Kit Complexity: 5
(1=Easy, 5=Difficult) Is the kit easy, moderate, or challenging to build for its most likely target audience? Kits clearly aimed at children would, for example, be rated differently from microcontroller kits.
Stirling Engine
This beautiful engine teaches you the basics of thermodynamics as its power comes from an external heat source, which can be anything from fuel to solar to geothermal energy. The instructions are in Japanese, but the Maker Shed page has an English translation. MAKE is proud to be the exclusive distributor in North America for […]
Science: heirloom tech, Science, Stirling Engine, thermodynamics
Arduino ADK TinkerKit
Android rocked the physical computing landscape last spring when it announced the Android Open Accessory Development Kit (ADK), an Arduino-based platform that combines the brains and connectivity of the Android with Arduino’s wealth of open source wares for controlling physical devices. The ADK presents almost limitless potential for projects. Now the ADK TinkerKit unleashes this […]
Electronics and Controllers Microcontrollers: Arduino, electronics, microcontrollers
Mars Lander
If you want a more challenging project that takes shape with some real cutting and sanding, small manufacturer Semroc produces high-quality balsa rocket kit reproductions. The Mars Lander, originally sold by Estes in the 1970s, is a beautifully realistic-looking spacecraft with spring-loaded landing legs. You can also try their Saturn 1B ($78), a 1/70 scale re-creation of the […]
TubeSat Personal Satellite
TubeSat makes space your personal laboratory. You build a satellite the size of a large soup can, get it launched into a 310km Earth orbit moving 17,000 miles an hour, and talk to it via ham radio a few times a day for 1–3 months. Smile as you reflect on your new skills in surface-mount […]
