Tag Archives: kits

New Reseller: SpikenzieLabs

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The Frivolous Engineering Company Inc. is proud to announce the newest reseller of our Ultimate Useless Kit: SpikenzieLabs.

Located in Montreal, Canada, SpikenzieLabs has been in operation since September, 2008.  They offer a large variety of electronic kits including ones that they themselves make.

We first met Mark and Andy, the owners of SpikenzieLabs at Maker Faire New York City, last September.  They were right next to us in the Maker Shed demonstrating their excellent kits and we couldn’t help but pick up a few for ourselves.

We really like their Solder: Time II Kit:

Thanks Mark and Andy!

Useless Machines at Redline Hobby

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Useless Machine For Sale at Redline Hobby Ltd.

The Frivolous Engineering Company Inc. is proud to announce that our Ultimate Useless Machine Kits and Parts Kits are now being sold at Redline Hobby Ltd. and so I would like to thank store owner H.J. (Henry) Redekop for retailing our product.

Redline is the only full-line hobby shop in southern Saskatchewan and have been in business for 20 years. They are located at 308 McDonald Street, Regina.

I’ve been a customer since they first opened and recently purchased a Blade quad-rotor from them.  I highly recommend Redline for all your hobby needs.  They have knowledgeable, helpful staff and a very large selection of radio controlled model planes, copters, boats, trains, rockets, scale models and much, much more.

 

Inside Redline Hobby Ltd.

In addition to Redline Hobby Ltd., Ultimate Useless Machines can also be purchased at  the Saskatchewan Science Centre Gift Shop.

So Easy a Five Year Old Can Do It!

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Some folks are hesitant to buy a Useless Machine kit because they don’t know how to solder.  If you feel this way, you should check out the above video (link).  Brett W. is the Dad in this video and you can read about this and other great hacking over at his site, FightCube.

Learning how to solder is as easy as reading a comic book:  You can download a PDF of Soldering is Easy over at The Mighty Ohm.

The basic principles of soldering only takes a few minutes to learn.  And if I can do it, anyone can.

 

What are your thoughts, is five too young an age to be soldering?

 

Video via Hackaday, Comic via Makezine Blog.

Useless Machines and Kits to Be Sold!!!

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I no longer recommend this kit, you should check this out frivolousengineering.com/?page_id=750:  Edited November 5, 2011

The perfect gift for that special someone who already has everything!

Although everyone wants a Useless Machine, not everyone is as into DIY as I am.  So I’m hoping to have assembled Machines as well as complete kits for sale SOON.

Finding a company to partner with that can put together a complete kit including the wooden case and all the hardware has been a struggle.

Ideally the kit will include everything needed:  box, arm, switches, battery holder as well as a gear motor that needs no modification.  The only tools needed to build the kit are a soldering iron, small screwdriver, and glue (a wire cutter/stripper is handy but not needed).

It looks like things are going to go forward.  We may have to initially offer a continuous rotation servo because the gear motors may be delayed.

Prices haven’t been finalized but I’m hoping the kit will be under $50.00 plus shipping.

If you want to be notified when the kits are available please send an email to:

kits@saskview.com

I will also be offering a limited number a fully constructed Useless Machines.  To be notified for the next production “run” please send an email to:

 

 

purchase@saskview.com

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