Links to some related areas

Simple Electric Motors:

Beakman's Electric Motor - Build your own working motor as seen on Beakman's World TV show.
Chapter 2: Electromagnetism - Another version of Beakman's motor by Simon Quellen Field.
How Stuff Works - A great site for information on how electric motors work.
Stripped Down Motor - Another simple version similar to Beakman's motor.
Simple Electrostatic Motor - Build a high voltage motor from plastic pop bottles.

Reed Switches, Transistors and Optical Sensors:

Reed Switch Features - Homepage of Aleph, a reed switch manufacturer.
How do Transistors Work? - Simple explanation of the principles of transistor operation.
Opto Sensors - Description and application notes from Aleph.

Soldering Tips and How to Use a Multimeter:

Soldering 101 - Very detailed instructions on how to solder and un-solder.
Introduction to Soldering - Another page with instructions on soldering.
Help on Soldering - Some information from the University of Pennsylvania.
Using a Multimeter - Information on how to use a multimeter to measure the current, voltage, and resistance.

Books:

Mims, Forrest M.  Getting Started in Electronics.  Radio Shack, Pub. 62-5003, 1998.
Mims, Forrest M.  Engineer’s Mini-Notebook: Optoelectronics Circuits.  Radio Shack, Pub. 62-5012, 1998.
Mims, Forrest M.  Engineer’s Mini-Notebook: Magnet and Magnet Sensor Projects.  Radio Shack, Pub. 62-5020, 1998.
Werninck, E.H.  Electric Motor Handbook.  London; New York:  McGraw-Hill, 1978.

The first 3 books may be found at Radio Shack; the last book may be available at your local library.

 How It Works: [Reed Switch Motor] [Transistor Based Motor] [Hall Effect Motor] [Optointerrupter Motor]
Assembly Instructions: [Kits #1-4] [Kit #5] [Kit #6] [Kit #7] [Kit #8] [Build It Yourself Motor] [Conv.Motor] [Exp.Kit #1] [Exp.Kit #2]
[Ordering Information] [Selection Suggestions] [Technical Information] [Experiments / Applications]
[Troubleshooting] [About Myself / My Project] [Users Experience] [Guestbook] [Links]
[Safety Rules] [Warranty / Disclaimer] [Contact Us]