What were your first steps into creating?

Back when I was in high school, yes the old dark ages, I found a company that sent out monthly science kits for about 5 USD. I worked through each kit to learn electronics, mechanics, optics, and even some chemistry.

So I enjoyed learning real things and began my career that eventually saw me working on some of the most advanced aerospace projects in the country.

I still have my love of science, which led to my book "Reverse Engineering The Universe" where I introduce an entirely new perspective on how the universe works.

I continue to do analysis and research to see where I can apply my theory and I find good correlation to all things physics, chemistry and biology.

Learning how to learn and grow is essential to your personal growth as a maker and explorer.

DAB

It was a Radioshack 10-in-1 kit when I was probably 7 or 8 years old. I think it was a decoy to keep me away from my older brothers' 200-in-1 kit, which I later did get to play with when the older brothers got bored with it.

In university one of my computer science courses was to do with hardware - breadboards and chips and lots of wires. I think that kept the spark going.

Then about 10 years ago (I think), I saw a 130-in-1 kit on super clearance price at the local RadioShack (or was it The Source already by then?), and of course for the 30 bucks I couldn't resist.

I quickly moved onto logic chips, and then micro controllers. I think that was when Texas Instruments introduced the MSP launchpad series for only $4.30, shipping to Canada included!

element14 introduced me to Arduino in 2011 when they sent me a Nano-MC.

-Nico

I was into making long before I really discovered electronics. I grew up in the jungle and we made our own fun - toys, boats, planes, kites, slingshots, etc. I recall my first experience making electronics - in a grade 2 class we got to play with an electronmagnet. I decided to make my own by winding some wire around a nail. I was surprised that the nail got very hot when I connected a 6V lantern battery. The teacher put an end to my experiments and we didn't get to play with electricity again .... but I always wanted to continue.... now I can, and do...

Ah - if we're talking first steps then my mum tells me that I took apart all the clocks in the house when I was 3. Apparently I'd asked for a stepladder for my 3rd birthday and used that to reach them.

I think I was born to be an engineer.  My toys growing up were all pieces of broken things that I would explore and/or fix.  As a kid, all of my spare money went to buying kits or parts in order to build things.  When it came to college, the choice was hardly a choice and I when into electronics (after an unbelievably great high school electronics/radio program).

Gene

What intrigued me was the discovery of the Ham Radio and the CB world back in the 80's! Getting your hands dirty trying to tweak electronic components and build your "special" antennas to try to go that extra mile was inspiring. I spent a little fortune buying Radio and Electronics magazines! I'm sure I must still have some old magazine stored at my mum's...

Fabio

Hi Christopher,

My first steps into creating were probably preceded by the destroying stage. I used to take the fixings out of many of my toys to see how they were made, and arguably creating was putting them back together....as I tried to mix and match the parts of my Matchbox cars. Making with electronics came much later for me at college and the inevitable projects.

Rod

the Maplin catalogue.

Daniel, you are so right there. This was mentioned in the past, but there have been many of us who learnt some of our electronics from the Maplin Catalogue and it inspired us to make stuff. I used to browse the IC section scrutinising the circuit schematics - gleaming information and knowledge along the way.

Rod

A book on electricity and magnetism a battery, a length of wire and some torch bulbs as a child.

A meccano robot, watching Professor Heinz Wolf, tomorrows world, and I'm sure there was a tv series in the UK called video and chips, but I can't find a reference to it.

I think there were other kids tv programs with robots in like small wonder and there was one involving computers and kids.

And in the UK we had the electronics kits, and then the LM3909 and 555 timer example circuits in the Maplin catalogue. 

It all went down hill from there.

Not sure I ever left, it was simply the materials that changed ..