Elenco AmeriKit Learn to Solder Kit

by Elenco

Product Features

• Includes solder, a soldering iron and wire cutters
• Use for all your electronics soldering needs
• Soldering required
• From Elenco, offering the best selling Snap Circuits line of electronic educational kits

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.8 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009Z3JJA
• Item model number: AK-100
• Manufacturer recommended age: 10 - 15 years
• Batteries: 1 9V batteries required.
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #566 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
  • #16 in Toys & Games > Learning & Education > Science
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

A must for a budding electronics engineer learning how to solder. After practicing your soldering techniques on the special area of the board, you'll be ready to assemble a European style siren with flashing LED's. This kit also includes solder, a soldering iron and wire cutters. Needs a 9 volt battery for testing soldered circuits. This kit requires soldering.

Product Description

This kit is a must for the beginner. After practicing your soldering techniques on the special area of the board, you'll be ready to assemble this European siren with flashing LED's. This a soldering iron and wire cutters. Requires one 9V battery. This kit requires soldering. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Little Project, June 23, 2010

By 

Justin M - See all my reviews

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Elenco AmeriKit Learn to Solder Kit (Toy)

I'm 17 and I wanted to learn how to solder printed circuit boards. This is a great product that has (almost) everything you need to get started. The soldering iron melted the solder quickly, even though the solder was lead free. The instruction manual teaches you not just about soldering, but about the components in the kit. It teaches almost like a class, complete with detailed instructions and even quizzes you on what you have learned. In the end, the device you make is pretty useless, but here, its all about the journey not the destination.

I do have a few cons however. There is nothing included to clean the soldering tip like a small piece of sponge. I also could not get the soldering wick to work, so I would recommend also ordering a desoldering pump as well. also, it can be a bit tricky to solder without some kind of helping hand device. However, for less than $15, this is still a great bargain.

The value of this kit is great, however I'm sure that people would be willing to pay a bit more if it included something to clean the soldering tip and possibly a desoldering pump, however, with the value of this kit, adding those items to your order should be no problem.

All in all, I greatly recommend this product to anyone trying to dive into the world of electronics.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is no toy, September 10, 2010

By 

J.Twain - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Elenco AmeriKit Learn to Solder Kit (Toy)

This is not a toy. It should be in the category of tool for electric.

I am not getting this to learn how to solder because I am no beginner, but for the items in the package, especially that soldering iron. The package comes with a lot of stuffs for less than $20 + shipping that is so nice, even just for the solder iron itself costs more than that price. The quality of the solder iron is so good that it works so nicely for soldering electric circuit. Other stuffs are so nice too; I usually call this kind of product, a high price value item that you pay less for more.

BUY it if you are interested in circuit, and want to learn how to do soldering. You won't regret it.

here is a list of what you get:
1, a good quality soldering iron pen - 25w
2, a small size wire cutter - good quality as well.
3, a small box of curved solder with rosin flue - about half meter long
4, a circuit board for practice
5, a lot of circuit components : few resistors and capacitors, 2 LED, 1 Integrated chip, some wires, and a speaker.
6, a booklet teaching you how to put everything together - Pretty nice instructions and explanations

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I learned how to solder!, September 23, 2010

By 

Freyja's Books (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Elenco AmeriKit Learn to Solder Kit (Toy)

I didn't know how to solder before I bought this kit, and now that I'm finished with it, I feel very competent at it. This was exactly what I needed to figure out soldering! Overall I think this project took 4-5 hours from beginning to end. It gives you a couple dozen practice joints to begin with, where all you have to do is put solder on the circuit board. Then it goes through different examples of how to fix problems, such as causing a short circuit by making a solder bridge and having to desolder a joint with the included desoldering braid. The instructions are very clear, and the only problem I had building the final circuit (which is a decently loud alarm with speaker and flashing lights) was my own fault: I soldered the R2 resistor to R1, and had to use my newly acquired desoldering skills to switch it around.

Note that the kit comes packaged in a way that it describes every single part that comes with it thoroughly, so you do not have to know anything about electronic parts to get it up and running. But if you're just getting started in electronics, like I am, I would highly recommend these additional materials:
There Are No Electrons by Kenn Amdahl
MAKE: Electronics by Charles Platt
Absolute Beginner's Guide to Building Robots by Gareth Branwyn

If you use all these together, you should be well on your way to becoming an electronics hobbyist!