Equipment for Hobbyist: Motors, Gears, Microcontrollers

[oneamp]

I want to start playing around with motors, gears, and things like that. I would like to build some basic devices that I can control with microcontrollers. I have looked around at sets for building things... erector, lego, etc. But I haven't found anything acceptable; lego is close with gears, rods, pulleys, etc. available, but it's too toyish for me. What are some kits that I can buy to play with and build things?

 

[Jewish_Vulcan]

If you want to make basic electronic devices you can use breadboards, scoldering iron, multimeter, resistors,transistors,capacitors,diodes,pliers,utility knifes, epoxy,xacto knifes,etc.. but if you want to learn electronics you should learn ohms law very well. You can start by learning ohms law and getting an electronics project kit like the radio shack 300 in 1 project kit. Most of the electronics I do is with rc planes and radios. I do fix basic devices though.

 

[oneamp]

I want a kit for the mechanical side of things. I am already competent and equipped for the electronics side.

 

[homemade]

eBay has stepper motors and gears for making cnc and 3d printer projects. Tractor supply and northern tool or a bike shop have gears chain metal for framework. Controllers like arduino (smartphone driven) and axis control boards(pc driven) also on eBay. Software is free using Mach 3 evaluation copy. Sensors and microdevice, try getting free catalog to electronics suppliers. What are you building or hoping to achieve? That answer will narrow my suggestion matrix.