Hi everyone. I’ve just returned from my shed where I’ve been putting together the 4tronix Really Useless Box. This is a kit for the micro:bit made out of 7 PCBs, a nice switch and has a servo which tells you “No, you may not open this box!” in no uncertain terms!

The kit comes in an anti-static bag and there are a lot of parts to make the end project. You start out by screwing on mount fittings and then you add the servo to one of the side walls. You then build up the rest of the box around that part. The instructions that are available online are clear enough, although sometimes I did wonder which way round things went. There are a lot of screws in the kit, and sometimes it’s not quite clear which ones go where, but I worked it out based on how many of each there were and didn’t make any mistakes the whole way through, so that must speak to how good the instructions are.

At the end of the build, you are left with a box with a micro:bit as one of the end walls. You flick the switch to open the box and then the servo controls an arm which politely, but resolutely, flicks the switch back again to close the lid. It’s entirely pointless (hence the name), but it is great fun to build. It’s also very good value (at £12) and took me about an hour and a half to put together. You could probably assemble it in a lot less time than I did – maybe 45 minutes – but I was enjoying myself 🙂

It also comes with all the code you need to calibrate the servo and program the full box in Makecode. This means it’s an ideal project for beginners, or for someone who fancies a bit of fun 🙂

You can buy the Really Useless Box from 4tronix. You’ll need to provide your own micro:bit.