PA KitBuild

Project Summary

Project Code

KITBUILD

Project Contact

Tim Slagle (slagle at slagle dot org)

Project Status

Proposed 11/20/12

Project Description

Buy multiple soldering station tool sets and electronic kits to make it easy to host kit-building workshops at the space.

Links To Other Project Pages

(none)

License or IP status

(N/A)

Additional Info

Holding electronic kit-building workshops is a nice way to teach people about soldering and electronics and bring new people into the space. This project has two main goals: First, to buy multiple sets of the tools needed to assemble the kits, so people can just show up and starting soldering. Second, to pay for some initial kit purchases so we can have some "in stock" for people who visit the space but don't have a project to work on.

It's possible to get a set of basic tools (soldering iron, and solder, wire cutter, wire stripper, pliers) for less than $30 from [Express]. I'd like to have maybe 10 sets of tools so we can supply a classroom full of people with two people sharing the tools, or up to 20 sets without sharing. I'd like to dedicate the tools to workshops and keep them together in a big plastic bin so it is easy to set up for the workshop without having to hunt for the tools or interrupt the work in the workshop.

HacDC has volume discounts at kit makers like Adafruit, so if we offer the kits at list price we will make maybe $8 per participant. This money would get earmarked back to the KITBUILD project, so once the initial tool sets are purchased, the workshops should be self-sufficient.

Funds beyond the cost of the tools will go toward buying a small collection of kits that can be kept "in stock" at HacDC. People who visit events like Microcontoller Mondays but don't have a project to work on can build one of the kits in exchange for a suggested donation (listed on the box of kits). Donations beyond the cost for the kit will go back to the project and provide more kit choices (and cover theft). It would be cool to have a wall full of the 4x4 "Game of Life" kits that people built during visits to HacDC!

I would plan on holding the first kit-building workshop early next year, or sooner if funding permits. I would like to build the "Minty Boost" kits, so that people can charge their cell phones from AA batteries during the next blackout. --Tim Slagle