# 1: Start Tinkering

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2013-05-16
- Length: 46m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-1-mp3

## Summary

Elecia White, Jen Costillo, and Starr Simpson discuss their personal journeys into hardware tinkering and the practical tools needed to get started. They share detailed stories of specific projects, including Costillo’s RFID dance system, Simpson’s Taco Copter drone, and White’s posture-correcting t-shirt, highlighting the technical challenges and lessons learned. The conversation covers essential gear for beginners, sourcing components from markets like Shenzhen, and the importance of documenting projects for career development.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=8) Introduction and Guest Backgrounds
- [2:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=125) Project Stories: RFID Dance, Taco Copter, and Posture Shirt
- [12:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=759) Essential Gear for Beginners: Soldering and Multimeters
- [19:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=1143) Evaluation Kits and Development Boards
- [24:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=1484) Sourcing Parts in Shenzhen and Avoiding Scams
- [31:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=1908) Component Aggregators and Taobao
- [35:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=2155) Inspiration, Collaboration, and Career Benefits
- [44:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering#t=2651) Intellectual Property and Employment Agreements

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Rubblebots (company)
- Taco Copter (product)
- Logical Elegance (company)
- Making Embedded Systems (product)
- SparkFun (company)
- Adafruit (company)
- Arduino (product)
- Atmel (company)
- Digi-Key (company)
- Mouser (company)
- Octopart (company)
- Alibaba (company)
- Taobao (company)
- Seeed Studio (company)
- GitHub (company)
- OpenDesign.net (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Eating An Elephant](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-12-04-eating-an-elephant) (The Amp Hour)
- [033 - All Over the Place](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-04-27-033-all-over-the-place) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [477: The Print Dialog Box](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2025-03-28-477-the-print-dialog-box) (Making It)
- [Episode 062: Totally bananas](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-03-11-episode-062-totally-bananas) (Making It)
- [374: Tiny Forks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-10-21-374-tiny-forks) (Making It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-16-1-start-tinkering. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.