{"title":"The Three Fives Kit: A Discrete 555 Timer","handle":"the-three-fives-kit-a-discrete-555-timer","url":"/products/the-three-fives-kit-a-discrete-555-timer","description":"Re-create one of the most iconic chips in electronics history. The Three Fives Kit from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories is a faithful, functional transistor-scale replica of the classic NE555 timer IC — built up from individual resistors, 2N3904 and 2N3906 transistors on an oversized PCB shaped like a DIP-8 integrated circuit.\n\nDesigned by Eric Schlaepfer in collaboration with Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, the kit ships as version 2.0 with anodized aluminium legs. Once assembled, you can connect to the terminal posts and build classic 555 timer and oscillator circuits — and unlike the chip version, you can probe what's happening inside the circuit.\n\nKey Features\n\n\nFunctional 555 Timer – Works in the majority of standard 555 circuit designs\n\nDiscrete Transistor Construction – Built from individual resistors and transistors, not a monolithic IC\n\nEasy Through-Hole Soldering – No surface-mount components; approximately 1 hour to build\n\nAnodized Aluminium Stand – Version 2.0 IC leg stand with a premium finish\n\nColour-Coded Terminal Posts – 8 stainless steel thumbscrew terminals (1 red, 1 black, 6 grey) for easy hookup\n\nProbeable Internals – Monitor signals inside the circuit that are hidden in a standard 555 chip\n\nRoHS Compliant – All materials including PCB and stand are lead-free\n\n\nSpecifications\n\n\nPCB Size: 132.5 × 80.6 mm (5.215 × 3.175 in), 2.54 mm thick\n\nAssembled Size: 132.5 × 99 × 43 mm (5.215 × 3.9 × 1.70 in) including stand and terminal posts\n\nPCB Finish: Extra-thick matte black solder mask with pre-fitted 8-32 threaded inserts\n\nStand Material: Anodized aluminium\n\n\nWhat You'll Need\n\nA soldering iron and solder\n\nFlush wire cutters\nPhillips head screwdriver\n\n\n\nTip: While the Three Fives works in most standard 555 circuits, some performance characteristics differ from IC versions. Check the datasheet for absolute maximum ratings and electrical characteristics.\n\n\nIdeal For\n\nLearning how the 555 timer works at the transistor level\nDesktop display and conversation piece for electronics enthusiasts\nBuilding classic timer and oscillator circuits at a visible scale\nTeaching analogue electronics concepts\n\n\nPackage Contents\n\n1× Three Fives PCB with pre-fitted threaded inserts\nResistors and transistors (2N3904, 2N3906)\n8× Colour-coded thumbscrew terminal posts\n1× Anodized aluminium IC leg stand\nPrinted assembly instructions\n\n\nResources\n\nDatasheet (PDF)\nAssembly Instructions (PDF)\nPrinciples of Operation (PDF)\nDocumentation Wiki\n100+ Example 555 Circuits\n","vendor":"Pimoroni","product_type":"physical","in_stock":false,"options":[],"variants":[{"id":5565,"title":"Default Title","sku":"PI-EMS-555","price":88.61,"on_sale":false,"in_stock":false,"available_quantity":0,"option1":"Default Title"}]}