Welcome

Here you’ll find resources on how to build all kinds of fun, no-nonsense science projects. The idea is to have an online resource that doesn’t patronize you or confuse you with a lot of technobabble — to transplant the offbeat experience of our electronics shack into the digital realm. (You’ll need to supply your own snacks, indie folk music, and cold, drafty workspace)

This site aims to stimulate and inform bright people like you, who are eager to get started with science and electronics projects, but want something faster, slower, or more interesting than the conventional approach.

What does this site cover?

It is recommended that you know the fundamentals of electronics before starting these projects. The book Make: Electronics is a good introduction.

We will publish articles that will help you build electronics and science projects of all kinds. There will be no specific lesson plan, but we will start with relatively simple projects, and may reference earlier articles as we go on.

PLEASE NOTE: This site is about projects. It is about HANDS ON. It is hard enough for adults like us to understand how circuits really work, so we’re going to let you get the theory in when you want and how you want, and get right to the good stuff.

Is it Reliable?!

Not at all. This site is notoriously unreliable. It is written by people who have absolutely no formal training in electrical engineering, who don’t have any PhDs, and who never even went to school.

The only thing we do have behind our names is curiosity and nine years of tinkering, building, breaking, hacking, and making. (Our projects have also been featured in Make Magazine, on Popular Mechanics, and on Instructables — but that’s beside the point.)

Learning how to Fail

Remember, this is Science — and real science projects seem to fail as often as they succeed, it’s just that you don’t hear about most of the failures. When we started out in electronics and science, we learned without many books, hardly used the Internet, and failed like mad. This made us treasure our hard-earned successes like the original discoverers did. Building broken things may seem like a quite a nuisance, but it’s not — because that’s what experimentation is all about: failing, learning, and failing better ... and then succeeding. That’s how science has always been done.

We will do our best to publish articles that make for successful projects. But writing articles is a science, and we will probably make mistakes — a typo in the description, a wiring connection in a diagram. So exercise your own judgment; and if something looks like it won’t work, send us an email.

Why are you doing this for free?

After doing a lot projects with our brothers over the years, we now do weekly science classes with some of our young friends & relations — building things like Rockets, Joule Thieves, Windmills, and studying for the Amateur radio license.

Although we can’t fit the world into our shabby little electronics shack, we can let anyone who wants in on the fun of hands-on science. This site is a place for our nephew, his friends, his friends’ friends, and the rest of the world to join in the unconventional science class.

Disclaimer

Science Class is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on any information contained within the site. While the information contained within the site is periodically updated, no guarantee is given that the information provided in this Web site is correct, complete, and up-to-date.

Although the Science Class Web site may include links providing direct access to other websites, Science Class is not responsible for the accuracy or content of information contained in these sites.

Links from Science Class to third-party sites do not constitute an endorsement by Science Class of the parties or their products and services. The appearance on the Web site of advertisements and product or service information does not constitute an endorsement by Science Class, and Science Class has not investigated the claims made by any advertiser. Product information is based solely on material received from suppliers.

Some of the projects described on this site may not work, may be inconsistent with current laws or user agreements, or may damage or adversely affect some equipment. Your safety is your responsibility, including proper use of equipment and safety gear, and determining whether you have adequate skills and experience. The tools, electricity, and other resources used for these projects are dangerous unless used properly, and with proper precautions and safety gear. Some photos do not depict safety precautions or equipment in order to show the project steps more clearly. These projects are not intended for use by unsupervised children. Use of the instructions and suggestions on Science Class is at your own risk. Science Class disclaims responsibility for any resulting damage, injury, or expense. It is your responsibility to ensure that your activities comply with applicable laws.


Science for Smart-Alecs