DIY Info Collection.

[warwick.hoy]

I wish sourcing parts were easier locally. My only option for components is Radioshack and it has been suggested to me to stay away from Carbon film resistors and that's all RS has. And they are kinda pricey (2 bucks for 5 resistors).

I'm gathering up a list of tools I need. I'm getting a 12speed Tabletop Drill press and milling vice (my dad is sending me one he never uses). I may actually pick up two drill presses one for drilling pilot holes and the other one set up with a step bit, or something to that effect.

I have a number of deep sockets for my ratchet set and a great soldering iron.

Got an older Sperry multimeter but I think I'm going to upgrade to a self ranging model.

I also want to pick up a few saddle squares.

Any other suggestions?

[eatyourguitar]

thats a dead link. I would just use a step but for everything and set one drill press up for angles, like the 2 degree angle on the side of the enclosure. some people drill the jacks without angling and they say it makes no difference. if your worried about being precise with a stepped bit, just use a punch and a hammer to make a dent where you want your hole. then the bit wont jump and you dont need to mark the enclosure.

[warwick.hoy]

Saddle Square:



Smart thinking on the angle of the enclosure. That would have never occurred to me.

I do have a punch,...and I impulsively picked up a schweet antique GEM oil gun from a junk shop for squirting a little bit of machine oil on the enclosure while drilling.

[maz91379]

Anyone have a list of places to source parts in oz? Specifically where I can get a big bag of components and other stuffs i can do a few beginner projects with? Edit and basically where i can source everything i need that might be better than dick smith...

the only electronics store is jaycar and there shit sucks there caps are bogus
pretty much why i source all my stuff from overseas
dick smith are balls too i asked one guy in the store where the resistors were and he looked confused and said we prob dont have those... sorry
australia sucks

I swear to god i found like one or two good websites from here and put them into bookmarks right before i left for the states for summer, but lost them when i restored my machine. Putting shit off always fucks things up .

[tuffteef]

Anyone have a list of places to source parts in oz? Specifically where I can get a big bag of components and other stuffs i can do a few beginner projects with? Edit and basically where i can source everything i need that might be better than dick smith...

the only electronics store is jaycar and there shit sucks there caps are bogus
pretty much why i source all my stuff from overseas
dick smith are balls too i asked one guy in the store where the resistors were and he looked confused and said we prob dont have those... sorry
australia sucks

I swear to god i found like one or two good websites from here and put them into bookmarks right before i left for the states for summer, but lost them when i restored my machine. Putting shit off always fucks things up .

i buy from futurlec small bear but not in huge batches
i like mammoth but they dont have the odd values of caps and resistors
jaycar of im desp

[Scruffie]

I wish sourcing parts were easier locally. My only option for components is Radioshack and it has been suggested to me to stay away from Carbon film resistors and that's all RS has. And they are kinda pricey (2 bucks for 5 resistors).

Carbon film are fine in almost all cases, it's carbon comp you should generally avoid due to noise and mojo.

But yes 2 bucks for 5 sucks, I pay 7p for 10.

Suppliers

Futurlec (Good for bulk buying resistors etc.)
Smallbear (Lots of specialist parts aimed at DIYers)
Bitsbox (Cheap box caps, decent stock, low postage costs & quick delivery)
BanzaiMusic (Large Selection, not the cheapest sometimes though)
Mammoth Electronics (As mentioned before and now with there own forum, seem good)
Pedal Parts Plus (No experience)
Tayda (Another place good for bulk buys)
Doctortweek (DIY aimed store, just starting up but growing)

[eatyourguitar]

http://mightyohm.com/blog/2011/04/soldering-is-easy-comic-book/

soldering is easy comic book. scroll down for the english PDF download

[Jero]

Does anyone know of a common transistors chart? For instance, the 10-20 most common npn and pnp devices, their function, and hfe, etc laid out side by side, easy to compare.

[eatyourguitar]

I have found charts with Hfe readings but the transistors are not arranged by common vs obsolete. most transistors have min max hfe specs on the datasheet. with 2N5088 I have had one brand all 400 Hfe and another brand all 550 Hfe. to pick a number and put it on a chart seems like its not telling the whole story. I just have approximate Hfe ranges in my head for each transistor type.

you can rank them like this

2N2222 - 200 to 300
2N3904 - 350
2N5088 - 400 to 550

I hardly ever use PNP silicon. I only use it in pairs like 2N3904/2N3906. pnp germanium is really unpredictable, everything gets tested.

I have way more transistors in my collection but they are not all common types. by common I think you mean silicon still in production. there is a lot of documentation online and in books that is just outdated. for every NTE there is a substitute thats not an NTE. just shop where you shop and see whats available at a good price. I usually start by looking at what other people have used in their builds as a starting point for transistor selection and substitution.

[moose23]

this is good :



and just stole this from the tele board (wnorcott is the poster) while looking for that chart:



Small Signal Pin-Out Key

* 2N3904 - NPN -A- 1E 2B 3C
* 2N3906 - PNP -A- 1E 2B 3C
* 2N2222A - NPN -A- 1E 2B 3C
* PN2222A - NPN -A- 1E 2B 3C
* 2N4401 - NPN -A- 1E 2B 3C
* 2N4403 - PNP -A- 1E 2B 3C


J-FET Pin-Out Key

* 2N5459 -N-Chan -A- 1D 2S 3G
* 2N3823 -N-Chan
* MPF102 - N-VHF -A- 1D 2S 3G
* J201 - N-VHF -A- 1D 2S 3G
* BF245A - N-VHF -A- 1G 2S 3D
* BS170 - N-VHF -A- 1D 2G 3S

Power Pin-Out Key

* TIP31 - NPN -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP32 - PNP -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP41 - NPN -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP42 - PNP -B- 1B 2C 3E


MOSFET Pin-Out Key

* 2N7000 -N-Chan -A- 1E 2B 3C
* ZVN3306A N-Chan -A- 1E 2B 3C


Power Darlington Pin-Out Key

* TIP102 - NPN -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP106 - PNP -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP120 - NPN -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP121 - NPN -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP122 - NPN -B- 1B 2C 3E
* TIP125 - PNP -B- 1B 2C 3E


Unijunction Pin-Out Key

* 2N2646 -C- 1(B1) 2E 3(B2)

[eatyourguitar]

in the last picture where it shows transistor A, that is called a TO-92 package. most NPN silicon TO-92 transistors will follow that pinout. just remember that most NPN or PNP transistors will always have the base on the middle pin. most npn silicon has the collectors on pin 3 as you can see in the list. germanium transistors also have well known common pinouts with the pins in a triangle shaped pinout. this makes it easy regardless of any markings or packaging.

[Jero]

yea i have those charts

[jfrey]

There may be a link in here but I couldn't find it. Anyone have a good source for box caps since capsnsuch isn't up anymore?

[John Lyons]

There may be a link in here but I couldn't find it. Anyone have a good source for box caps since capsnsuch isn't up anymore?

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=892

[eatyourguitar]

There may be a link in here but I couldn't find it. Anyone have a good source for box caps since capsnsuch isn't up anymore?

I use mouser for box caps. I dont like what they charge for shipping though.