{"product_id":"the-three-fives-kit-a-discrete-555-timer","title":"The Three Fives Kit: A Discrete 555 Timer","description":"\u003cp\u003eRe-create one of the most classic, popular, and all-around useful chips of all time. Now shipping kit version 2.0 with anodized aluminum legs!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \"Three Fives\" Discrete 555 Timer kit from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories is a faithful and functional transistor-scale replica of the classic \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/555_timer_IC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eNE555\u003c\/a\u003e timer integrated circuit, one of the most classic, popular, and all-around useful chips of all time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned by \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/tubetime.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eEric Schlaepfer\u003c\/a\u003e, in collaboration with Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, to resemble an (overgrown) integrated circuit, based around an extra-thick matte-finish printed circuit board. It comes complete with a beautiful aluminum display stand that gives the circuit board eight legs in the shape of DIP-packaged integrated circuit pins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBuilding the kit\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Three Fives kit is sold as an easy-to-build soldering kit. It includes the circuit board, resistors, and transistors that make up the electrical circuit as well as printed assembly instructions. The kit also comes complete with the \"IC Leg\" stand, and 8 color coded thumbscrew terminal posts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo build the Three Fives kit, basic electronic soldering skill and tools are required, but no additional knowledge of electronics is presumed or required. You provide standard soldering tools: a \u003ca href=\"\/en-eu\/products\/antex-xs25-soldering-iron-uk-plug\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003esoldering iron\u003c\/a\u003e + \u003ca href=\"\/en-eu\/products\/copper-solder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003esolder\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/en-eu\/products\/precision-micro-nippers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003esmall (\"flush\") wire clippers\u003c\/a\u003e, as well as a Phillips head screwdriver\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit features easy \"through-hole\" construction (\"No surface-mount nothin' nowhere!\"), and (assuming that you have prior soldering experience) should take roughly an hour to build.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eUsing the \"Three Fives\" Discrete 555 Timer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Three Fives circuit is a direct implementation of the \"equivalent circuit\" from the NE555 datasheet, built up using resistors and individual 2N3904 and 2N3906 transistors. It comes with terminal posts and solder points so that you can actually connect to it and build up classic 555 timer and oscillator circuits. Using those terminal posts and solder points, you can hook up with with bare wires, lugs, alligator clips, and\/or solder joints-- however you see fit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd unlike the chip version, you can even hook up probes to monitor what goes on \u003ci\u003einside\u003c\/i\u003e the circuit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a remarkably large number of excellent 555 example circuits available on the internet (for example, over 100 \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.talkingelectronics.com\/projects\/50%20-%20555%20Circuits\/50%20-%20555%20Circuits.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the Three Fives kit will work without modification in the majority of example circuits, some performance characteristics are different than those of 555 integrated circuits; please refer to the Absolute Maximum Ratings and Electrical Characteristics? in the datasheet for additional details.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKit size\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Three Fives kit printed circuit board is 5.215 X 3.175 inches (13.25 X 8.06 cm) in area, and (nominally) 0.100\" (2.54 mm) thick.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncluding the \"Integrated Circuit Legs\" stand and terminal posts, the overall size of the assembled kit is nominally 5.215 X 3.9 X 1.70 inches (13.25 X 9.9 X 4.3 cm).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaterials and construction\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe decorative stand is smooth to the touch and made of anodized aluminum.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe circuit board in the kit is extra thick for rigidity, and made with a matte-black solder mask finish. It comes pre-fitted with eight 8-32 threaded inserts for the terminal posts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll materials (including the circuit board and stand) are RoHS complaint (lead free).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe included terminal post screws are stainless steel thumbscrews with color-coded plastic caps (1 red, 1 black, 6 gray).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDownloads and additional resources\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdditional specifications are given in the kit's \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0174\/1800\/files\/555_datasheet_revB.pdf?14792701252949637522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003edatasheet\u003c\/a\u003e (2.7 MB PDF file).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0174\/1800\/files\/555_instrux_RevB.pdf?14792701252949637522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eKit assembly instructions\u003c\/a\u003e (1.4 MB PDF file). \u003ci\u003ePrinted instructions are included with the kit.\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWe have written a detailed educational supplement for this kit, which goes into detail about how the circuit works: \"\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0174\/1800\/files\/555_principles_revB3.pdf?14792701252949637522\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003ePrinciples of Operation\u003c\/a\u003e\" (1.1 MB PDF)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe central documentation page for the kit is found \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/wiki.evilmadscientist.com\/555\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e on the documentation wiki.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Evil Mad Scientist","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":780372269,"sku":"EMS-555","price":36.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0174\/1800\/products\/2_2x_83ccaf35-d0e1-40fe-8844-9a51b45500d9.jpg?v=1701505222","url":"https:\/\/shop.pimoroni.com\/en-eu\/products\/the-three-fives-kit-a-discrete-555-timer","provider":"Pimoroni Ltd","version":"1.0","type":"link"}