Books published by publisher Make Community, LLC

"This is teaching at its best!" Hans Camenzind, inventor of the 555 timer (the world's most successful integrated circuit)."A fabulous book: well written, well paced, fun, and informative. I also love the sense of humor. It's very good at disarming the fear. And it's gorgeous. I'll be recommending this book highly." Tom Igoe, author of Physical Computing and Making Things Talk.A "magnificent and rewarding book. ... Every step of this structured instruction is expertly illustrated with photos and crisp diagrams. . . . This really is the best way to learn." Kevin Kelly, in Cool Tools.The first edition of Make: Electronics established a new benchmark for introductory texts. This second edition enhances that learning experience. Using full color on every page, hundreds of photographs and diagrams convey concepts with unmatched clarity.Platt uses a hands on approach throughout. You learn by building your own simple circuits.You begin by blowing a fuse or burning out an LED to demonstrate voltage, amperage, and electrical resistance. As it says on the cover, "Burn things out, mess things up that's how you learn!"The hands on approach continues with basic switching circuits. You can cut open the sealed case of a relay to see exactly what goes on inside.Unique 3D diagrams illustrate components as they are plugged into a solderless breadboard. A simple circuit reveals how a capacitor stores and releases electricity. While Make: Electronics minimizes the amount of theory that you need, it does show you how to figure out Ohm's Law and do the simple math to calculate the time constant of a capacitor.A buying guide shows basic tools ranging from pliers to a low cost multimeter. Components such as transistors and capacitors are shown in color photographs so that you will quickly recognize them.A simple "finger test" demonstrates how transistors switch or amplify current. The book then shows functional circuits that you can build to create light and sound, leading to a plan for a simple intrusion alarm.Platt includes three chapters explaining how to solder wires and build a permanent circuit. However, the skill of soldering is not essential for other projects in the book.You learn all about integrated circuit chips: how they work, what they do, how they are identified, and where you can buy them. Build your own oscillator and one shot circuits, and learn how to chain timer chips together.A simple circuit can test the speed of your reflexes. Other circuits include a combination lock for a computer, or a game in which players compete to be the first to press a button. There is a novel, simplified circuit to build electronic dice.Make: Electronics includes advice about setting up your work area, storing parts, and buying additional tools, if you decide to venture further into the field.The final section of the book explains inductance and the components that make use of it, such as loudspeakers and a simple AM radio. Finally, three chapters explain microcontrollers, with projects that can use an Arduino.A shopping guide will minimize your investment in parts for the projects. Alternatively, kits from independent vendors contain exactly the parts that you need.Ideal for BeginnersThis book assumes that you have no prior knowledge. It explains each concept in meticulous detail, and is friendly, patient, and fun. Positive reader feedback has been received from people ranging in age from 8 to 84. More than 200,000 copies have been sold. If you only buy one book about electronics, this should be the one.

Want to know how to use an electronic component? This third book of a three-volume set includes key information on electronics parts for your projects--complete with photographs, schematics, and diagrams. You'll learn what each one does, how it works, why it's useful, and what variants exist. No matter how much you know about electronics, you'll find fascinating details you've never come across before.Perfect for teachers, hobbyists, engineers, and students of all ages, this reference puts reliable, fact-checked information right at your fingertips--whether you're refreshing your memory or exploring a component for the first time. Beginners will quickly grasp important concepts, and more experienced users will find the specific details their projects require.Volume 3 covers components for sensing the physical world, including light, sound, heat, motion, ambient, and electrical sensors.Unique: the first and only encyclopedia set on electronic components, distilled into three separate volumesIncredibly detailed: includes information distilled from hundreds of sourcesEasy to browse: parts are clearly organized by component typeAuthoritative: fact-checked by expert advisors to ensure that the information is both current and accurateReliable: a more consistent source of information than online sources, product datasheets, and manufacturer's tutorialsInstructive: each component description provides details about substitutions, common problems, and workaroundsComprehensive: Volume 1 covers power, electromagnetism, and discrete semi-conductors; Volume 2 includes integrated circuits, and light and sound sources; Volume 3 covers a range of sensing devices.

Want to learn even more about electronics in a fun, hands-on way? If you finished the projects in Make: Electronics, or if you're already familiar with the material in that book, you're ready for Make: More Electronics. Right away, you'll start working on real projects, and you'll explore all the key components and essential principles through the book's collection of experiments. You'll build the circuits first, then learn the theory behind them!This book picks up where Make: Electronics left off: you'll work with components like comparators, light sensors, higher-level logic chips, multiplexers, shift registers, encoders, decoders, and magnetic sensors. You'll also learn about topics like audio amplification, randomicity, as well as positive and negative feedback. With step-by-step instructions, and hundreds of color photographs and illustrations, this book will help you use -- and understand -- intermediate to advanced electronics concepts and techniques.

For students, DIY hobbyists, and science buffs, who can no longer get real chemistry sets, this one-of-a-kind guide explains how to set up and use a home chemistry lab, with step-by-step instructions for conducting experiments in basic chemistry -- not just to make pretty colors and stinky smells, but to learn how to do real lab work:Purify alcohol by distillationProduce hydrogen and oxygen gas by electrolysisSmelt metallic copper from copper ore you make yourselfAnalyze the makeup of seawater, bone, and other common substancesSynthesize oil of wintergreen from aspirin and rayon fiber from paperPerform forensics tests for fingerprints, blood, drugs, and poisonsand much moreFrom the 1930s through the 1970s, chemistry sets were among the most popular Christmas gifts, selling in the millions. But two decades ago, real chemistry sets began to disappear as manufacturers and retailers became concerned about liability. ,em>The Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments steps up to the plate with lessons on how to equip your home chemistry lab, master laboratory skills, and work safely in your lab. The bulk of this book consists of 17 hands-on chapters that include multiple laboratory sessions on the following topics:Separating MixturesSolubility and SolutionsColligative Properties of SolutionsIntroduction to Chemical Reactions & StoichiometryReduction-Oxidation (Redox) ReactionsAcid-Base ChemistryChemical KineticsChemical Equilibrium and Le Chatelier's PrincipleGas ChemistryThermochemistry and CalorimetryElectrochemistryPhotochemistryColloids and SuspensionsQualitative AnalysisQuantitative AnalysisSynthesis of Useful CompoundsForensic ChemistryWith plenty of full-color illustrations and photos, Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments offers introductory level sessions suitable for a middle school or first-year high school chemistry laboratory course, and more advanced sessions suitable for students who intend to take the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry exam. A student who completes all of the laboratories in this book will have done the equivalent of two full years of high school chemistry lab work or a first-year college general chemistry laboratory course.This hands-on introduction to real chemistry -- using real equipment, real chemicals, and real quantitative experiments -- is ideal for the many thousands of young people and adults who want to experience the magic of chemistry.

This practical, user-friendly reference book of common mechanical engineering concepts is geared toward makers who don't have (or want) an engineering degree but need to know the essentials of basic mechanical elements to successfully accomplish their personal projects. The book provides practical mechanical engineering information (supplemented with the applicable math, science, physics, and engineering theory) without being boring like a typical textbook. Most chapters contain at least one hands-on, fully illustrated, step-by-step project to demonstrate the topic being discussed and requires only common, inexpensive, easily sourced materials and tools. Some projects also provide alternative materials and tools and processes to align with the reader's individual preferences, skills, tools, and materials-at-hand. Linked together via the authors' overarching project -- building a kid-sized tank -- the chapters describe the thinking behind each mechanism and then expands the discussions to similar mechanical concepts in other applications. Written with humor, a bit of irreverence, and entertaining personal insights and first-hand experiences, the book presents complex concepts in an uncomplicated way.Highlights include:Provides mechanical engineering information that includes math, science, physics and engineering theory without being a textbookContains hands-on projects in each chapter that require common, inexpensive, easily sourced materials and toolsAll hands-on projects are fully illustrated with step-by-step instructionsSome hands-on projects provide alternative materials and tools/processes to align with the reader's individual preferences, skills, tools and materials-at-handIncludes real-world insights from the authors like tips and tricks ("Staying on Track") and fail moments ("Lost Track!")Many chapters contain a section ("Tracking Further") that dives deeper into the chapter subject, for those readers that are interested in more details of the topicBuilds on two related Make: projects to link and illustrate all the chapter topics and bring individual concepts together into one systemFurnishes an accompanying website that offers further information, illustrations, projects, discussion boards, videos, animations, patterns, drawings, etc.Learn to effectively use professional mechanical engineering principles in your projects, without having to graduate from engineering school!

"This is teaching at its best!"--Hans Camenzind, inventor of the 555 timer (the world's most successful integrated circuit), and author of Much Ado About Almost Nothing: Man's Encounter with the Electron (Booklocker.com)"A fabulous book: well written, well paced, fun, and informative. I also love the sense of humor. It's very good at disarming the fear. And it's gorgeous. I'll be recommending this book highly."--Tom Igoe, author of Physical Computing and Making Things TalkA "magnificent and rewarding book. ... Every step of this structured instruction is expertly illustrated with photos and crisp diagrams. . . . This really is the best way to learn."--Kevin Kelly, in Cool ToolsThe first edition of Make: Electronics established a new benchmark for introductory texts. This second edition enhances that learning experience.Here you will find unique, photographically precise diagrams of breadboarded components, to help you build circuits with speed and precision. A new shopping guide and a simplified range of components, will minimize your investment in parts for the projects. A completely new section on the Arduino shows you how to write properly structured programs instead of just downloading other people's code. Projects have been reworked to provide additional features, and the book has been restructured to offer a step-by-step learning process that is as clear and visually pleasing on handheld devices as it is on paper. Full color is used throughout.As before, Make: Electronics begins with the basics. You'll see for yourself how components work--and what happens when they don't. You'll short out a battery and overheat an LED. You'll also open up a potentiometer and a relay to see what's inside. No other book gives you such an opportunity to learn from real-life experiences.Ultimately, you will build gadgets that have lasting value, and you'll have a complete understanding of how they work. From capacitors to transistors to microcontrollers--it's all here.Hans Camenzind, inventor of the 555 Timer (the world's most successful integrated circuit chip), said that "This is teaching at its best!" when he reviewed the first edition. Now the second edition offers even more!

Experience the magic of biology in your own home lab. This hands-on introduction includes more than 30 educational (and fun) experiments that help you explore this fascinating field on your own. Perfect for middle- and high-school students and DIY enthusiasts, this full-color guide teaches you the basics of biology lab work and shows you how to set up a safe lab at home.The Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments is also written with the needs of homeschoolers firmly in mind, as well as adults who are eager to explore the science of nature as a life-long hobby. To get the most from the experiments, we recommend using this guide in conjunction with a standard biology text, such as the freely downloadable CK-12 Biology (ck-12.org).Master the use of the microscope, including sectioning and stainingBuild and observe microcosms, soda-bottle worlds of pond lifeInvestigate the chemistry of life from simple acids, bases, and buffers to complex carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, enzymes, and DNAExtract, isolate, and observe DNAExplore photosynthesis, osmosis, nitrogen fixation, and other life processesInvestigate the cell cycle (mitosis and cytokinesis)Observe populations and ecosystems, and perform air and water pollution testsInvestigate genetics and inheritanceDo hands-on microbiology, from simple culturing to micro-evolution of bacteria by forced selectionGain hands-on lab experience to prepare for the AP Biology examThrough their company, The Home Scientist, LLC (thehomescientist.com/biology), the authors also offer inexpensive custom kits that provide specialized equipment and supplies you’ll need to complete the experiments. Add a microscope and some common household items and you’re good to go.

Whether you’re interested in becoming a handyman or developing artisanal woodworking skills, the place to begin is by learning the fundamentals of using basic workshop tools correctly. The place to find out how is right here. Make: Tools is shop class in a book.Consumer-level 3D printers and CNC machines are opening up new possibilities for makers. But there will always be a need for traditional workshop skills and tools. Charles Platt's Make: Tools applies the same approach to its subject matter as his bestselling Make: Electronics -- in-depth explanations and hands-on projects that gradually increase in level of challenge.Illustrated in full color with hundreds of photographs and line drawings, the book serves as a perfect introduction to workshop tools and materials for young adults and adults alike. Platt focuses on basic hands tools and assumes no prior experience or knowledge on the part of the reader. The projects all result in fun games, toys, and puzzles. The book serves as both a hands-on tutorial a reference that will be returned to again and again.

Believe it or not, there's a lot of inventing going on in the kitchen. Unless you only eat fruits and veggies right off the plant, you are using tools and techniques invented by humans to make food more tasty and easier to digest. When you cook food, you start to break it down into a form your body can absorb. When you add chemicals to make it thicker, gooey-er, or puffy-er, you turn a bunch of boring ingredients into a mouth-watering snack. Edible Inventions: Cooking Hacks and Yummy Recipes You Can Build, Mix, Bake, and Grow will show you some unusual ways to create a meal, and help you invent some of your own. Projects include:3D printing with foodChemical cuisine and molecular gastronomyPrepared foods like ketchup and pickles at homeGrowing your own ingredientsCooking off the grid

Paper is incredible stuff. It's easy to cut, but incredibly strong. It's disposable, but can last for centuries. It can stand as stiff as a board, pop up like a spring, or float like a leaf. And its invention changed the world forever. Perfect for kids, parents, and educators, Paper Inventions is a project-based book with full color illustrations, step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and templates that allow you to follow along with the book or devise something entirely new. Each chapter features new projects that will challenge and intrigue everyone, from beginning to experienced Makers. In this book, you'll learn to make: A light-up paper cat that shows how switches and sensors workAn action origami robot wormEdible rice paper perfect for secret messagesA space rover that moves thanks to paper machineryA paper generator that creates electricity when you tap or rub it Heat-activated paper models that fold themselvesA geodesic dome big enough to crawl into--from newspaper!

Make amazing robots and gadgets with two of today’s hottest DIY technologies. With this easy-to-follow guide, you’ll learn how to build devices with Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0, the Arduino prototyping platform, and some add-on components to bridge the two. Mindstorms alone lets you create incredible gadgets. Bring in Arduino for some jaw-dropping functionality—and open a whole new world of possibilities.Build a drink dispenser, music synthesizer, wireless lamp, and moreEach fun and fascinating project includes step-by-step instructions and clear illustrations to guide you through the process. Learn how to set up an Arduino programming environment, download the sketches and libraries you need, and work with Arduino’s language for non-programmers. It’s a perfect book for students, teachers, hobbyists, makers, hackers, and kids of all ages.Build a Drawbot that roams around and traces its path with a marker penConstruct an analog Mindstorms clock with hands that display the correct timeCreate a machine that mixes a glass of chocolate milk at the touch of a buttonMake a Gripperbot rolling robotic arm that you control wirelessly with Arduinos mounted on your armsExplore electronic music by building a guitar-shaped Lego synthesizerBuild a Lego lamp with on/off and dimmer switches that you control with a smartphone applicationJump feet first into the world of electronics, from learning Ohm’s Law to working with basic componentsYou'll need the Bricktronics shield created for this book by Open Source Hardware kit maker Wayne and Layne, or you can build a breadboarded equivalent (see Chapter 10) for about $25 in parts.