element14 Community
element14 Community
    Register Log In
  • Site
  • Search
  • Log In Register
  • Community Hub
    Community Hub
    • What's New on element14
    • Feedback and Support
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Personal Blogs
    • Members Area
    • Achievement Levels
  • Learn
    Learn
    • Ask an Expert
    • eBooks
    • element14 presents
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Spotlight
    • STEM Academy
    • Webinars, Training and Events
    • Learning Groups
  • Technologies
    Technologies
    • 3D Printing
    • FPGA
    • Industrial Automation
    • Internet of Things
    • Power & Energy
    • Sensors
    • Technology Groups
  • Challenges & Projects
    Challenges & Projects
    • Design Challenges
    • element14 presents Projects
    • Project14
    • Arduino Projects
    • Raspberry Pi Projects
    • Project Groups
  • Products
    Products
    • Arduino
    • Avnet Boards Community
    • Dev Tools
    • Manufacturers
    • Multicomp Pro
    • Product Groups
    • Raspberry Pi
    • RoadTests & Reviews
  • Store
    Store
    • Visit Your Store
    • Choose another store...
      • Europe
      •  Austria (German)
      •  Belgium (Dutch, French)
      •  Bulgaria (Bulgarian)
      •  Czech Republic (Czech)
      •  Denmark (Danish)
      •  Estonia (Estonian)
      •  Finland (Finnish)
      •  France (French)
      •  Germany (German)
      •  Hungary (Hungarian)
      •  Ireland
      •  Israel
      •  Italy (Italian)
      •  Latvia (Latvian)
      •  
      •  Lithuania (Lithuanian)
      •  Netherlands (Dutch)
      •  Norway (Norwegian)
      •  Poland (Polish)
      •  Portugal (Portuguese)
      •  Romania (Romanian)
      •  Russia (Russian)
      •  Slovakia (Slovak)
      •  Slovenia (Slovenian)
      •  Spain (Spanish)
      •  Sweden (Swedish)
      •  Switzerland(German, French)
      •  Turkey (Turkish)
      •  United Kingdom
      • Asia Pacific
      •  Australia
      •  China
      •  Hong Kong
      •  India
      •  Korea (Korean)
      •  Malaysia
      •  New Zealand
      •  Philippines
      •  Singapore
      •  Taiwan
      •  Thailand (Thai)
      • Americas
      •  Brazil (Portuguese)
      •  Canada
      •  Mexico (Spanish)
      •  United States
      Can't find the country/region you're looking for? Visit our export site or find a local distributor.
  • Translate
  • Profile
  • Settings
Personal Blogs
  • Community Hub
  • More
Personal Blogs
John Wiltrout's Blog A Meeting with Make Electronics Author Charles Platt
  • Blog
  • Documents
  • Mentions
  • Sub-Groups
  • Tags
  • More
  • Cancel
  • New
  • Share
  • More
  • Cancel
Group Actions
  • Group RSS
  • More
  • Cancel
Engagement
  • Author Author: jw0752
  • Date Created: 28 Jan 2018 4:33 AM Date Created
  • Views 809 views
  • Likes 13 likes
  • Comments 17 comments
  • members_meetings
Related
Recommended

A Meeting with Make Electronics Author Charles Platt

jw0752
jw0752
28 Jan 2018

In my wanderings today I had the honor of spending an hour and a half visiting with the Author of the wonderful Make Electronics and Encyclopedia of Electronics Books Series. These are some of the best entry level books available for those who want to learn the basics of electronics or for those like myself who want to have some enthusiastic materials with which to inspire children and grandchildren. I have been a promoter of the Authors books for some time now and we have had a couple email exchanges over the last couple years. When my travels took me near his home he kindly invited me to visit.

 

Charles understands that there is more to teaching electronics than just putting the ideas and some parts on the table and he does an excellent job of teaching through the use of color and clear pictures and drawings as well as fun builds in his books.

 

We had the chance to visit some time and compare our different approaches and special focuses. I was pleased to find out that Charles also likes to label things just like I do. His electronics bench was well organized and very functional for the experiments and demonstrations that are necessary to produce the lessons and builds which he illustrates in his books. It is very rewarding to visit and share ideas with other people who share an interest in electronics. Since my  level of electronics ability isn't that great it seems that I always come away with more knowledge than I leave behind.

 

In case anyone is interested here are links to some sites where you can get Make Electronics, Make More Electronics, The Encyclopedia of Electronics Volume 1, 2, and 3 as well as the newest beginners book, Make: Easy Electronics.

 

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=make+electronics&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=241605544532&hvpos=1t1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6800277607575309026&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030317&hvtargid=kwd-13613260243&ref=pd_sl_479ao4hbx4_e_p20

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=make+encyclopedia+of+electronic+components&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjg_u_Z5_nYAhXnhlQKHVodC6cQsxgIKA&biw=1366&bih=637

 

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1366&bih=637&tbm=shop&ei=plBtWvvwNdKkzwKhuau4AQ&q=easy+electronics+charles+platt&oq=easy+electronics+charles+platt&gs_l=psy-ab.3...7718.11086.0.11812.14.12.0.0.0.0.450.1886.0j3j1j2j1.7.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..7.1.162...0.0.N1pfGHB8XTY

 

My next stop if I can catch up with him will be michaelwylie . I tried to meet him 4 years ago but the fates didn't cooperate that time. I hope I have better luck this year.

 

John

 

  • Sign in to reply

Top Comments

  • fmilburn
    fmilburn over 7 years ago +4
    Hi John, I envy you for gettig to teravel and meet such interesting people. Regards, Frank
  • genebren
    genebren over 7 years ago +4
    Hi John, Enjoy your travels. I am glad that you are getting the opportunity to network ith some pretty cool people. Gene
  • shabaz
    shabaz over 7 years ago in reply to beacon_dave +4
    Hi Dave, I don't have a good solution either : ( I use a Brother P-Touch intended for electrical work, but the tapes unpeel off small diameter cables, just as you say : ( The ink seems permanent though…
  • genebren
    genebren over 7 years ago in reply to shabaz

    I really like your review of the earlier product (PT-7600) shabaz.  It is hard to tell, but the PT-300E looks similar, but maybe even a little clunkier (wider on the lower grip).  Good to hear that they are easy-to-use.

    Thanks!

    Gene

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +1 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
  • shabaz
    shabaz over 7 years ago in reply to genebren

    Hi Gene,

     

    That looks really interesting! It is the model replacement for the one I've got I think. I have the older PT-7600. Looks like the PT-E series can use the same (normal plastic tape label) cassettes, but also can use the heat-shrink cassettes.

    I like the PT series, they have easy-to-use software for creating custom symbols too. The electrician versions already have stuff like earth symbols and so on.

    In some ways the product is a bit clunky, but it gives really good print quality, at least on the normal plastic labels. I'm tempted to get just the heatshrink cassette and try it on the older PT-7600, but don't want to break it : (

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +1 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
  • beacon_dave
    beacon_dave over 7 years ago in reply to genebren

    Unfortunately the shrink ratio is only like 2:1 or 3:1 which tends to restrict it to applications where the cable hasn't yet been terminated. However it looks a nice solution if you are making your own cable assemblies.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +4 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 7 years ago in reply to beacon_dave

    At work we use the Brady labeller Brady labeller   for cables.

    Obviously these are far too expensive for the hobbyist.

     

    For test and Tagging we now have a thermal printer that you can custom print and is a plastic based product, so the image remains.

    As with most of these labels they wrap around the cable and then join together (see example below), which can be an issue, but they remain stuck for 5 years.

     

    Image result for test and tag labels nz

    Mark

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +3 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
  • genebren
    genebren over 7 years ago in reply to shabaz

    Here is an interesting product.  It prints on heatshrink tubing, which works well with cabling. (Brother PT-E300 Shrink Tube Printer - $110, refills ~ $25)

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOz1pliEz-k

    Gene

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up +3 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
>
element14 Community

element14 is the first online community specifically for engineers. Connect with your peers and get expert answers to your questions.

  • Members
  • Learn
  • Technologies
  • Challenges & Projects
  • Products
  • Store
  • About Us
  • Feedback & Support
  • FAQs
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal and Copyright Notices
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies

An Avnet Company © 2025 Premier Farnell Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Premier Farnell Ltd, registered in England and Wales (no 00876412), registered office: Farnell House, Forge Lane, Leeds LS12 2NE.

ICP 备案号 10220084.

Follow element14

  • X
  • Facebook
  • linkedin
  • YouTube