How to find projects most effectively?

[mistercris]

Hi all.
I'm fairly new to electronics but have a little knowledge and am hoping to expand on it. I'm wanting to build a benchtop psu and through various internet searches ended up on the youtube for eevlog channel and eventually here to the forum.
It looks like I'm going to find all I'm looking for info wise here but I'm having issues actually SORTING through all this knowledge.
Can someone maybe offer a newb a bit of guidance on how to best way to search project and info?
I want to use a psu from a laptop and it needs to be super cheap and SAFE.
Every search I've tried just comes back with too many responses. Is there no depository of projects? Maybe something indexed?
Thanks!

[Hideki]

Every search I've tried just comes back with too many responses. Is there no depository of projects? Maybe something indexed?

Welcome to the internet. There is no single place to get everything -- it's spread all around the place. Some "depositories" may be larger than others, while many simply contain a single project. Many "projects" are not set up to be easily duplicated without quite a bit of time, effort and additional research.

[alexanderbrevig]

Hi mistercris!

I usually search instructables, youtube, eevblog, github and politely ask google with as a precise search as I can muster. Usually I go the opposite direction.

For your project I'd recommend you do something like this:



Use your laptop PSU instead of the brick he's using. Replace the AC input connector with a female socket that matches the PSU you've got and everything should be nice and safe
 

[Cliff Matthews]

If you used the search word "projects", surely you found this one? http://www.talkingelectronics.com
Maybe use "electronic schematics" on Google Images and you'll get more:

Here's some more: http://www.circuitsarena.com/ and http://www.electroschematics.com/various/

As I'm Canadian, a local legend where I live had a site (AFAIK, his family maintains) http://vanroon.ca/antoon/circ/circuits.htm

[mistercris]

Thanks! I did actually find this and several other projects (including some using the LM2596 board which is even cheaper).
Problem I'm asking for help with is one of opinion.
See, I've the knowledge for putting pretty much anything together, but I lack the knowledge of WHICH I should and WHY I should (in other words, which to pick), since I haven't got enough background in electronics to judge appropriately. Since I'm on a budget (time and money) I have to be selective on what I spend. That's the dilemma I face when I look across all those project lists. Which is better? Why?
So I was hoping the kind folk on this forum could give me some opinions on the most suitable projects as I came across them (hence shortcutting all the internet clutter).
Concerns I came across while researching those specific boards as used by greatscott - signal spikes trashing delicate projects, wire protection, need for fuses, etc.
Any opinion would be appreciated.
Thanks again.