On page 184 of issue 01 in our toolbox section contributer Mister Jalopy has one of my favorite electronic kits featured. The Elenco 300 in 1 Electronic Project Lab. Usually, about 3 or 4 times a week I receive an email or IM from someone who wants to get started in electronics and I always point them towards this kit. Solderless breadboard, all the wires resistors and capacitors you’ll need to get started along with some fun projects. I found one here for $59.99 and they’re also at many Target stores. Here’s mine, I think there are some “extra” projects you can do with these too…
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This looks great. I too would like to get started in electronics, and this seems ideal. I see that there’s a 500-in-1 available too; from one supplier’s website:
The down-side is that it tends to cost 2.5 times more than the 300-in-1.
Could anyone comment on whether it’s worth spending the extra? Given that I’m familiar with programming on a PC, would the software aspect teach me anything new? Would I be better off buying the 300-in-1 and augmenting it with separate chips (although I guess the no-solder benefit would be lost then)? (The included parts are listed in this GIF, BTW.)
I’d also be interested to know if either kit could be found in the UK for less than £50/£125 for the 300-in-1/500-in-1 respectively.
I remember owning a 150 in 1 and 75 in 1 from Radio Shack. I made a high-gain audio amplifier with one, and a VOX with the other, connected to a tape recorder. I’d place my kits there at night, and in the morning, I’d play all the sounds that had occurred (recorded) that night. About 10 minutes worth of noise. It was pretty cool, considering I was only 14 at the time!
If it were me, I would buy the cheaper, non-microprocessor kit. By the time you finish the projects in the kit your knowledge will have sky-rocketed and you can by a microprocessor project book.
Don’t worry about the soldering, you can plug any old chip into the breadboard without soldering. Well, any old school chip with cockroach legs will work – as opposed to surface mount.
Thanks for the response, MrJalopy!
I originally got the
300 in One from Quasar Electronics in the UK and I liked it so much that I
then got the 500 in One from them. The
500 in One has
certainly got a lot more in it for the money. It comes with three big
instruction books and I really enjoyed the microprocessor part of it. I wish I
had just bought the bigger one at the outset as it really covers much the same
stuff as the smaller one plus all the advanced stuff. I was just put off a bit
by the higher cost but when you work out that it only costs about 33 pence per
experiment it is pretty good value really and it really boosted my knowledge of
electronics.
I found the electronic 300 in 1 lab (along with the manual!!) at a thrift store for five bucks but, there are no wires, transistors capacitors and whatnot to go with it, and I know nil about electronics. can I use any size and wire gauges transistors and what have ya, and also where can I get such parts?? any help would kick lots of butt. please email alaininvoid@yahoo.com
In re: to the last comment posted by Alain, i would suggest that, yes: you can use almost any size, the thing appears to have different voltages labeled on the breadboard, so you would go in accordance to whatever your desired project requires. . i think there is a list on radioshack.com
however, there is no manual there. i, too, bought one of these guys @ a thrift store (for $10) and it did not come with the owner’s manual or any paperwork.
do you or anyone know of a site that may have one on file at all? because i am at a loss as to what the heck i should do with this.
i’d really appreciate it.
thanks