Now to the real topic. I really like playing video games, but it’s not constructive, is it? So I decided to occupy myself with making stuff like inventions, or fixing things, I hope you understand what I mean. I was astonished by circuit building so I invested on a mainstream soldering iron and solder wire. In general, part of my money are used on tools like screwdrivers, wire strippers etc. (when I visit a hardware store, I feel like I’m in Paradise!)

I really like doing this because it is my passion to tinker with things mentioned. I like learning from the Internet, watching tutorials on how to create this or fix this or how this works. So what I would like is some feedback. First of all, is it good to do this in my age? Also, I always want to learn stuff, I just don’t know how to organize the succession at which I should learn (for example, in electronics, should I start from core theory of electronic physics, how components work, or what?)
And last but not least: Could you suggest some resources about building simple machines at home?

If in anything you suggest there is math or physics it’s still welcome, so far it’s possible for a high school student to understand.

Thank you!

I plan on using infrared, and a disc with a small hole in it (rotates with the mechanism). I need the circuit to be able to count every time it "sees" the infrared light through the hole. I work for radioshack and I have access to practically everything I need to accomplish this, but I’m not a low-voltage electronic person. I am skilled at soldering and would have no problems if someone knows where i can find a simple schematic of this circuit.

If possible, I’d like a display of rotations per second (the calculations will be made using radians per second and would save a math step). That would be the slickest way to do it, but I know that would require an LCD/LED controller and will complicate it. Another way possible would be to have the circuit make a beep every time it senses light on the IR receptor everytime the light shines through, and just count it over a period of time. That’s what I would do last resort, but either way I won’t know enough of circuits to build one myself.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
After reading what Edesigner suggested, I want to restate that I’d like to tackle this as a DIY job. I work for radioshack and everything I need for this circuit should be here.

In the essence of time, I may just have to resort to using beeps, which seems like it would be a much simpler circuit.

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I have been trying to think of something fun to make.or a project to do, so far the best I have come up with is a countdown clock (borrrring). if anyone has any ideas of something to do I would be very grateful