Bolt Industries' Ian Dunn's Reference Circuits Books Go Hands-On — with Pages of Working Circuits

Bolt Industries' Ian Dunn is looking to get electronics hobbyists to dig deeper into a range of common circuit designs — by making hands-on "books" out of working PCBs, powered via a USB Type-C connection.

"Each volume features four [leafs] of fully functional circuits, allowing you to visualize how the circuits work and interact with the components, making it perfect for anyone who wants to understand electronics at a deeper level," Dunn explains of the project. "Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or a hobbyist, these volumes serve as invaluable tools for both learning and reference. Say goodbye to abstract diagrams and long-winded explanations — now you can see how a circuit works, in a book, right in front of you!"

Thus far, Dunn has written — and more importantly, designed, fabricated, and assembled — two eight-page volumes in the series. The first, DC Circuit Fundamentals, covers series and parallel circuits, Kirchhoff's circuit laws in current and voltage, voltage dividers, resistor-capacitor (RC) time constants, and capacitors and inductors in directional current (DC) circuits. The second of the two volumes, LEDs, Transistors, and Oscillators, does as its cover promises, covering more complex circuits with LEDs, transistors, astable multi-vibrators, and oscillators based on 555 timers.

Naturally, a circuit needs a power source. In this case, Dunn has given each page a USB Type-C connection in its corner, which is compatible with standard and USB Power Delivery (PD) power supplies — meaning any common phone charger will work, or the pages can be connected to a laptop or desktop computer for their power. Dunn sees the booklets being useful as both a teaching and learning aid and as a quick-reference for those looking to design their own circuits.

DC Circuit Fundamentals and LEDs, Transistors, and Oscillators are now both available on the Bolt Industries Tindie store, priced at $37 each.