where to buy inexpensive test lab supplies?

[RobertMacy]

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's good,
thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

 

[John Larkin]

On Sun, 17 Aug 2014 07:30:47 -0700, RobertMacy <robert.a.macy@gmail.com> wrote:

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's good,
thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

Ebay, Amazon.


--

John Larkin Highland Technology Inc
www.highlandtechnology.com jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com

Precision electronic instrumentation

 

[Joerg]

RobertMacy wrote:

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's
good, thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

If I am in "December stock-up mode" I first scan the discounters like
MPJA and Jameco. Also Harborfreight for the occasional electronics
gizmo. Then Mouser because while their search engine is mediocre prices
are often a little more favorable than Digikey's. But when I need to
find something right now and preferably in the next 10 seconds it's
always Digikey.

Also, don't forget "maker scene" outlets such as Sparkfun because if
they have something it's often a good deal.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

 

[Maynard A. Philbrook Jr.]

In article <op.xkqqllts2cx0wh@ajm>, robert.a.macy@gmail.com says...

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's good,
thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

I like this place..

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/

Jamie

 

[Phil Hobbs]

On 8/17/2014 10:30 AM, RobertMacy wrote:

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's
good, thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

If your time is worth zero, buy cheap ones on eBay or maybe AliExpress.

Try buying one set of those test leads, and see the difference for
yourself. One of the best fourteen buckses I ever spent.

A solder sucker lasts me probably 5 years. You seem to be trying to do
some fairly difficult stuff--do you really have zero budget for
supplies, or are you just being terminally cheap?

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

 

[David Eather]

On Mon, 18 Aug 2014 00:30:47 +1000, RobertMacy <robert.a.macy@gmail.com>
wrote:

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's
good, thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

Anywhere you can.

 

[Don Y]

Hi David,

On 8/17/2014 10:02 AM, David Eather wrote:

On Mon, 18 Aug 2014 00:30:47 +1000, RobertMacy <robert.a.macy@gmail.com
wrote:

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's
good, thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same
unit at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

Anywhere you can.

+1 <grin>

Seriously.

Some of the local "electronics stores" are outrageously priced
when it comes to components, etc. So, I mail-order those from
Digikey.

OTOH, they (apparently) don't keep upgrading the prices on
items unless they make a new purchase. So, something that has been
sitting on the shelf for YEARS will often have an old, LOW price!

I've been exploiting that to purchase Kester solder that sells on
Digikey for ~$50-$65 at a local, no-shipping-required price of $35!
Of course, you need ot be "eyes on" to see these prices...

Consider buying some test lead wire and MAKING leads (if you're
just making leads for DMM's, etc.). I've done that many times
in the past when I wanted longer leads than I had available. Or,
when I wanted a higher quality (flexible) wire, etc.

 

On Sunday, August 17, 2014 7:30:47 AM UTC-7, Robert Macy wrote:

Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's good,
thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!
for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

DigiKey, like Mouser, Allied, and Newark, is OK for components like
resistors, capacitors, transistors, and ICs but expensive for about
everything else. Jameco, B.G. Micro, Circuit Specialists, and
Marlin P. Jones can be good for other stuff. MCM Electronics is
owned by the same company as Newark but is more oriented toward
repair and carries a lot of parts and tools for that.


I've bought test leads twice, and both times, several had bad
continuity, so check their resistance before use.

Don't buy Harbor Freight soldering irons or anything not UL
listed. If the iron's barrel turns blue, it's a bad design
that will probably burn out in a few months or make your hand
uncomfortably hot. Radio Shack irons and suckers are OK, but
sometimes MCM and Marlin P. Jones have cheaper ones with
more features, like power adjustment or temperature regulation.
BTW Radio Shack has a 45W iron that also sucks solder, about
$15. It works really well on single-sided boards, OK on
double-sided ones, but it doesn't quite have enough power for
more layers than that.

 

[John Robertson]

On 08/17/2014 9:47 AM, Phil Hobbs wrote:

On 8/17/2014 10:30 AM, RobertMacy wrote:
Wow, I posted a question on buying caps and received several Digikey
recommendations. These caps at $.18 ea for 5 quantity. Yeah, that's
good, thank you. BUT!!!

for ten test leads to cost $100 seems a bit high!

for a solder sucker to cost $18.60 seems a bit high! where the same unit
at BG Micro was around the reasonable price of $6.23

So begs the question: Where to buy 'reasonably' priced lab supplies?

If your time is worth zero, buy cheap ones on eBay or maybe AliExpress.

Try buying one set of those test leads, and see the difference for
yourself. One of the best fourteen buckses I ever spent.

A solder sucker lasts me probably 5 years. You seem to be trying to do
some fairly difficult stuff--do you really have zero budget for
supplies, or are you just being terminally cheap?

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

Like Phil, I buy only the Soldapullt model by Edsyn, these last on
average about ten to fifteen years in my shop. The knockoffs sometimes
only last a few weeks, and one broke after the first suck!

Better quality tools cost more than the cheap ones - you just can't get
around that easily.

John :-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
(604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."