Buying a robot to build from a kit is the first step many people take in amateur robotics. Nowadays there is a wide selection of kits available that span a range of prices, complexity and functionality. This will teach you what to look for in a kit and ensure you find one that will be right for your needs.
Instructions
1. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Building robots requires that you have skills from a variety of disciplines. Before looking at kits, sit down and consider where your greatest skills lie. Are you better with mechanical systems? Or are your strengths in wielding a soldering iron and wiring? Perhaps neither are your cup of tea and you'd much prefer to be programming. All of these task are part of building robots, and kits require different proportions of each skill. Some may require more programming and very little fabrication of parts. While in other cases the wiring and programming is done for you but building a chassis and adding servos is the bulk of the work. Factor this in when look at kits.
2. Set a budget. Robotics projects can get out of hand and cost more money than originally planned, even with kits. Often the cost of the project will be more than just the price of the kit, especially if it is your first kit. The added cost may come from purchasing tools that you do not currently have or from consumables such as solder and shrink wrap that aren't included with kit. Also, plan on the possibility of replacing a few small parts that you may damage during the build, especially if it your first time building a kit.
3. Look at the resources available to you. This is another aspect to consider before choosing a kit. Tools may be obvious, and you can check the list of tools needed for a kit against what you have on hand easily. Less obvious are resources like experienced builders who you can turn to if you run into a problem while building your kit. There are an increasing number of clubs focused on amateur robotics popping up in major cities around the world, these are a great place to find a helping hand, online forums are another. If you have a resource like this near you consider consulting with them and seeing what they recommend or have built in the way of kits, their experience with a kit will make your build much easier. If you do not have anyone experienced to turn to, look for kits with the fewest number of problematic build steps.
4. Decide what your robot will do. With all of the above taken into consideration it's time to think about the fun part, what do you want your robot to do? There are kits for robots that seek out light, follow lines, find and extinguish candles, solves mazes and fight other robots. For any goal you have in mind you will find a couple of kits intended for the purpose. There are also kits for general purpose robots, that consist of a chassis, drive system and a controller and it is then your job to program the machine to do what you would like.
5. Your homework is done, buy your kit. You will find that the majority of robotics kits are sold through online retailers, and the better retailers will have almost everything you need available for purchase through them. Odds and ends as well as tools that you may not have can usually be obtained from local electronics stores.
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