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A supply store for people who want to build robots, electronic gadgets, kinetic art or anything else that moves, beeps or flashes. | |
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Gifts for Students 11 to 14 Years Old (Middle School Grades 6 to 8) Section
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The middle school years are a period of amazing change in kids. As they mature from "kids" to to adolescents -- often going back and forth several times in the course of an hour -- they can begin to handle adult tools and projects. When choosing gifts you need to match the product to the receiver's skills. You really need to focus more on skills and maturity than manufacturer's age recommendations. Someone who had done very little building may need to start with a simple project to learn basic skills and demonstrate the maturity to handle dangerous tools. A young person who has demonstrated the ability to follow complex instructions, safely handle sharp tools and stay focused for long periods of time may be able to tackle adult projects.
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 | Physics Pro from Thames & Kosmos The main focus of the kit is the behavior of the two most important fluids in our world water and air and objects immersed in them. You will investigate how air and water rest and flow, what they can carry and how they move. With experiments and models, you will find out what forces work on them and what kinds of energy they possess. You will learn how ships float and airplanes fly, why a streamlined shape lets a car drive faster and how power plants convert a current of water into electrical current. Catalog number: 42028. Brand: Thames & Kosmos. Brand's Part Number: 625313. The manufacturer recommends this product for ages 10+. More Product Details ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Boe-Bot Complete Robot Kit v2 - USB from Parallax This is the same great robot as Boe-Bot Complete Robot Kit v2 Serial but with the new Board of Education - USB Interface including USB cable. Catalog number: 18564. Brand: Parallax. Brand's Part Number: 28832. More Product Details ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Soldering is an essential skill in electronics, robotics and some household repairs. While you can achieve a certain level of success in these fields using solderless techniques your options are definitely limited. While parents need to be concerned about handing their "baby" a 700 degree soldering iron, they can't let themselves be overcome with fear. Most kids have the dexterity and maturity to begin soldering somewhere around age 11 or 12. While soldering may seem mysterious and dangerous, its really not a complex skill to learn. Most kids and adults are ready to tackle simple soldering projects after just a few minutes practicing with scrap wire. The minimal soldering toolkit consists of needle nose pliers, diagonal wire cutters, a low cost soldering iron and a tube of solder. Many of our electronic kits can be built using just those basic tools. A larger set of tools makes some tasks easier and allows construction of a wider range of projects. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | FM "Bug" Transmitter Electronic Kit from DIY Electronics This is a fun kit to practice soldering and learn a little bit about electronics. This is the most powerful 'bug' available for its size, 3V supply and number of components. It is guaranteed to transmit over 100 meters within buildings and up to 500 meters in the open. Easily tunable in the FM band. Greater range can be achieved with higher voltage and/or a better aerial. An excellent introduction to the theory of 'simple' 2 stage transmitters is available for download. Catalog number: 14811. Brand: DIY Electronics. Brand's Part Number: K007. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Light Alarm Electronic Kit from DIY Electronics This is a fun kit to practice soldering and learn a little bit about electronics. It detects very small amounts of light and sounds a piezo alarm in response. Put it in your cash box or secret drawer. Uses Darlington photo transistor MAL12 and a 14011 IC. Catalog number: 14829. Brand: DIY Electronics. Brand's Part Number: K008. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Stairway To Heaven Electronic Kit from DIY Electronics This is a fun kit to practice soldering and learn a little bit about electronics. This is a game of skill in which you turn on the Stairway of 6 LEDs by pressing a button in response to a flashing bi-color LED. It is a surprisingly difficult game to play. A black box included to provide a finished appearance. A 9V battery (not included) is required for operation. Catalog number: 12369. Brand: DIY Electronics. Brand's Part Number: K005. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Rockit Robot - Soldering Robot Kit from OWI Robots This is Rockit Robot Kit, except that you get to solder the electronic components in addition to assembling the mechanical components. Catalog number: 14175. Brand: OWI Robots. Brand's Part Number: OWI-769K. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Solar Speeder 1.1 BEAM Solar Cell Robot Kit The BEAM SolarSpeeder 1.1 Solaroller from Solarbotics The SolarSpeeder 1.1 is a very quick Solaroller that can cover 3 meters (10 feet) in under 40 seconds in direct sunlight. These little speed-demons use our special high-efficiency 1701 Namiki pager motors, and utilize the same updated Solarengine technology found in our PhotoPopper 4.2 Photovore. Simple to construct and a blast to watch in the sunlight! Catalog number: 11957. Brand: Solarbotics. Brand's Part Number: KSS. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Solar Speeder 2.0 BEAM Solar Cell Robot Kit SolarSpeeder Solaroller 2.0 from Tinkering Supplies Catalog number: 41681. Brand: Tinkering Supplies. Brand's Part Number: H04168-01U. More Product Details ... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Herbie the Mousebot from Solarbotics Herbie the Mousebot is a 9-volt battery-powered light-following robot that loves to chase flash light beams. These little robots are so quick, you have to run to keep up to them! We've even enhanced Herbie with functional whisker and tail sensors, so he doesn't get stuck in corners or under obstacles while chasing around. If there are several Herbies in the same area, they can be even configured to chase each other! Catalog number: 41657. Brand: Solarbotics. Brand's Part Number: KHM-RANDOM. More Product Details ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Photo Popper 4.2 BEAM Photovore Solar Cell Robot Kit The BEAM Photopopper 4.2 Photovore Solar Cell Robot Kit from Solarbotics Photopopper 4.2b Photovore, a light-seeking, obstacle avoiding BEAM Robot. This kit utilizes very small high-efficiency motors in combination with new circuitry to make a very active solar powered robot capable of covering a meter (3.3 feet) distance in under 2 minutes! For more than twice the power, you may want to try out the 37 x 33 mm solarcells listed below. The BEAM Photopopper Photovore is a capable little self-contained robot that is powered entirely by solar energy, has light-sensing directional optics (eyes), and a pair of obstacle avoidance sensors. It uses the latest in high-activity BEAM electronics, utilizing new-technology voltage detection devices that use very little power to monitor power levels in the capacitor. This has been such an improvement over older methods that these new prototypes popped along right by with the old style photovores, which is where the name Photopopper came from. The pair of infrared detectors on the robot give it a very directed phototropic or light-seeking behavior, making it trace outlines around shadows, and be attracted to the brightest sources of light. The Photopopper Photovore is the result of over a year's worth of work to develop a very active, light-seeking & obstacle-avoiding robot. Running entirely off of a small, single solarcell. Measuring only 2" x 3" and motivated by a pair of high-efficiency coreless motors, this BEAM robot can cover a meter (3.3 feet) in under 2 minutes in direct sunlight while avoiding physical obstacles in its path and avoiding shadow patches. All components necessary for the Photopopper are in the kit, including a high-quality printed circuit board, optics, motors, and a very complete 12 page instruction manual with over 26 illustrations and images. The BEAM Photopopper Photovore kit is designed to be a straight-forward kit to assemble and tune, but does require fundamental soldering skills and hand-tool abilities to complete successfully. (If you're brand-new to BEAM and electronics in general, we suggest you try the SolarSpeeder Kit first). Catalog number: 11858. Brand: Solarbotics. Brand's Part Number: KPP. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Photo Popper 5.0 BEAM Photovore Solar Cell Robot Kit The BEAM Photopopper 5.0 Photovore Robot from Solarbotics Catalog number: 41640. Brand: Solarbotics. Brand's Part Number: KPP. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Sumovore Mini-Sumo Soldering Robot Kit from Solarbotics Sumovore sets the standard for mini-sumo kits with its outstanding power drive, complete sensor array, modular design and outstanding price. Sumovore's designers invested over 500 man-hours of development time and built 21 prototypes to get this kit right. It shows. It meets the size and weight for official mini-sumo competition and it is built to win! We are now shipping the upgraded Sumovore with steel base plate. Catalog number: 21691. Brand: Solarbotics. Brand's Part Number: KSV. More Product Details ... This is an electronic kit which you must assemble by soldering.This kit cannot be returned once opened. Click here for our return and warranty policies ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Sumovore Mini-Sumo Robot Kit w/Basic Stamp Bundle USB from Tinkering Supplies This bundle consists of one Sumovore Mini-Sumo Soldering Robot Parts Sub-Assembly, two 2-5/8" Plastic Wheel w/Traction Band for GM Axle, one Sumovore Stamp Brain, one Stamp Stack II Kit, one Parallax Software CD, one Parallax USB to 232 Serial Adapter and one USB Mini-B Cable - 5'. Save up to $16.96 with this bundle! This is a complete bundle of everything you need to build and begin programming your Sumovore using the Basic Stamp microcontroller using the USB interface on your desktop or notebook computer. You can also program the robot using your computer serial interface using a Serial Cable (not included). Catalog number: 40691. Brand: Tinkering Supplies. Brand's Part Number: H04069-01U. More Product Details ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sumovore Mini-Sumo Robot Kit w/Basic Stamp Bundle Serial from Tinkering Supplies This bundle consists of one Sumovore Mini-Sumo Soldering Robot Parts Sub-Assembly, two 2-5/8" Plastic Wheel w/Traction Band for GM Axle, one Sumovore Stamp Brain, one Stamp Stack II Kit, one Parallax Software CD and one Serial Cable. Save up to $22.98 with this bundle! This is a complete bundle of everything you need to build and begin programming your Sumovore using the Basic Stamp microcontroller using the serial interface on your computer. Catalog number: 21709. Brand: Tinkering Supplies. Brand's Part Number: H02170-01C. More Product Details ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Basic Hand Tool Set from Tinkering Supplies This bundle consists of one Slot Head Screwdriver 1/8" x 2" (Shirt Pocket Size), one Slot Head Screwdriver 3/16" x 3", one Phillips Head Screwdriver #0 x 2" (Shirt Pocket Size), one Phillips Head Screwdriver #1 x 3", one Mini Long Nose Pliers, one Mini Diagonal Wire Cutters, one Pick-Up Tool and one Precision Modeling Knife w/ 5 Blades. Save up to $1.13 with this bundle! This package contains the basic hand tools needed to do the mechanical assembly of models, robot kits and many other projects. These are economical, good quality tools that will provide years of service if properly cared for. We use these tools at our own development and repair workbenches. (Storage box not included. The tools included in the kit may differ cosmetically from the tools shown in the photo.) Catalog number: 19257. Brand: Tinkering Supplies. Brand's Part Number: H01925-01A. More Product Details ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Basic Soldering Tool Set from Tinkering Supplies This bundle consists of one 25w Professional Soldering Iron, one Soldering Iron Stand, one Lead-Free Solder 5' and one Desoldering Pump. Save up to $2.47 with this bundle! This package includes a good quality soldering iron and the basic accessories you need to begin soldering robots and other electrontic projects. Catalog number: 19273. Brand: Tinkering Supplies. Brand's Part Number: H01927-01W. More Product Details ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Gifts for Students 11 to 14 Years Old (Middle School Grades 6 to 8) Section Menu |
| Products Requiring Hand Tools |
| Products Requiring Programming |
| Products Requiring Hand Tools and Soldering |
| Products Requiring Soldering and Programming |
| Tool Sets |
The content on this page was updated on 01/31/2012