Author Topic: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts  (Read 19543 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« on: September 03, 2013, 11:13:42 am »
Here follows a list of the most commonly used parts in a hacking/tinkering environment. If you don't know what you need, you can most probably start with something from the list.

I _will_ make mistakes so please correct me. Since this list is intended for beginners, I will prefer through hole/DIP than SMD. Specs come from the datasheets, I will try to have as much info on each part as possible while still keeping it compact

Diodes
   Silicon
      1N4001 - 1N4007 (1A, 1V drop)
      1N4148                 (200mA, 0.7V drop)
   Schottky
      1N5817 - 1N5819  (1A, 0.4V-0.9V drop)
      1N5820 - 1N5822  (3A, 0.4V-0.9V drop)
      MBR735, MBR745   (7.5A, 0.48-0.68V drop)
   Zener
      BZX79                    (0.5W power dissipation,  37 types with voltages from 2.4V-75V)
   TVS
      1.5KE

Transistors
   BJT
      BC548 (NPN, 100mA, 30V)
      BC558 (PNP, 100mA, 30V)

      2N3904 (NPN, 200mA, 40V, Ft=300 MHz)
      2N3906 (PNP, 200mA, 40V, Ft=250 MHz)
      
      2N2222 (NPN, 800mA, 40V, Ft=300 MHz)
      2N2907 (PNP, 600mA, 60V, Ft=200 Mhz)
            
      TIP120 - TIP122  (NPN Darlington, 5A, 60-100V)
      TIP125 - TIP127  (PNP Darlington, 5A, 60-100V)
      
      TIP33x (power NPN, 10A, 40-100V)
      TIP34x (power PNP, 10A, 40-100V)
   FET
      Mosfet
         2N7000 (N-Channel, 60V, 200 mA, 1.2Ohm)
         BS170   (N-Channel, 60V, 500 mA, 1.2Ohm)
         IRF510 (Power N-Channel, 100V, 5.6A, 0.54Ohm)

opamps (specs vary with temp/supply etc. These are ballpark figures)
   LM358/LM2904   (single supply, 0.7Mhz, 20mA out, out range Gnd + 5mV-> +Vcc - 2)
   TL071-TL074      (single/dual supply, 3Mhz, out range -Vcc + 1.5V -> +Vcc - 1.5V)
   LM324         (single supply, temp compensated, 1Mhz, 20-40mA out, out range Gnd + 5mV -> +Vcc - 1.5V)
   CA3140         (single/dual supply, 4.5Mhz, out range -Vcc + 1.4V -> +Vcc - 2V)
   TS922         (high out current, single/dual supply, rail to rail, 4MHz,  80mA out, out range -Vcc + 0.1V -> +Vcc -0.1V)

comparators
   LM393         (2x, single/dual supply, 1.5Mhz)
   LM339         (4x, single/dual supply, 1.5Mhz)
   LM319         (2x, single/dual supply, 6Mhz)

To be continued with as many common parts as I can. Some suggestions on models of optocouplers, mosfet drivers, P-mosfets and logic level N-Mosfets are welcome

Original:
Hello Everyone,

I'm in the process of buying parts to fill my workbench drawers with components in order to have them available for the next prototype idea that I want to build in 5-10 minutes. Problem is, when I search for parts there are so many choices that I am not really sure which one would fit the bill. I need some suggestions on the most common building parts that someone should have on the workbench at all times - meaning, specific part numbers. Although I already found bjt (bc548)/mosfet (2n7000)/diodes (1n4148) and some others, I would really like to hear what everyone has to say.

Ideally I would like to have suggestions for opamps (standard/rail2rail), different types of diodes, comparators, signal/power transistors (fet & bjt), voltage references, voltage regulators etc, as well as more specialty items like the 555 which although has a more specific use, it is "mandatory" on a workbench.

If we come up with enough info, I will edit this post to add a nice list so everyone can have it as a reference
« Last Edit: September 04, 2013, 06:37:27 pm by alxnik »
 

Offline mrflibble

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2051
  • Country: nl
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2013, 11:32:35 am »
Good place to start is older posts on this subject.

google: "site:eevblog.com jellybeans" for example.
 

Offline poorchava

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1672
  • Country: pl
  • Troll Cave Electronics!
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2013, 11:42:01 am »
Gates: 74hct14, 74hct595, 74hct244
Opamps: lm358, lm2904, op07
Bjt: bc547, bc557, 2n2222, tip122, tip33, bd249, 2n3055
Diodes: 1n4148, bat54, bav99, 1n400u, sk36, 1n5817
Others: lm317, 7805, lf33, 555 timer,  mc34063,
I love the smell of FR4 in the morning!
 

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2013, 11:44:43 am »
Already tried older posts and I think it is more miss than hit. I am hoping to make an easily accessible list with everything so we don't need to search on posts after posts for it.

Thanks poorchava. Later in the day I will try to start building a list with short info on each part (from the datasheets) and edit it into the first post
 

Offline mariush

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4982
  • Country: ro
  • .
 

Offline mrflibble

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2051
  • Country: nl
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2013, 12:39:48 pm »
Already tried older posts and I think it is more miss than hit. I am hoping to make an easily accessible list with everything so we don't need to search on posts after posts for it.

What makes you think that in a year "common-generic-cheap-easy-to-find-parts" will be any easier to find than say "what-parts-to-get-at-the-store". ;)

That thread + a few others with parts come up with that google search. But making a complete list sounds like a good plan.  :-+
 

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2013, 12:42:59 pm »
Already tried older posts and I think it is more miss than hit. I am hoping to make an easily accessible list with everything so we don't need to search on posts after posts for it.

What makes you think that in a year "common-generic-cheap-easy-to-find-parts" will be any easier to find than say "what-parts-to-get-at-the-store". ;)

That thread + a few others with parts come up with that google search. But making a complete list sounds like a good plan.  :-+

I'll continue improving it (I hope) until it becomes a sticky  ;D
 

Offline mariush

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4982
  • Country: ro
  • .
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2013, 12:46:09 pm »
I've typed the following in google to get that link:

common parts generic site:eevblog.com


the last term restricts results to show only eevblog pages.
 

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2013, 12:58:26 pm »
Come on people, I know that if I search enough I will find what is needed. But you all know that searching in forums is not exactly an efficient way to find something. If anything, at least I will build a list complete enough so anybody who searches will need to find only this post and not 10-20 posts with different parts.

So bear with me... ;)
 

Offline baljemmett

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 665
  • Country: gb
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2013, 01:36:42 pm »
Come on people, I know that if I search enough I will find what is needed. But you all know that searching in forums is not exactly an efficient way to find something. If anything, at least I will build a list complete enough so anybody who searches will need to find only this post and not 10-20 posts with different parts.

Perhaps the collated list would make a useful addition to the EEVblog wiki?  Not sure how likely it is that any given reference thread gets made sticky.
 

Offline MacAttak

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 683
  • Country: us
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2013, 04:20:51 pm »
This question posed also has a different answer depending upon what your area of interest is. Someone who loves microcontrollers might have a few AVR or PIC chips they always keep around. Someone into analog or power electronics will want different parts than someone doing all digital stuff. Hell, they won't even want the same kinds of test gear much less the same kinds of on-hand parts.
 

Offline edavid

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 3381
  • Country: us
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2013, 04:37:00 pm »
Some ideas for your list:

1. Make a list of functions, then list a few alternatives for the function... e.g. 1A standard recovery rectifier, TO92 GP PNP, etc.

2. Higher spec parts cover lower spec parts, unless there's a large price difference ... e.g. if 1N4007 is on the list, don't really need 1N4001

3. Be aware of geography... US people are going to prefer JEDEC 1N/2N part numbers to Pro Electron, and Europeans the opposite, even though you can get anything anywhere
 

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2013, 04:50:55 pm »
This question posed also has a different answer depending upon what your area of interest is. Someone who loves microcontrollers might have a few AVR or PIC chips they always keep around. Someone into analog or power electronics will want different parts than someone doing all digital stuff. Hell, they won't even want the same kinds of test gear much less the same kinds of on-hand parts.

Agreed.....kind of....

If you play the blues, you want to buy a blues guitar, but in order to play the blues first of all you have to learn to play guitar.

What I'm trying to say is that right now I'm in the process of re-learning all the things I forgot from college (I followed a more software route), so what I need is for example to build an oscillator. Doesn't matter the frequency or the accuracy, I just want to build and probably burn an oscillator circuit. Next day I might want to connect something to an AVR, just to see if it works. I don't have the intention of making something specific, just hack around until I have enough experience in blowing up stuff in order to move to specific projects.

Sure, the 4000 and 7400 series are easy, but when you get to opamp or comparator territory for example, it gets really confusing really fast.

Some ideas for your list:

1. Make a list of functions, then list a few alternatives for the function... e.g. 1A standard recovery rectifier, TO92 GP PNP, etc.

2. Higher spec parts cover lower spec parts, unless there's a large price difference ... e.g. if 1N4007 is on the list, don't really need 1N4001

3. Be aware of geography... US people are going to prefer JEDEC 1N/2N part numbers to Pro Electron, and Europeans the opposite, even though you can get anything anywhere

Although I am willing to contribute my time on this, I don't really have the experience to be efficient or even correct on a list of functions (or geographic differences), so I'm hoping to get some feedback on this. I'll try to keep all the variants in a series (as the 1N400x you said) just for completeness sake, I agree with you that in practice you just buy the 1N4007

I would apreciate some feedback such as common uses of each part, as in rectification, amplification, signal conditioning etc
 

Offline MatCat

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 377
  • Country: us
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2013, 05:26:39 pm »
When I first got into electronics I was all about the 'got to make an inventory list of things to get', then I quickly realized there are a LOT of things to get :).  It's like someone who takes up doing arts and crafts, there are literally millions of different choices of things you could use and stock up on.  I quickly realized it's easier to just get things as you realize you need them, granted I did stock up at first on various resistors, caps, transistors, diodes etc, then as I went along I realized what would be most useful and would stock up.
 

Offline PA4TIM

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1161
  • Country: nl
  • instruments are like rabbits, they multiply fast
    • PA4TIMs shelter for orphan measurement stuff
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2013, 06:08:50 pm »
I have a rather big stock because I hate to wait for parts and I design my projects around the parts I have. If you only copy schematics you will never have enough and then you better order the parts you need until you are at the level that you do not have to ask this question ;-) Just order what you need and within a year you know what to keep in stock. I bought stuff when I started that people told me I must have and I never have used. Some things I then never thought I would need are now my most used parts. I used to use a lot of transistors but opamp was a dirty word. Now I use opamps in almost every design and transistors only for repair or some RF stuff.
mosfets, what the hell, why use them  ? Now I have a big assortment and use them a lot. When you develop/specialize you needs change and your stock. Some things every body uses. But if you buy that and you need to order a few parts for a project your order will probably be to small so do not buy to much at start. Invest in a good flexible spacesaving system to store things. Write down on the box/drawer what is insite so you now what to buy if it is empty.

What I use most: (most things I have in through hole and smd (cheap and takes no space)
- some opamps,  LM358, CA3140, LM318  and some precision opamps and a chopper like the LTC1052
- a comparator. LM339
- allround cheap Vref: TL431
- Schottkey diodes Bat85 and some powerversions
- assortiment ceramic caps from 0.5pF upto 820 pF and  1, 10 and 100nF
- MKT/MKP 1nF, 10 nF, 100nF, 470 nF, 1uF, 2.2uF and low and high voltage versions
- electrolytic caps. 1uF upto 2200 uF, not all values (1, 10, 47, 100, 220, 470, 1000, 2200) in low esr, 105 degrees and 25/63/100V, some 450V for SMPS repair.
- trimmers 0.5-4pF, 4-20 pF 10-40pF or something like that.
- potentiometers and trimpots in one turn and 10 turn (i use those 10 turns a lot)
- MOSFETs in logic level and some HEXFET like power FETs. Some high current and some high voltage
- mosfet drivers
- inductor forms with srew in ferrite, toroids, RFC's, pignose, ferite beads.
- variable capacitor 500pF to banks (one of the first parts I bought) if you do RF
- resistor assortiment in metal film, carbofilm, power resistors and smd
- voltage regulators 7805, 7812, 7815, 7824 and the 79XX equivalents, some LM317/337 and a few lowdrop 5 and 12V
- buck/boost regulator IC's and some 100 uF smps inductors
- 555
- some X-tals if you do radio/RF, also some varactordiodes
- some 74 logic (the standard gates/inverters) 4066, 4060, 4013
- leds in several colors
- switches
- an optocoupler
- some analog or digital panel meters
- LDR
- NTC and PTC
- MOV
- Varistor
- zenerdiodes
- banana jacks and busses
- bnc and sma chassisparts, and male bnc (crimp or solder ) versions for coax.
- pcb copperclad, double sided (you can buy that per kilo on HAM / radio fairs/markets.
- a no-clean fluxpen, wick and good (multicore) solder

 I got a lot more normal but also exotic stuff, like (db)mixers, ovenised oscillators, filters, Vrefs, more type opamps (metal cans, ceramic, differential, chopper, high speed, current feedback versions) , about 50 different 74 logic ICs, around 1500 tubes, a drawer full of tube sockets, a lot of different connectors,
fuses, mains chassis filters, transformers, heating and peltier elements, temp, hall and humidity sensor, UJT, jfets, double fets, double transistors, darlingtons, transistors from LF to RF, IGBT, gainblocks (very cheap thanks to the telecom market), a few ATMELs like in my Arduiino, etc
Most things I collected at ham fest or barnsales etc. But when I need some refill I order from farnell,

Main problem is that every one has other needs. I do RF, micromeasurement and test gear repair/design, most analog design. But I know people who only do digital and they use next to nothing from my list and I do not have what they keep on stock. And if you do robotics or home automation, automotive etc you need other things too. But maybee there are some things on my list usefull.
www.pa4tim.nl my collection measurement gear and experiments Also lots of info about network analyse
www.schneiderelectronicsrepair.nl  repair of test and calibration equipment
https://www.youtube.com/user/pa4tim my youtube channel
 

Offline tszaboo

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7302
  • Country: nl
  • Current job: ATEX product design
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #15 on: September 03, 2013, 06:29:28 pm »
We have a room full of theese at the workplace. It is usually useless. The most part I use is the 10K resistor, if I ever need anything, it is just easier to order it, and get it next day. There is just so much component you can store, and you always need something else. 3.3V logic instead of 5, other speed, precision opamp instead the LM358. They are never good.

Or just order +1 from everything for your projects and keep those, that also works.
 

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #16 on: September 03, 2013, 06:55:43 pm »
We have a room full of theese at the workplace. It is usually useless. The most part I use is the 10K resistor, if I ever need anything, it is just easier to order it, and get it next day. There is just so much component you can store, and you always need something else. 3.3V logic instead of 5, other speed, precision opamp instead the LM358. They are never good.

Or just order +1 from everything for your projects and keep those, that also works.

Was thinking about it too. Unfortunately, given my location I can only easily buy from RS and their parametric search sucks. I end up buying a lot straight from the UK and it needs a week to arrive. Also, I don't really know what I need until I need it - I am designing/hacking in a trial and error fashion right now. I already have resistors/caps/trimmers and other "primitives" so I just want to stock up with opamps/comparators/misc ICs, mosfet drivers and things that although frequently used, it's something you might forget on the next order. And AAAALLLL the local dealers are always out of something and you will buy a replacement and it will not do the job as you want it to do and....

You get the idea.

And the worst thing about it is, you finalize the order all happy about it and after it arrives, you find out that the "oh it's a bit more expensive, it MUST be better" part you ordered, doesn't really do for the job. Hence, making a list with all the items someone has "just in case".
 

Offline MacAttak

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 683
  • Country: us
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #17 on: September 04, 2013, 01:47:38 am »

Was thinking about it too. Unfortunately, given my location I can only easily buy from RS and their parametric search sucks. I end up buying a lot straight from the UK and it needs a week to arrive. Also, I don't really know what I need until I need it - I am designing/hacking in a trial and error fashion right now. I already have resistors/caps/trimmers and other "primitives" so I just want to stock up with opamps/comparators/misc ICs, mosfet drivers and things that although frequently used, it's something you might forget on the next order. And AAAALLLL the local dealers are always out of something and you will buy a replacement and it will not do the job as you want it to do and....

You get the idea.

And the worst thing about it is, you finalize the order all happy about it and after it arrives, you find out that the "oh it's a bit more expensive, it MUST be better" part you ordered, doesn't really do for the job. Hence, making a list with all the items someone has "just in case".

Where are you that online sales cannot be received in under a week (you didn't select a country flag in your profile, so we don't even know that)?

DigiKey gets damn near anything to me in two or three days, with the cheapest delivery option... which isn't much more than the cost of gas to drive across town to only possibly find one in stock somewhere.
 

Offline ivan747

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2045
  • Country: us
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #18 on: September 04, 2013, 02:21:52 am »
PIC16F88 and PIC16F887. They can be thought of as updated versions of the 16F84 and 16F877 respectively.

Also, a small 6 pin microcontroller of your favourite brand can the extremely useful to replace a bunch of logic gates if you don't mind a 10us propagation delay (the time the MCU processes the inputs). You may even get away using the integrated configurable logic blocks these tiny MCUs are including nowadays.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2013, 02:35:37 am by ivan747 »
 

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #19 on: September 04, 2013, 10:53:31 am »

Was thinking about it too. Unfortunately, given my location I can only easily buy from RS and their parametric search sucks. I end up buying a lot straight from the UK and it needs a week to arrive. Also, I don't really know what I need until I need it - I am designing/hacking in a trial and error fashion right now. I already have resistors/caps/trimmers and other "primitives" so I just want to stock up with opamps/comparators/misc ICs, mosfet drivers and things that although frequently used, it's something you might forget on the next order. And AAAALLLL the local dealers are always out of something and you will buy a replacement and it will not do the job as you want it to do and....

You get the idea.

And the worst thing about it is, you finalize the order all happy about it and after it arrives, you find out that the "oh it's a bit more expensive, it MUST be better" part you ordered, doesn't really do for the job. Hence, making a list with all the items someone has "just in case".

Where are you that online sales cannot be received in under a week (you didn't select a country flag in your profile, so we don't even know that)?

DigiKey gets damn near anything to me in two or three days, with the cheapest delivery option... which isn't much more than the cost of gas to drive across town to only possibly find one in stock somewhere.

Yeah, sorry about that. I live in Greece. RS can ship through a local representative in under 4 days (they don't stock locally) but with a shipping cost of ~6euro you don't just buy 2 opamps. I'd love to be able to ship from digikey, I like their stock and website but as I understand they ship straight from the US.

All in all, I don't see the point in stocking precision opamps or 0.1% resistors etc but I think a stock of ~50euro worth of low price stuff is more or less essential.
 

Offline m12lrpv

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 175
  • Country: au
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #20 on: September 04, 2013, 11:52:24 am »
I think you have a good list compiled there but you are missing some things that PA4TIM has identified and I agree with.

Voltage references like the TL431 and some voltage regulators like the LM317 and LDO's like the LE50 or LP2950
MKT caps in 0.1uF and electrolytics in 10uF are things I can's live without.


Also I stocked up on trimmer potientiometers 1 and 10 turn, Banana sockets, panel switches, DC jacks, 0.1 male and female headers, prototyping boards and 8 and 14 pin ic sockets from dx.com and ebay out of hong kong (cheep cheep)

 

Offline Aeon

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 19
  • Country: de
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #21 on: September 04, 2013, 12:26:42 pm »
As far as I know Digikey has also an European Warehouse. I live in Germany and the digikey orders take about 3 days.


Was thinking about it too. Unfortunately, given my location I can only easily buy from RS and their parametric search sucks. I end up buying a lot straight from the UK and it needs a week to arrive. Also, I don't really know what I need until I need it - I am designing/hacking in a trial and error fashion right now. I already have resistors/caps/trimmers and other "primitives" so I just want to stock up with opamps/comparators/misc ICs, mosfet drivers and things that although frequently used, it's something you might forget on the next order. And AAAALLLL the local dealers are always out of something and you will buy a replacement and it will not do the job as you want it to do and....

You get the idea.

And the worst thing about it is, you finalize the order all happy about it and after it arrives, you find out that the "oh it's a bit more expensive, it MUST be better" part you ordered, doesn't really do for the job. Hence, making a list with all the items someone has "just in case".

Where are you that online sales cannot be received in under a week (you didn't select a country flag in your profile, so we don't even know that)?

DigiKey gets damn near anything to me in two or three days, with the cheapest delivery option... which isn't much more than the cost of gas to drive across town to only possibly find one in stock somewhere.

Yeah, sorry about that. I live in Greece. RS can ship through a local representative in under 4 days (they don't stock locally) but with a shipping cost of ~6euro you don't just buy 2 opamps. I'd love to be able to ship from digikey, I like their stock and website but as I understand they ship straight from the US.

All in all, I don't see the point in stocking precision opamps or 0.1% resistors etc but I think a stock of ~50euro worth of low price stuff is more or less essential.
 

Offline komet

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 155
  • Country: ch
  • Shenzhen Retroencabulator Mfg. Co.
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #22 on: September 04, 2013, 12:45:34 pm »
      1N4001 - 1N4007 (1A, 1V drop)

Are you suggesting stocking 1N4001, 1N4002, 1N4003, 1N4004 etc. in a hobbyist environment? Because that is madness. Just get 1N4007 and be done with it. The price difference should be approximately zero. These days I think they might be the same parts anyway.

      BC548 (NPN, 100mA, 30V)
      BC558 (PNP, 100mA, 30V)
      2N3904 (NPN, 200mA, 40V, Ft=300 MHz)
      2N3906 (PNP, 200mA, 40V, Ft=250 MHz)

Again, if you have a bunch of 2N3904 why would you need BC548? I can't think of a situation where they couldn't be substituted.

I suggest you go to the Asian sites such as futurlec.com and Tayda and stock up there. They take a month to deliver but the price is right, especially given that you will almost certainly die having never used most of the components.
 

Offline komet

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 155
  • Country: ch
  • Shenzhen Retroencabulator Mfg. Co.
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #23 on: September 04, 2013, 12:56:47 pm »
As far as I know Digikey has also an European Warehouse. I live in Germany and the digikey orders take about 3 days.
Digikey don't have a European warehouse, but they ship from the USA with customs and duty paid, so there is no customs hassle and it is ridiculously quick. Where I am they also offer free shipping on orders over a very reasonable 65 Euros. I see there is a digikey.gr site, so why not look into that?

The great thing is that you can order in the European evening, when it's still the afternoon in the US, and get it the next morning.

I'm surprised that you say RS is slow. For me RS are pretty much the only people who sometimes (but usually don't) beat Digikey.
 

Offline alxnikTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: 00
Re: Common / generic / cheap / easy to find parts
« Reply #24 on: September 04, 2013, 01:14:58 pm »
As far as I know Digikey has also an European Warehouse. I live in Germany and the digikey orders take about 3 days.
Digikey don't have a European warehouse, but they ship from the USA with customs and duty paid, so there is no customs hassle and it is ridiculously quick. Where I am they also offer free shipping on orders over a very reasonable 65 Euros. I see there is a digikey.gr site, so why not look into that?

The great thing is that you can order in the European evening, when it's still the afternoon in the US, and get it the next morning.

I'm surprised that you say RS is slow. For me RS are pretty much the only people who sometimes (but usually don't) beat Digikey.

Quite interesting. I have checked the "Greek" site in the past (actually only the front page is in Greek), but I didn't see any mention about duties and I avoid customs as much as I can. If the duties are paid, I'm sure I can try using them.

I cannot say RS is slow, I think 2-3 days is quite reasonable (economy mail is 1 week from the EU at least), what usually frustrates me is that the parametric search and even their sorting are stupid at best.

      1N4001 - 1N4007 (1A, 1V drop)

Are you suggesting stocking 1N4001, 1N4002, 1N4003, 1N4004 etc. in a hobbyist environment? Because that is madness. Just get 1N4007 and be done with it. The price difference should be approximately zero. These days I think they might be the same parts anyway.

      BC548 (NPN, 100mA, 30V)
      BC558 (PNP, 100mA, 30V)
      2N3904 (NPN, 200mA, 40V, Ft=300 MHz)
      2N3906 (PNP, 200mA, 40V, Ft=250 MHz)

Again, if you have a bunch of 2N3904 why would you need BC548? I can't think of a situation where they couldn't be substituted.

I suggest you go to the Asian sites such as futurlec.com and Tayda and stock up there. They take a month to deliver but the price is right, especially given that you will almost certainly die having never used most of the components.


Actually, I'm not trying to build a list of what someone should have. I want to build a list with the most common parts in the market now. In the diode series, I just added everything for completeness. It's more of a reference than a shopping list.

 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf