Electronics > Beginners

From no parts to decent stockpile, best approach?

<< < (57/58) > >>

CaptainBucko:
I started collecting components around 1992, and have also worked in the industry. Here is where I am at the moment:
- Primary Supplier : LCSC.com, which is the component sales arm of JLCPCB. Although located in China, they are highly reputable, and have datasheets behind everything they sell. You can buy high quality (ie: Panasonic) or no name, its your choice and you pay the difference. Shipping is about $8 USD (the slowest option) and is tracked and reliable. I would rather buy the cheapest option from LCSC than the most expensive from AliExpress. As a backup, I will buy from Mouser. In an emergency, I go to local suppliers.
- Catalog : Run a big Excel sheet with a link to all parts I stock, where I stock them, and their corresponding datasheet.
- Jellybeans : I keep a kit of Jellybean parts that I use in every project. Common value R's, C's, Op-Amps, FETs, BJTs, Diodes, LEDs, etc, etc. Unless I really need to vary from that, I don't. I have corresponding KiCad parts as well. You can adapt a lot of reference designs to use your jellybeans on hand if you understand the basics. This really cuts down on the stock pile.
- Scrap Parts : To keep costs down, I try and find useful scrap. Raiding the eWaste bin has been great, particularly if you find industrial electronics which tend to use high quality parts. I will occasionally raid consumer grade e-waste, but I focus on high value items like AV receivers, and stuff with linear transformers, heat sinks, etc. However, I really only use scrap parts for high value, one offs. I don't both with Jellybean scrap.

kiwiwsniper:
Hi there, I'm new to the forums but been into electronics for years.

This thanks for all the people that put their time and effort into this thread before me as it was a long read.

For me my stockpile has been going on for years my spare BUDGET is low and I want buy Quality parts so I buy some parts now and others later on and in between I save and buy midrange lab gear. (I.E. Solder station, Multimeter, Power Supply, etc)

I have found my local electronics shop the best place to buy the “Jelly Bean Kits”.

Most of the people have talked about what to get or where from, how to store parts and how to Inventory them. (ESD protection is a can of worms but look into it as it can save you money)

Everything you can get you can get over time or next day. This all depends on your BUDGET and how much time you have.

After all you can get all the parts but without a way to use them and test them if one or more part is bad after you put it into the circuit then what is the point of this hobby?

EDIT: straight after I posted this I re-read this thread and had another thought about it.
If you need 1 part of x amount, then buy as Much as you need to get to the next price break.
E.G. if Part 1 needs a QTY of 7 for $3 each for a total of $21, but the next Price break says 10, then I buy 10 for $2.25 each for a total of $22.5.
I use the 7 Items and Stockpile 3 Items also I have saved $7.5 plus the time to get them if I need to replace the part later on

aboubkr90:
I'd suggest e-waste to fill the main bulk.
Then buy specifics.

coreykelley:
Thank you for this detailed post!

CRC:
I get lots of RF connectors and various stuff from ham radio swap meets. There is often tons of stuff there for almost nothing.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page