's a long way down the road.

I understand the very basics of circuits - battery, switch, bulb ... that sort of thing. But I really need a beginner's tutorial. I have no idea what resistors are or capacitors or transistors. And when I look at the basic circuit diagram of something like \link{http://www.madlab.org/kits/lights.html\this simple circuit} I cannot understand the diagram, I don't know where the electricity is flowing and I cannot begin to follow the explanation!
And I HATE not understanding things
Especially if I suspect the boys are beginning to understand more than me!

You are not predictable roisin, I just had a head start! Those look exactly like the soldering irons they use at the festival, don't they?

Well yeah, I thought that, then I realised all I was looking at was the colour! They're yellow! Did I mention I'm not very technical?

Oh rats. That's what I was doing too. Well, and the curly bit, eh?

Yes the 'press in' board is a breadboard. If you look at \link{http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&DOY=17m4&ModuleNo=5202&criteria=Breadbroads\this} then the rows (rails) across the top and the bottom are connected together underneath so you can connect the battery terminals to them and the vertical columns (about 5 or six holes from just inside the rails to the middle) are also connected. So you can press the components in (including ICs across the middle) and by using other little bits of wire to join the correct columns together and the right bits to the power rails at top and bottom you can build the circuit so it works to test it before you solder the bits onto proper circuit board.

Quite useful things to prototype a circuit and make sure all the components are working before you solder them up.

Glad that was useful - I think the one your son did looks similar to the simpler kits, so he should be OK - I'm impressed! I'd avoid the ones with cases to start with (like the timer) as in order to fit in the case the components had to be soldered in at the correct depth.

Be cautious of old solder they have tightened up the rules on flux and lead in solder quite a lot recently so newer solders are more environmentaly friendly and probably safer for use by children too (probably don't work as well either!).