Extra Stuff - Building Block Kits & Tools
Building-Block Kits
We've decided to offer a number of kits that we've used as building blocks. Each of
these simple kits is inexpensive and easy to build. A few include boxes,
most require a power supply (sold separately) or batteries. This section will grow
to include a number of bench circuits we've developed here for our own use.
Audio
- simple audio amplifiers
- basic preamplifiers & tone control circuits
- various linear DC power supplies
- mid-fidelity mono FM and optical audio links
- VU and panel meter kits
- digital sound recorder
Stagecraft & control
- touch switches
- relay logic, computer control
- motor & light controls, strobes
- UHF, ultrasonic and optical controllers
- timers and counters
Support for these products will be limited, as most of our focus is on our own home-
grown products, but we are here to try and help. Also, let us know if you are looking
for some small general-purpose item, we'd love to hear what you're thinking of.
Building Block Kits
Tools
All of our kits can be assembled with a basic set of tools: soldering iron, screwdriver,
cutters and pliers. We searched the market to see what we might recommend to our customers,
or what we might offer as a product. We found that most of the combo tool kits available
on the web contain tools that are marginal (at best), but still functional enough to
build one of our kits.
We were surprised to find that our favorite vendor was Sears, offering solid, entry-level
electronic tools at only a modest premium. Among the vendors of cheap tool sets we found
Radio Shack's online store always seemed to have "special offers" that are
competitive, with free shipment to local stores for most products -
and someone to talk to if the tools make trouble for you. All that work & once
we found ourselves recommending Sears and Radio Shack we fairly surrendered.
With one exception. We found a couple of cheap, fun-to-use multimeters from China that
have a TON of features. Everybody here wanted one, so we had to order them. We
decided to add them to the catalog. Laboratory-grade they are not, but they are
very much fun to use and SO CHEAP when you consider all of the functions they provide.