I'm (very slowly) working my way through the exercises in Make: Electronics but am having trouble with an experiment involves making a circuit with a battery, a potentiometer and an LED with crocodile clips and then measuring the voltage and current using a multimeter.

I don't know if the components are too small or what but the problem I'm having is that it's too fiddly for me to actually do it as well as handle the multimeter to get readings. Things either won't attach or they're too close together and there's a danger of shorting or they actually do touch so I have to keep adjusting things and it's just ridiculously fiddly. The main problem is getting things attached to the potentiometer as the terminals are very small and close together and the crocodile clips seem to be rubbish for the job.

Do I have any alternative ways to do this? I'm a total beginner and so I don't know how to solder yet.

 

I use scads of 'grabber' clips from Pomona. Lots of different Pomona patch cords too. Usually in stock at Mouser, probably DigiKey too.

 

Try doing a Google or eBay search for "Mini Grabber test clips"
They should solve your problem.
They can come as discrete clips (which require soldering leads on, or with leads attached.)

 

Clips are entirely the wrong way to go about prototyping pretty much any circuit. You're right, they're clumsy. They're not meant to be used at every connection. Instead, purchase a breadboard. They're extremely helpful and tidy. Purchase plenty of jumper cables as well, or make your own. 22 AWG is the size you want, but 20-24 should also work.

If you've never seen or used them,
Breadboards typically look something like this:http://ferretronix.com/stuff/breadboards/breadboard_holes_91.jpg
And Jumper cables, like this: http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/...readboard-Jumper-Cable-Wires-male-to-male.jpg

Another alternative is wire-wrapping, but I've never tried it.
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/...readboard-Jumper-Cable-Wires-male-to-male.jpg

 

Clips are entirely the wrong way to go about prototyping pretty much any circuit. You're right, they're clumsy. They're not meant to be used at every connection. Instead, purchase a breadboard. They're extremely helpful and tidy.

How would I go about hooking up the potentiometer to a breadboard?

 

You can solder a breadboard jumper wire to each terminal of the pot.

 

How would I go about hooking up the potentiometer to a breadboard?

Some pots plug in a solderless breadboard directly; here's one example.

http://www.digikey.com/product-sear...ywords=3362P-501LF-ND&x=13&y=16&formaction=on

 

Like Tracecom said, many potentiometers plug in directly to a breadboard, as well as protoboard. Almost all of the ones I have do.

The ones I have look like this: http://www.adafruit.com/adablog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/window-1-13.jpg

You can find them at radioshack, but they're much cheaper online if you are willing to wait for shipping.