When I was first learning electronics I bought a bunch of kits from Boldport. Including the "cordwood puzzle" and when it came I was so despondent. It's pair of PCBs and parts and YOU need to puzzle out how to put them together.
I remember thinking that I'd never be able to work it out. Just putting a kit together correctly and having it work was my limit.
I put the puzzle away, forgot about it.
I found it today ... guess what?
It's SO EASY.
Nice to be old and learn new tricks isn't it?
I used to think that this thing was so advanced and complicated and that only super experts would understand it at all.
I even thought it was sort of mean that Boldport made it so hard!
Now I'm like "this is baby stuff"
This has happened with mathematics for me many times. But only a few times with electronics. I'm totally self-taught in electronics. My knowledge is hard won, my students get to learn these things much faster with my help.
But, that's what I love about teaching.
What is something that once seemed advanced and impossible to you that later became easy?
Isn't that feeling the best high in the world?
If you want to try the puzzle there are still a few of them here:
https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/cordwood-puzzle-too?variant=29443898310739
Unfortunately, I hardly know anything about electronics, but now, I'm sooo intrigued to try one of these out.
Needless to say, I love cute blinking stuff.
Though I've had a burning fire to learn, I can't and won't claim to be self-taught in electronics and computers, as I had many good mentors. (I've also enjoyed teaching, especially those moments when a student pushes through and grasps something new!)
@mina if you are interested, I wrote a page about PCB fabrication technologies; the cordwood method dates back to the early 1950s. (This link includes a bookmark.)
https://syncopate.us/articles/2006/m04a#fab
myrmepropagandist
Mina
John Carlsen 🇺🇸🇳🇱🇪🇺