The Ultimate Kit Guide

Kit Completeness: 4

(5=Most complete) How complete is the kit? Plans only? That rates a 1. Parts bundles and kits rate 2–5, depending on whether it’s just key components, almost every- thing, or absolutely everything you need, including any unusual tools.

coke and mentos kit

Diet Coke and Mentos Kit

Make Kit Reviews

Diet Coke and Mentos Kit

$25

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Reviewed: December 1st, 2011

Recreate the Internet sensation in your own backyard! Fresh from their performance at Maker Faire, the guys at EepyBird hand-crafted replica PVC nozzles just like the ones they use themselves. Each kit contains a variety of nozzle cuts to give you the coolest, highest-shooting geysers. They even throw in a pack of Mentos to get […]

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Gryphon Ornithopter

Gryphon Ornithopters

Make Kit Reviews

Gryphon Ornithopters

$10

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Reviewed: November 14th, 2011

At MAKE Labs we built a squadron of balsa-and-tissue ornithopters for William Gurstelle’s how-to article in MAKE Volume 08. The trickiest part was bending the tiny wire crank that flaps the wings in time. Even with Bill’s clear instructions, that little wire was trial-and-error. This kit spares you that error. The pre-bent crank and laser-cut […]

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Drawdio

Drawdio

Make Kit Reviews

Drawdio

$20

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Reviewed: November 12th, 2011

Drawdio is an electronic pencil that lets you make music while you draw. It’s a great project for beginners: an easy kit with instant gratification. Invented by Jay Silver, it’s a very simple musical synthesizer that uses the conductive properties of pencil graphite to create sounds. The result is a fun toy that lets you […]

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Mignon Game Console

Mignon Game Console

Make Kit Reviews

Mignon Game Console

€52 (about $69)

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Reviewed: October 27th, 2011

Although 5×7 pixels aren’t a lot to work with, it’s easy to get lost in Olaf Val’s Mignon Game Kit. This minimalist handheld gaming system is hands-on in more ways than one. The first step is to put it together; second is to hack code for the Atmel ATmega8 microcontroller that powers it; and third, […]

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Video Game Shield

Video Game Shield

Make Kit Reviews

Video Game Shield

$23

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Reviewed: October 26th, 2011

The Video Game Shield is an Arduino add-on shield to make your own video games, including graphics, text, sound effects, and music! Using the power of open source, this shield allows you to make awesome black-and-white video games on your TV. It supports up to two Nintendo Wii Nunchuk controllers for an easy and familiar […]

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