looking for Electronic Components "starter kit"

[ZaXaZ]

Hi,

can any one recommend some kind of a starter kit to play around with?

i have a very limited knowledge of components to the point i know what most resister looks like, some capacitors, and led's

atm i'm between jobs, and what better time to play around and lean some more?

i have a very basic soldering iron (on or off) from a local hobby store, but they don't have parts, or anything to play with.

i got some Double-Side Prototype PCB of ebay and is now looking for something to fill it with and is considering a kit like this of ebay eBay auction: #http://www.ebay.com/itm/2400pcs-ASSORTED-ELECTRONIC-COMPONENT-KITS-TRANSISTOR-IC-DIODE-LED-RES-CAP-/172080408770 or is that a bad idea?

[rstofer]

From Northern California, it is hard to say what is appropriate when ordered from Denmark.  But I'll give it a shot since many of the kits come from China regardless of where you live.

Looking briefly at the result of an eBay search for 'electronic components kit', this one jump out at me because it has a wide variety of components and it includes a breadboard:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIY-Electronic-Parts-Starter-Learning-Kit-for-Arduino-Breadboard-LED-Resistor-/151714833598?hash=item2352e8a4be:g:CtIAAOSw2VJVfqTC

Before you decide on the 'kit', why not sit back and reflect on what part of electronics interests you.  It is such a wide hobby and there are small areas where people can play for a lifetime.  Personally, I like FPGA projects and analog computing (literally light years apart) but I have already been through the beginning steps.  If you are not certain which part of the sand box you want to play in, why not find some tutorial material and follow along.  You can always find a 'kit' that will work and in many cases, the author sells or links to kits.

Find a kit with a 555 timer!  Everybody likes to add a couple of resistors, a capacitor and an LED and watch it flash.  Then change out one of the fixed resistors for a potentiometer and vary the frequency.  There are hundreds of such projects on the web.  If you spend the time to learn how the circuit actually works (charge building up on a capacitor, voltage comparators causing the capacitor to charge and discharge, the timing calculations), you will have learned a good bit.

I wouldn't worry about your basic soldering iron at this point.  Down the road you might want to pick up a regulated soldering station but you can do a lot of electronics without one.

[ZaXaZ]

thx..

Perhaps this is a good first project?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convert-A-Computer-Power-supply-to-a-Bench-Top-Lab/?ALLSTEPS

[kerrsmith]

If you are not quite sure what you are looking for try browsing through some kits on Banggood:

http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-Arduino-Compatible-Kits-and-DIY-Kits-c-3091.html?p=2D100314686672015046

I have bought quite a few kits from them and have found them to be really good.  Sometimes it is fun just to buy a cheap kit and put it together and see how it works.

They have all sorts of kits and some are really cheap so it does not cost a lot to try one out and see how you get on.

[MrSlack]

I'd buy this, a cheap digital multimeter and some side cutters and pliers: http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=272_276&products_id=2009