Solder your own project ( diy kits)

[WOOKIE111]

Hello.

first post here woots. anyways straight to the point.

I am looking for a few DIY solder yourself kits ( pre-etched and silkscreened type). but googling always brings me to the radioshack spring boards

im looking for something neato and that i can actually use. i have perfboarded a few projects already. basic 555 blinker. a PWM circuit where i use a remote control reciever and transmitter to make my own light kit ( turn signals and everything) its been a while since i have done that. but i remember doing it with basic pwm switch schematics ( attached file is the schematic i had used it used trimmer pots which i ASSUME were to get the right amount of something im not sure i have NO idea what the circuit really did. all i know is it worked)

i do think i broke the trimmer at one point tho ( do they have a roation limit?) as i still have the original breadboard with it still affixed. and it doesnt seem to function anymore

anyways back to the topic haha!

and project kits are cool. smd. thru hole. whatever! i dont have a whole lot of money though so any small kits recommendation are preferred.

i found the GIANT 555 that Dave had featured on the tube of you to be really neat. however its not my level of geek i can deal with the regualr sized ones for now.

perhaps a build it yourself arduino something or other rather neat!

i am hoping you guys will steer me i nthe correct direction.

big fan of the eevblog on youtube. thought it was about time i had made a forum account!

[RobertHolcombe]

Check out http://vakits.com/ they stock a huge variety of kits, sounds like what you're after

If you set your location in your user profile people may be able to contribute more appropriate sources to save the cost of shipping, depending on where you are

[GoneTomorrow]

Try eBay for cheap as chips electronics kits, as long as you don't mind a wait of a couple of weeks.

Start with a search like this, and then browse sellers listings and stuff:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xelectronics+diy.TRS0&_nkw=electronics+diy&_sacat=0

I've purchased a number of these kits and they've all been very decent, haven't had any missing or incorrect components, and the PCBs have been well made. Of course you get wun hung lo components, but it doesn't really matter as long as your stay away from mains and/or mission critical things.

[Shock]

This is the a cheap $15 Chinese kitset of the open source German project AVR TransistorTester by Karl-Heinz Kubbeler. Various sellers may have this so use your own discretion when buying.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400831406670

If you haven't seen these before they make great little tools, the most useful is an esr meter and transistor tester. If you put on the lastest firmware you can add even more features so it does have mod potential. At it's heart is an Atmel ATmega328 this is the same series of micro that is used in Arduino's. Spending about $20 buying a prototype board, USB programmer and some more micros you can either experiment further with the tool or switch to making your own Arduino circuits.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/$20-lcr-esr-transistor-checker-project/
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/$20-esr-lcr-transistor-npn-pnp-mosfet-meter/

Example of making your own Arduino.