KI7TU's Reference Page - Sources for Parts & Supplies

• DigiKey I've done business with this company from time to time since just after they started in the early 1970s, and in all that time I've only had to contact Customer Service once, and the rather minor problem was quickly (and cheerfully) resolved. They sell only new "prime" parts. Their on-line web page can be a fantastic way to get (for free) the hard-to-find spec sheets for a lot of parts.
  
  If you order from them on-line, they apparently keep a database of what you order. If their suppliers notify them that a part is going "obsolete", and you've ordered that part within the past two years, they send you an e-mail letting you know. (I've had several notices due to RoHS compliance -- RoHS being the European Union's lead content standards.) This can be a nice service.
  
  I've been very satisfied with their service.
  
  
• Mouser Electronics This is another company that deals in only new, prime parts. Their catalog has links to a great many spec sheets. I've seen them have parts that others don't carry.
  
  One minor annoyance, though, is that I've found that their "picking labels" that they use to get your order together will fade after about a year. (As noted above, I frequently order more parts than I need, and will leave the extras in their antistatic bags in the "junk box". The picking labels are usually a lot easier to read than the markings directly on the parts.)
  
  I have done business with them, and I've been satisfied.
  
  
• Jameco Electronics This company carries both new parts and some that have been "salvaged". Although they don't have as big a selection of parts as the companies listed above, it is again true that they sometimes have parts that the others don't, or they can beat the prices.
  
  I've done business with them from time to time, both mail-order and "walk-in", since the 1970s. I've been satisfied with the service.
  
  
• Circuit Specialists Compared to the companies mentioned above, this company really has a rather limited line of parts, though their on-line catalog is good at showing exactly how much inventory they currently have. Their main business, it seems, is putting together custom "kits" for things like electronics classes. (These are not the same as the "hobbyist" kits, though they do carry a few of those.) Since they are located in Mesa, AZ, and are often only a mile or so out of my road for another errand, I don't bother with mail-order when doing business with them. I will mention that they've been in business at least since I first moved to the Phoenix area in 1984. I've been satisfied with the service, though I am a bit frustrated that if you want to pick up your order, you have to take it into the counter and wait while the clerk runs around and gets all of the items on it. (If it's convenient to go in, though, they sometimes have "specials" that aren't on the web page.)
  
  By the way, Circuit Specialists has about the best price I've seen on those "solderless breadboarding sockets" (the things that have rows of holes that are connected together internally, so you can build a circuit by sticking leads or wires into the holes).
  
  Circuit Specialists moved to a new location (at a guess, about 10 miles from their previous location) in early 2015. They've also started carrying some 3-D printing supplies, though at the moment (April, 2015), it's only PLA filament (though quite a variety of it). When I looked in June, 2015, they are also now carrying ABS, again, with quite a variety.
  
  Their new location is not as "handicapped accessable" as the previous location, with 7 rather steep steps, but then again, their "walk in" model isn't all that conducive to shopping in person. They have a computer set up for you to browse their on-line catalog, and you tell the guy what you want, and he fetches it out of the stock room. Also, they have a couple of tables with "specials", but not a lot.
  
  I was a bit irked when I tried to stop by on 1-Oct-2015 and found that they'd cut their storefront hours even further.
  
  I haven't done any "mail-order" business with them, but in general, I have been satisfied with their service. (I've been doing business with them occasionally for nearly 30 years.) By the way, hey're not open on Saturdays or Sundays.
  
  
• All Electronics Corporation This company out of Van Nuys, CA specializes in "surplus" electronics parts. As such, most of the stuff in their catalog is limited quantities. The moral is that if you see something in their catalog that you consider a "must have", GRAB IT! Indeed, you might even consider ordering a few extras of it if there's any chance you might want more of them in the future. (I learned this the hard way!)
  
  I've been satisfied with the service.
  
  
• Marlin P. Jones & Assoc. Inc. This company based in Lake Park, FL is another one that specializes in "surplus" electronics components and related goodies. I'll admit that it has been several years since I've ordered from them, but that's only because their stock didn't happen to overlap my needs at that moment.
  
  I've been satisfied with the service.
  
  
• Ramsey Electronics This is the only company (that is still in business) that I've had exclusively bad experiences with. They sell a fairly extensive line of kits for the electronics hobbyist. Several years ago, I built a Ramsey ham radio transciever kit (no longer available) that had significant problems. Since I had access to a "station monitor" (at the time, a roughly $11,000 piece of test equipment) I was able to track the problem down to an unstable PLL. After verifying multiple times that I had not made any construction errors, I wrote a polite letter to the company, including info from the station monitor, requesting assistance or at least advice. My pleas went totally ignored, and I never did get the radio to work properly. (I'm definitely not an expert in the arcane art of PLL design, but if you've read the blurb on my experience, you know that I'm by no means a "newbie" when it comes to electronics in general.)
  
  I've been completely DISSATISFIED with their service.
  
  
• Radio Shack Radio Shack has a lot more stores than any other company that sells any sort of electronics parts. In recent years, they've put together a fairly good web page on those parts, and I've had very good luck with the web page being able to tell me whether or not the nearest Radio Shack store has the part I need in stock. One of the things to be aware of is that Radio Shack is to electronics parts what a convenience store (such as 7-11 or Circle K) is to groceries -- fine when you happen to need a part right now on a Sunday afternoon, but you really don't want to do your main shopping there. Radio Shack does tend to be more expensive than most other suppliers, plus they carry a smaller variety of parts than most other suppliers. The quality of parts that Radio Shack carries varies wildly with the particular part (though it seems to be consistent over time). Some parts, such as the DB-9 connectors, are amongst the best I've seen, while other parts, such as solder-on 2.5mm audio plugs are just plain trash (and have been for at least 40 years). The web site does have an area for customer comments on each part, and it is worthwhile reading these, as they don't seem to be censoring the bad comments. Also be aware that most of the Radio Shack employees have very little knowledge about the stuff they're selling, though there are some exceptions to that rule.
  
  Radio Shack went into bankruptcy late 2014 or early 2015, and they closed many stores in early 2015. The remaining company owned stores have, I understand, been sold to (if I remember correctly) Verizon.
  
  My satisfaction with Radio Shack has been very varied.
  
  
• Solarbotics As the name suggests, they sort of specialize in things for small solar powered robots. They have an interesting assortment of things like small motors, gears, small photovoltaic modules, switches, and even kits.
  
  Note: This company is based in Calgary, Canada. Be aware that some credit card companies are now putting an extra charge on "overseas" orders. Be sure to check YOUR credit card's rates, as I recently got a different credit card that does not do this. For instance, for an order a bit under $50, the credit card company dinged me an additional $1.40. (Also be sure to be aware of this company's charges for small orders, and their offer of free shipping with larger orders.)
  
  I've been satisfied with their service, and they were very helpful when UPS messed up and delivered my order to the wrong house.
  
  
• SparkFun This Colorado company seems to have "factory new" parts, including some interesting things like thermocouple interface chips.
  
  SparkFun is also the official U.S. distributer for the Arduino microcomputer. As well as carrying the basic Arduino line, they have a fairly extensive line of "shields" (Arduino lingo for what are usually called "daughterboards"), as well as many other related parts, kits, and assembled products.
  
  They used to have a service for making custom printed circuit boards (PCBs), but they've sold that.
  
  Be sure to check out their "Tutorials". Some of them are very good, especially the three on Eagle schematic capture/board layout software: 108, 109, and 110.
  
  They post new stuff to their website every weekday, so it's worth checking frequently. They do a video introducing many of the new products every Friday.
  
  They offer free economy shipping on orders of more than $75, though this is only to the continental U.S. The "economy shipping" is UPS "Sure Post" service -- UPS ships the "long haul" part, then (usually) turns it over to the Post Office for the local delivery part. Although I've generally had good luck with this, recently a package (according to the UPS tracking) went from Colorado to Louisville, KY (based on the times, by air), then to IL by truck, then by truck to AZ. Talk about "sceinic route"!
  
  I've ordered from them several times, and I've been satisfied.
  
  
• Grainger This company is an "industrial supply house". As such, they primarily do business with companies, ranging from small one-person operations to the largest corporations. Mostly they supply things that the company "maintenance man" would need, ranging from fan belts to light switches to folded paper towel dispensers. They have stores in a lot of major metropolitan areas. In general, they do NOT have electronics parts. However, they sometimes do have (or can get) some "interesting" stuff, especially of the mechanical variety. (My initial contact with them was when I discovered that they carried the drive belt for a riding mower that I owned, and wanted about 1/3 the price that the dealer wanted for it. I did have the standard size designation for the part, which helped.)
  
  Usually they will want a company name to associate with any sale. My suggestion is that if you work for a company, just use their name but make it a cash sale. If you do happen to have your own company, you can use that, though it might take a few extra minutes.
  
  The big reason I'm including them here is that a couple of years ago I was looking to buy a specific model of digital storage oscilloscope. The "usual sellers" had it listed as "back order" for several months. I finally got frustrated, and using Google, managed to track down that Grainger had not one, but three, "in stock", albeit on the east coast. I got them to ship one to me, and had it within a week. (I could have had it sooner, but didn't want it badly enough to pay the premium shipping costs.)
  
  If you're building a 3-D printer, you'll need some Locktite. Get the purple stuff (Locktite 212SM), which is generally easiest to find at Grangers. Do NOT use the "blue" stuff, which is what you'll usually find -- it will make it impossible to get the screws out again if you ever need to do so. It's about $3 for a tiny tube of the stuff, but that's way more than what you'll use up.
  
  I've been satisfied with their service.
  
  
• Fry's Electronics This company has a rather interesting history (and maybe sometime I'll get energetic and type in my recollection of it). They first started in the late 1970s in Silicon Valley, and in the 90s expanded to many other parts of the country. As for electronic components, the stores currently carry the NTE line of "active" components, and a variety of passive components. They have a good variety of things like connectors, tools, and other things. They're a good source if you're trying to assemble your own "desktop" computer from scratch.
  
  I've only done business with them "in person", though I started in 1980 (when they only had one store). To be quite honest, in recent years they seem to have gone towards an attitude of "what's convenient for Fry's" rather than "what's convenient for the customer".
  
  An interesting side note is that the decor of every store has a "theme", and every one of the stores is different. It is generally "fake" something. One store is "fake" Aztech, another is giant "fake" circuit board. Everything in Las Vegas is "faux" something, so how do you do "fake faux"? The Las Vegas Fry's Electronics store has the only REAL stone columns that I know about in Las Vegas (and IMHO, it's worth a few minutes to stop by and see them).
  
  If you have a Fry's Electronics in your area, it's well worth a couple of hours to at least wander around and become familiar with what they have.
  
  Be aware that they make paying with a check a real hassle. Allow at least an extra 15 minutes (or better half an hour) the first time you write a check on a given account. (It is less hassle once your account number is in their system.)
  
  I am rather irked with Fry's Electronics, in that they don't provide scooters for their physically handicapped customers. (Even Michael's does this!) Please do me a favor, whenever you go into Fry's, please inquire about scooters, saying you know someone who would like to shop there if they provide them. If enough folks nag them about it, maybe they'll "see the light".
  
  They've also started carrying a number of 3-D printer-related products. I bought a kilo of ABS from them in late May, 2015, but I've found that it produces much more odor (smelling like burning plastic) than the ABS that I bought previously from Pritrbot, even when printing the same object at the same temperatures.
  
  I don't know what they're like for mailorder. Although the service has varied on in-store stuff, in general it has been acceptable.
  
  
• Hamfests - These are Ham Radio "swapmeets" and they can sometimes be good sources for intersting things. Also, commercial vendors will show up at some of these events. For a list, see the ARRL website or for just Arizona see the ARCA website.
  
  Although you can get some great bargains at hamfests, you are mostly dealing with individuals and there are a few whom you should be wary of. Caveat emptor ("buyer beware") at any swapmeet! By the way, I should mention that if you're looking for bargains, it's generally wise to get there early. Many of the sellers tend to pack up and leave most hamfests by around 11:00.
  
  
• RF Stuff This company, based in the tiny town of Congress, AZ., has a variety of ham radio related parts. They mostly carry things like antennas, coax cables, connectors, adapters, and various accessories for radios. They're also a very good source for Anderson PowerPole™ connectors and accessories, which are becoming quite popular for DC connections in the ham radio community. They do not have a "storefront", only doing business over the internet, though they do show up at a lot of hamfests.
  
  To be honest, I've only done business with them at hamfests, though I've always been satisfied with the service.
  
  I've heard that the gentleman who was running RF Stuff has passed away. Although I've seen them at at least one hamfest since then, I'm not too sure about the future of the business, though I'm pretty sure that they won't "take your money and run". I think his heirs, or at least his widow, are trying to keep the business going.
  
  
• Harbor Freight Tools This is a company that specializes in "inexpensive" tools. My first comment is to remember the old addage that "you get what you pay for". For things that you only rarely expect to use, or that you don't really want to worry if you lose/break/destroy, they have good buys. They do carry some digital multimeters for under $5 (and I've seen them be on sale for as little as $2). They're not terribly accurate, but for the price, they're pretty good, and frankly, most of the time when I use a DVM, I'm really only looking to see if I have continuity or if the battery is dead, and these are fine for that sort of use. I keep several around, including one in the car.
  
  I've only purchased things in the store, but I've been satisfied with them (considering the price).
  
  
• CostcoThis is one of the classic "membership warehouse" stores. I've been a member for nealy 20 years (though at first, the company I was working for at the time paid for membership). As stuff for the electronics hobbyist, they're a good place to get Duracell® batteries, and although you have to buy a fairly big sized package, the price is good, and at least the stores I go to sell enough so that they're quite fresh. What they happen to stock on other things, though, changes. I've gotten a fairly good set of "general tools" there (which lives in the trunk of my car), a good price on a Victorinox® Swiss Army knife, a couple of flat-panel computer monitors, and a few other things. You do need to be aware, though, of pricing at other stores, as some things aren't all that much of a bargain. I've been underwhelmed by the quality of lead-acid batteries, and by the prices on tires. I do find that I go there two or three times a month for grocery items, and typically save a couple of bucks per trip (less a buck or so for the additional gas to get there), so that pays for the annual membership for me.
  
  Also check them if you take any "over the counter" meds or suppliments on a regular basis. One suppliment that my doctor wanted me to take was about $18 for a bottle of 100 at Walgreens, about $14.50 for a bottle of 100 at WalMart, and about $14.50 for a bottle of 150 at Costco. (On top of that, Costco had a 2-for-the-price-of-1 sale on them once.) More money left for electronics parts!
  
  The stores have stuff that isn't on the website, and the website has stuff that isn't in the stores. So it is worth shopping both places. I've ordered a time or two from the website.
  
  I've been satisfied with the service.
  
  
• Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) This is actually a co-op, and I've been a member since about 1973. As far as electronics goes, they don't have a lot -- just the occasional tool. But one thing about them is that the stuff they do have is high quality. It is worth being a member for the "members only" sales, and if you buy much outdoor gear, you can also get a "dividend" check at the end of their fiscal year.
  
  If you have a "go-box" (to take your radio equipment out in an emergency situation), REI has some interesting things. Although they're aimed at backpackers, REI carries certain items in smaller packages than are commonly available through other channels. As a couple of examples, they carry small packages of sunscreen and insect repellant, which take up a lot less space (and weight) than the typical big packages available at the corner drug store.
  
  I haven't done mail order with them for at least 20 years, but was always satisfied with their mail order service. I do walk-in business with them a few times a year, and I have always been satisfied with their in-store service.
  
  
• Dick Smith Electronics When I was in Australia (twice in 2000, once in 2002, and once in 2004) this company's stores were a real delight to go into. They're what you want Radio Shack to actually be, especially when it comes for things for the hobbyist. (They also have stores in New Zealand, but I haven't had experience with those.)
  
  Although they will do mail order, the shipping to the U.S. is expensive. The one time I found something I really wanted, and had a couple of other guys interested in going in, the item we really wanted turned up in the U.S. market before we actually placed the order, so I've never actually ordered from them.
  
  Note: This company is based in Australia. Be aware that some credit card companies are now putting an extra charge on "overseas" orders. Be sure to check YOUR credit card's rates, as I recently got a different credit card that does not do this. For instance, for an order to a Canadian company of a bit under $50, the credit card company dinged me an additional $1.40.
  
  If you get to Australia, and happen to drive by one of their stores, it's definitely worth a half hour or so to go in. (I've also seen them carry items several months before they appeared on the U.S. market.) Be aware that the electric power in Australia is 240V 50Hz, and so be sure to check that anything that plugs in will work on 120V 60Hz.
  
  I have bought several things from them in person, and I've always been satisfied.
  
  
• ServoCity This Kansas-based company specializes in servos and related stuff. They carry an extensive line of servos, both for remote control and for robotics. They also have some interesting bits of related hardware (such as small bearings), as well as an extensive line of radio control equipment and batteries. They have a few specialized tools, too. Their prices seem to be excellent, and their shipping is reasonable. For U.S. orders, they normally ship via Priority Mail, and have a flat $5.95 for orders under $100, and free shipping for orders over $100.
  
  I've only done business with them once, but was impressed by how quickly I received what I'd ordered. I was satisfied with the service I received.
  
  
• Ham Radio Outlet Often referred to as HRO, this chain of 12 stores specializes in equipment and supplies for Ham (Amateur) Radio, though they also have things like receivers for shortwave broadcast radio and scanners. They sometimes have used gear that they've taken in on consignment. My experience is that all of the employees are licensed Hams, and most of them have a lot of knowledge about radio that they are willing to share. They stock the ARRL publications mentioned in Magazines & Books, as well as other books and magazines related to electronics.
  
  In addition to the 12 retail stores, they also do mail-order.
  
  The retail stores usually know about Ham Radio clubs in the area, as well as hamfests, Ham Radio classes, and opportunities to take the exams to get a Ham license.
  
  I've done business with them frequently enough that most of the folks working in the Phoenix store know me by name. I've always been satisfied with the service.
  
  
• Wideners Reloading & Shooting Supply Inc. It might seem a bit strange to list a gun supply company in an electronics web site, but bear with me. The Cochise Amateur Radio Association has an interesting construction project for "Go-Boxes" on their web site which are based on MTM SPUD7-35 Sportsmen's Utility Plus boxes. (Look under "Technical Projects and Presentations" on the CARA website.) After a long search for these boxes locally (I'm in the Phoenix area), I finally had to resort to ordering them over the net. I went through all of the dealers listed on MTM's web site, and compared prices. Many of the dealsers didn't even have the SPUD7 boxes listed. For those that did, the prices on the high-end were more than twice the price on the low end. The very lowest price was a company that was quoting about $2 less than Wideners, but wanted a "shipping and handling" fee that was exhorbidant. Wideners charged the actual UPS shipping costs, which was still about $9 per SPUD7, but the total came to noticably less than the other company's total.
  
  One thing that is a bit quirky, though: Since many items that this company sells are restricted by Federal law as to the age of the purchaser, they ask for your birthdate when you're placing your order.
  
  I've only done business with them once, but I was satisfied with the service.
  
  
• ULINE Shipping Supply Specialists This company is another one of those ones that is aimed at the "business to business" market. They sell shipping supplies, such as boxes, foam peanuts, bubblewrap, and tape. They have a lot of other things that are listed in their catalog. They have some pretty hefty minimum quantities, so if you only need to ship a few things, don't bother with ULINE. Several years ago, I needed to send out a bunch of CDs to various people, and ordering 100 boxes from ULINE made sense, as at a per-box cost they were about a third what they were in the local stores. But had I only needed a few, it would not have been worthwhile.
  
  A word of warning: Once you're on their mailing list, you'll get their quarterly catalog for YEARS.
  
  I've been satisfied with their service.
  
  
• Argent Data Systems This California based company specializes in stuff related to APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) which is a ham-radio system that automatically sends packets of data. The two most common uses are for position data (for example, in an automobile) and weather data from remote sites.
  
  They sell built-up systems, kits, and related parts. They are a good source for small, relatively inexpensive GPS receiver modules.
  
  I've ordered from them multiple times on-line, and have been very pleased with the quick response.
  
  
• American Science & Surplus The best description I've come up with for this Chicago based company is "Trader Joe's meets Edmund Scientific". Their catalog (both paper and on-line) and their e-mails tend to be witty, in a style somewhat like that of Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer. They have mostly surplus new stuff, though there is some stuff that is "stocked" and also occasionally some used stuff. Some things are interesting, some are just plain weird, and some are "gee, I haven't seen one of those in YEARS".
  
  As always, be sure to pay attention to the prices. Most of the stuff in their catalog is a bargain, but I've seen a few things in their catalog that I can get for less at local stores.
  
  I have ordered from them, and been satisfied. The friend who first gave me their catalog say's he's ordered from them as well, and has also been satisfied with their service.
  
  
• Batteries Plus Bulbs They recently added the "Bulbs" to their name. This company is a franchise style company, with stores in a wide variety of cities. They specialize in batteries, ranging from watch batteries to large truck batteries.
  
  They are an excellent source for replacement batteries for laptop computers, as well as other things that take rechargeable batteries. This includes such things as UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supplies) units and "mobility scooters", as well as cell phones, wireless phones, and cordless power tools. They have also started carrying a wide range of light bulbs, which explains the name change.
  
  If they can't get a replacement pack for your device, if you still have a pack for it, they can usually "rebuild" the old pack. (It turns out that nearly all recargeable packs are based on one of less than a dozen "standard" cells, with several cells welded together. Batteries Plus has the machinery to do the welding, and they stock most of those "standard" cells.)
  
  They are a pretty good place to get so-called "gel cell" or "AGM" sealed lead-acid batteries. Although you can often get a little bit better price at one of the mail-order houses, by the time you pay shipping, buying at the local Batteries Plus is competitive.
  
  Most Batteries Plus Bulbs stores will accept your old batteries for recycling, which keeps these toxic objects out of the landfill. I have a small cardboard box that I drop dead batteries into, and when I have occasion to go to a Batteries Plus store, I'll take the box along.
  
  In researching this, I've noticed that they're also advertising a wide variety of light bulbs. I've never purchased a light bulb from them, just because I never thought of them as a source for bulbs.
  
  Although Batteries Plus Bulbs also sells so-called "flashlight batteries", it has been my experience that you can get a better price on these at Costco on Duracell batteries.
  
  I've done business with them several times in person, and have always been satisfied. I'm physically handicapped, and they've always been very good about help with getting stuff out of or into my car. I don't believe that they do mail-order business.
  
  
• Adafruit Industries This New York City company specializes in stuff for hobbyists. They carry an extensive line of stuff for the Raspberry Pi computer, as well as a good line of things for Beable Bone Black and Arduino. They manufacture a number of things themselves. They also carry a lot of stuff for making "wearable" electronics (also known as "e-textiles"), and an interesting assortment of 3-D printing products.
  
  An interesting sidelight is that this company was started by a young lady by the name of Limor Fried, who likes to go by the name "Lady Ada", after Lady Ada Lovelace, a woman who lived in the middle part of the nineteenth century and who made significant contributions to what would become the basis of computer science.
  
  The web site seems to list anything with 100 or more as just "in stock" though it usually tells you about lower inventories. If something is out of stock, you can request an e-mail when it's back (I've used the service once or twice). Often they'll mention an expected date for having it back in stock. It seems to me that they actually beat this date about half of the time, and I don't recall having seen them miss it.
  
  They add new products on a somewhat irregular schedule, though you can click on "New Products" on their website, and see a list of the newest first. They seem to add a few most weeks.
  
  They give free economy shipping for orders over $200 to the continental U.S.
  
  I've done business with them several times, and always been satisfied. With the exception of the extreme response to their "Cyber Monday" promotion, if I get an order in prior to about 1:00 PM New York time, I'll get the ship notification the same day, which is quite good.
  
  
• Printrbot This California based company specializes in making and selling 3-D printer stuff. They manufacture a kit to build a 3-D printer for about $350. (Some other companies also carry it, though at a somewhat higher price.) They also carry a lot of supplies and other tidbits for 3-D printing.
  
  I've built the aforementioned printer, and the only real complaint is that I think that "14 to 18 hours" would be a better estimate than their "4 to 8 hours" on how long it takes to assemble it. (Note that it is limited in size to about 4 inches, or 100mm, on a side, and as it comes, it does not have a heated bed, so is rather restricted in the types of plastic it can print.)
  
  I've done business with them a couple of times, and have been satisfied.

"Who carries what" matrix