Best products from r/maker

For some reason not listed on the RadioShack website (RIP), but this kit has been a really great start for many in your exact situation.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GYYEL8I?keywords=electronics%20learning%20lab&qid=1453722260&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Not super cheap but definitely cheaper than your local community college. The workbook is simple and light hearted and will definitely put you in a better place, (& maybe even be more employable!) at the end. I also remember going through the Electronics Merit badge and learning quite a lot. Might be a good shout to go down to their local office and see what the requirements were to get that and get whatever kits they offer there.

Get through those, maybe organize a small making event based around one of the projects found in this kit and you'll be well on your way to be leading your local maker movement! Don't forget that it's all about empowering others in the end, and I think you'll find you learn the most about the real world applications of your designs when you share them with others.

Hope that helps. I love that kit and recently for one for my niece. Best of luck!

Do not grab the wrong end of the soldering iron.

I really love my Hakko FX-888. They've gotten really hard to find, but I prefer the analog version, as I can reach over and put the temp right where I want it without looking at it. (Soldering sounds so much better on vinyl.)

Good magnifiers and third hand (or zillion hands!) tools are a must. Head-worn jeweler's-type magnifiers can be good.

Clear (rather than opaque) components jars/boxes/drawers/bins are great, as it makes it easier to find stuff.

I bought my gf a Fluke multimeter for her birthday. I shouldn't have touched it. Now my meter seems old, slow, inaccurate and annoying.

A Panavise or Bessey is incredibly useful.

> Flooring is one of my current sticking points.

My ideal would be something tacky--I drop things a lot!

As I suspected, your VO mic is a condenser. Treat your room and see if you get better results. If not, I’d go with a cardioid microphone. I use a Behringer xm8500 which you can find on Amazon for $20-30 depending on who’s selling it and if it includes an XLR cable. I also use a dedicated USB audio interface vs having one built into the mic. I started out with the Behringer UM2 which ran about $60 on Amazon. I’ve since upgraded to a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 because it has some nice features I was after since I’d gotten more into the podcast. It ran about $110 as I recall. Yes, you’ll have separate components, but you’ll get a better overall sound and it’ll let you mix and match with different microphones for different occasions without having to worry if the mic can plug into your computer directly.


I don’t have any experience with the Rode type setup, but if you’re using the 3.5mm cord to plug straight into the iPhone, I don’t see why it would be poor quality. It almost sounded like the iPhone was using its onboard microphone instead of the external one. I imagine you’re using a Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack adapter, yes? What I’d check for is if that 3.5mm audio cord coming off the Rode receiver unit has 3 “rings” on it. Look at a set of headphones that have an inline mic. You’ll see on the plug there’s 3 rings. There’s 3 contact areas inside the jack - right audio, left audio, microphone audio. If that jack doesn’t have 3, it may not be making proper contact inside the plug and telling the iPhone “hey I’ve got an external mic here!” Hope that makes sense.

The picture of this lavalier mic has the kind of jack I’m talking about: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EO4A7L0/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_mG91DbNKN5GEE

Hope that helps!

:)

Thank you!! We had a lot of fun! The best part is riding it around now though. Still got some work to do to make it great, but the fact that it works and we were able to get it together in an evening is awesome to me.

https://www.amazon.com/JAXPETY-1000W-Electric-Bicycle-Conversion/dp/B075SDDFDV

That's a link to the kit, but it now says "currently unavailable". I was weary of a $150 kit from (I'm sure) China, but it works fine. I expect almost any option on Amazon with a reasonably high rating is a safe bet. Plus, with Amazon's return policies...just don't throw away the box for a while.

So, so glad you got some enjoyment from the video!!!

Not so ...

Engines have been around a LOT longer than the internet. Before you could google anything, you could find books on the subject. There are lots and lots of books on model engineering and building small engines of various sorts. I have some books on building miniature steam engines that are over 100 years old.

This one isn't terribly old:
https://www.amazon.com/Miniature-Internal-Combustion-Engines-Malcolm/dp/1861269218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539635163&sr=8-1&keywords=building+internal+combustion+engines

And it's a pretty good book - not really a beginners book or detailed how to get started book, but good nonetheless. As others have mentioned, I'd recommend building a simple steam engine first.

Here's a good book for doing that:
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Simple-Model-Steam-Engines/dp/1861267738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539635352&sr=1-1&keywords=model+steam+engines

It is more of a beginner's book with complete plans for several simple engines.

Good luck!

Every shop is an extension of the philosophy of the person using it. As for tools, everyone finds their own level. A friend of mine uses a jigsaw multiple times per day, where I only pull mine out once a week. We make much the same kind of things. I advocate buying inexpensive versions of tools you think might be useful to you. When they prove useful, go ahead and invest in the best version you can afford- it will last for years, if not decades. I'm amazed at how often I use my hardened jaw Knipex nippers:
https://www.amazon.com/7401250SBA-10-Inch-Leverage-Diagonal-Cutters/dp/B000X4MPAQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1466548721&sr=1-2&keywords=knipex

Cuts through piano wire all day long and don't dent. Cuts through coat hangar wire (one of my favorite materials on the planet) like it's butter.

Good luck!

You can buy it i would imagine but where's the fun in that.

Buy This Sheet

These Rivets

For minimal expense it can mostly be worked with hand tools.


A hacksaw, a hand file, a riveter. Drilling the hole for the rivet will require a power drill though. A hand drill would be a pain in the ass.


This is theoretical, so if anyone else has any better ideas I'd listen to them. HAHAHA.

It looks like you are all ready done with them, and they look great.
I really like apoxy sculpt. This is really easy to use, has an long work time, and you can really smooth it out with wet fingers. dries and sticks great.
https://www.amazon.com/Apoxie-Sculpt-1-Lb-Natural/dp/B000V58DS0/ref=sr_1_5/141-7678837-0075305?ie=UTF8&qid=1524152792&sr=8-5&keywords=aves+apoxie+sculpt

thanks for the advice! i do very general sfx [bit of prosthetics, props,fabrication like the suit] work (or im just starting to do it for myself rather than working for others) so as im sure you know pretty much every process/tool under the sun gets used in one way or another.

love the look of the knipex cutters, i have these and while they are great for the price, the small opening is a pain in the butt for doing many cuts.

never thought of using coat hanger wire! but makes sense, cheap and easily available and not too hard like piano wire. will be sure to give some a try

thanks for the response!

Hand tools! Laser cutters are fun, but sometimes you just need a utility knife. Every maker space starts without the right hand tools.

Here are the hand tools I keep in easy reach. This is all for small and tiny stuff that I work on at my desk. Bigger tools are in the garage or at my maker space.

• screwdrivers: #0, #1 and #2 Phillips, small straight blade
  
• jeweler's screwdriver set
  
• hex key wrenches, metric and imperial
  
• Torx driver set
  
• weird Apple product driver set
  
• needle nose pliers in 3 sizes: small, really small, and miniscule
  
• hemostats
  
• tweezers, needle tip
  
• wire cutters, wire strippers
  
• crimping tool
  
• jeweler's drill and a bit index
  
• digital calipers
  
• rulers, mostly steel, several sizes
  
• tape measure
  
• pens and pencils, Sharpies, highlighters
  
• printer paper for drawings and notes
  
• utility/carpet knife, extra blades
  
• hobby knife (X-Acto), extra blades
  
• electrician's tape, several colors (I use it to color code things.)
  
• Stickvise
  
• lamp with magnifier (but my eyes are old).
  
• flashlight (ditto)
  
  Then there are two more drawers of electronics tools which are kind of specialized.
  
  Edit: and you can never have enough sandpaper nor enough variety of sandpaper. Makerspaces go through sandpaper like Kleenex.
  

Dupont connectors, fittings, crimper:

http://www.amazon.com/Sunkee-Dupont-Jumper-Female-Connector/dp/B00CGWVFWW/

http://www.amazon.com/Sunkee-100PCS-Dupont-Jumper-Connector/dp/B00CGWUV6S/

http://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-Professional-Compression-Ratcheting-Insulated/dp/B00DHCRVSC/

http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Store-2-54mm-Connector-Housing/dp/B00CO86Z6Y/

http://www.amazon.com/Sunkee-100pcs-Dupont-Connector-Housing/dp/B00CGXOVM2/

Wire:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HGHQ24/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HGHQ2O/ref=biss_dp_t_asn

Exact products i bought. Didn't need the crimper exactly (could just use needle nose pliers), and the insulation on this wire is a little thick for the connectors (doesnt' quite fit into the black connectors when crimped around the insulation, but i wanted the heaviest gauge i could fit, 24 would probably fit better)

Some of the items shipped prime, some shipped from china, so 2 day shipping on the male connectors, and a month on the female. :-p

When looking to attach to a board make sure to measure the pitch, 2.54 is fairly standard, but there's always someone who uses 2mm or something else.

I have done this recently - hooked up using the USB Serial cable that @plasticluthier mentioned. I got this cable from Amazon (UK link sorry): https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B072K3Z3TL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Hook that that up (don't forget to switch the TX / RX on each end), make sure the CH_EN pin is high as well (this one messed me up a bit) and you should be able to flash with what firmware you like.

This is the best response here as you already have the tool.

Dremels generally have a router attachment available for them, so you can control the depth that you're cutting to. Put a normal cutting bit into your dremel, and go to town routing a recess in the back of your piece to whatever depth you need.

Long term, pick up a router. The larger motor can handle bigger bits, and will save you a lot of time cutting these kinds of pockets quickly and easily.

Some book suggestions:
Making Things Move
Physical Computing
Motors for Makers

These books can be found on the Web ...

Maker Media, Inc., publishes many books and a magazine that could be of inspiration.

This book is a good overview.

https://www.amazon.com/Motors-Makers-Steppers-Electrical-Machines/dp/0134032837/ref=asc_df_0134032837/

You can get an attachment for the Dremel that will let you use it like a mini-router.