Stuff to Buy in Bulk

[THRobinson]

Just starting out, have a few items but also need quite a few items as well.

Looking on DigiKey.ca and some items, when in bulk (ie. 10, 20, etc) you get a decent discount.

Just wondered if there were certain items best bought in bulk because used on many pedals. Stuff like, potentiometers... few diagrams I have looked at so far seem to all use 100k LIN Pots... so if used on most pedals for volume then probably worth buying 10 instead of 1 or 2, and if reading correctly, the conductive plastic is better than carbon.

If you ran out of supplies and were making a big order, what would you buy bulk of? and of what values/type?

Pots? 1/4" jacks? certain sized caps?

I have a couple of boxes in mind to make for my nephew, but (for the most part) I don't want to have to order a full stomboxes worth of parts every single time I make one. I have a decent collection of small parts starting to build up, and would like to get bulk on items that I'll regularly use.

[thermionix]

For bulk I'd recommend Tayda.  They don't carry everything I like, but they are incredibly cheap on resistors, caps, common transistors and such.  For me, I generally keep enough of these cheap parts around to breadboard most things that may interest me, then if I decide to actually build something, I order the more expensive parts like enclosure, footswitch, etc.

[THRobinson]

Any specifics?

Like SPST Footswitches, or 100k LIN pots?

That's more what I'm after... a 'must have' collection of parts for common builds.

Likely though I'll order from DigiKey.ca though. Tayda may be cheap, but I'm pretty much done with ordering overseas. Have had absolutely bad luck all year with anything ordered outside of North America. Digikey.ca takes 1-2 days and ships from Winnipeg (Canada).

Though I did order a few aluminum boxes from Malaysia... ETA is Sept 24th though. 

EDIT - May have to reconsider, site looks pretty good price wise.

[thermionix]

Tayda takes about 5 business days to Kentucky, can't speak for Canada.  I've never ordered from Digikey, always found what I was looking for cheaper elsewhere.

I would say stock up on all common values of 1/4W metal film resistors, film caps, small ceramic caps, electrolytic caps, diodes, transistors and opamps.  Examine a number of different schematics to see what values are commonly used.

Common pots are 5K, 10K, 100K, 250K, 500K, and 1M.  Audio and linear taper.  Of course other values are used sometimes.  Most folks use 3PDT stomp switches for true bypass, good to have a selection of small toggle switches too, SPDT, DPDT, on-off-on etc.

Then you have items like DC power jacks, 1/4" jacks, battery snaps, knobs, standoffs, rubber bumpers, wire, perfboard, vero...

I like Tayda for resistors, caps, Si transistors, and a few other things.  I don't like their solid shaft pots because they are 6mm instead of 1/4".  For 1/4" jacks I'm a Switchcraft fanboy and Tayda doesn't carry them, I get those from Small Bear, Mammoth, Mouser and such.

[Lily]

Most of my orders from Tayda end up taking about 3 weeks or so to ship to Toronto, as long as they're shipped using German post. The first time it took longer when they used a different method. One time I got charged fees when a package arrived, it might have been related to the weight because I had bought a bunch of enclosures.

My order from Small Bear was here in about a week or so using USPS.

Anything from aliexpress ends up taking between 1 to 2 months. Sometimes it helps when things are shipped using something called "epacket". I don't know if I should recommend anyone buying anything from aliexpress, although I got some really nice purple 1590a from there. (that I then ended up scratching horribly when attempting to drill holes in)

[Plexi]

Take a look at this thread:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=116818.new;topicseen#new

I purchase in bulk: 1M, 100k and 10k resistors (metal-film and 1/4w or 1/6w  )
47nf and 100nf caps, 100k potentiometers.

Since I use protoboard or my tester, I have a lot of circuits ready to put in a box.
So, if you want to box all you build, then of course all the due hardware: dc jack, 3pdt, leds, led holders and 1/4'' jacks.

If you'll use Tayda, don't forget that every month they have a coupon code of 15% discount.

[thermionix]

Most of my orders from Tayda end up taking about 3 weeks or so to ship to Toronto, as long as they're shipped using German post. The first time it took longer when they used a different method. One time I got charged fees when a package arrived, it might have been related to the weight because I had bought a bunch of enclosures.

My order from Small Bear was here in about a week or so using USPS.

Anything from aliexpress ends up taking between 1 to 2 months. Sometimes it helps when things are shipped using something called "epacket". I don't know if I should recommend anyone buying anything from aliexpress, although I got some really nice purple 1590a from there. (that I then ended up scratching horribly when attempting to drill holes in)

3 weeks...ouch!  My orders seem to take 2 or 3 days to get to their distribution center in Colorado, then another few days to KY.  I seem to recall the term "epacket" associated with my Tayda orders, maybe I've seen it in the tracking.

The fees you had to pay may be import duties, based on item value rather than weight.  We don't have those here, well at least not for small items delivered in the mail.

[Lily]

3 weeks...ouch!  My orders seem to take 2 or 3 days to get to their distribution center in Colorado, then another few days to KY.  I seem to recall the term "epacket" associated with my Tayda orders, maybe I've seen it in the tracking.

The fees you had to pay may be import duties, based on item value rather than weight.  We don't have those here, well at least not for small items delivered in the mail.

I think the smaller/lighter packages just kind of end up flying under the radar.

You learn to plan for things taking a while. The downside is I end up spending a lot of money on things I might maybe need some day possibly.

[davent]

Most of my orders from Tayda end up taking about 3 weeks or so to ship to Toronto, as long as they're shipped using German post. The first time it took longer when they used a different method. One time I got charged fees when a package arrived, it might have been related to the weight because I had bought a bunch of enclosures.

Yup, when i did use them and it's been years, always multiple weeks. Digikey to Canada, if i got the order in by 8 or 9PM on a business day it would in my hands before lunch the next day, so a number hours after i ordered. In that time bounced around a few states before it hit Canada and my front door.

Digikey doesn't have suitable pots or phone jacks so i'd get then someplace else, (they do have Switchcraft but their price is too high). I think $100 for free shipping, ten Hammond enclosures used to be a pretty good deal. I use them and Mouser for just about all the electronics.

Had good luck using Bitches Love My Switches for stompswitches, thin SS washers, they've  had a great price on Neutrik open jacks, (do they carry Alpha pots), good knob selection.

dave

[THRobinson]

Digikey doesn't have suitable pots or phone jacks so i'd get then someplace else

No suitable phone jacks? What factors should I be looking at? I assume mono, 1/4" female, 2 conductor/2 contact, no switch...

Pots, they seem to have quite a few though, having probs finding a 10k Rev Log with the same knurled/slotted shaft... keep finding ones with long smooth actuators. I'll have to give those other sites a try.

[thermionix]

No suitable phone jacks? What factors should I be looking at? I assume mono, 1/4" female, 2 conductor/2 contact, no switch...

That's correct for non-battery powered units.  It is common practice to use a stereo input jack with a battery so it will disconnect the battery when the input plug is pulled.

[davent]

Digikey doesn't have suitable pots or phone jacks so i'd get then someplace else

No suitable phone jacks? What factors should I be looking at? I assume mono, 1/4" female, 2 conductor/2 contact, no switch...

Pots, they seem to have quite a few though, having probs finding a 10k Rev Log with the same knurled/slotted shaft... keep finding ones with long smooth actuators. I'll have to give those other sites a try.

Here's Digikey's 1/4" Switchcraft jacks, maybe not as outrageous as i recall but i was getting Neutrik NYS229 & NYS230's form a supplier in Toronto for around .60 each in bulk.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en/connectors-interconnects/barrel-audio-connectors/434?k=1%2F4%22+switchcraft&k=&pkeyword=1%2F4%22+switchcraft&FV=ffe001b2%2C70044d%2C740002&mnonly=0&ColumnSort=0&page=1&stock=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=250

Here's a Canadian supplier i've never dealt with. Has a good selection of Switchcrafts and better prices but then you need to factor in the shipping. Always caught between a rock and a hard place. Unless you're buying a kit, seems always more then one supplier required.

http://nextgenguitars.ca/categories/jacks-plugs/1-4-jacks.html

What pots are you looking at in Digikey. For the biggest selection of knobs you want pots with a smooth 1/4" shaft that require a set screw knob.

dave

[THRobinson]

Well, one box that caught my eye was an MI Audio Crunch Box v2. I'd link, but still not sure how the 'link' button works here... usually in a forum I highlight the text, hit the add link and in the pop-up at the url... this just adds url in brackets on either side.  Also looking at the above mentioned ZVex Distorion

Anyways, diagrams say

Gain = 100k Linear
Volume = 100k Linear
Tone = 10k Reverse Logarithmic
Presence = 20k Linear

Gain = 5k Reverse Logarithmic
Tone = 100k Linear
Volume = 100k Linear

So, right away, 100k Linear seems like one to get in bulk.

10k Rev Log, all I could find was this one, with the shaft that will need cut,
http://www.digikey.ca/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&itemSeq=234796396&uq=636376412978947608

Ideally, I'd like to get all pots matching in the same style as the 100k's... I like the split/knurled like on the old guitars I had, and would like the conductive plastic not carbon. Don't care if the leads face down or out though, 6mm diameter I think is what guitars have usually?
http://www.digikey.ca/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&itemSeq=235096162&uq=636376412978957609

[davent]

Your Digikey links are taking me to an Index page, if you go to the page that has only the one particular pot on it, the link will get get us where you want.

Here's a link to a desirable Switchcraft jack.

https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/switchcraft-inc/11/SC1085-ND/109515

dave

[THRobinson]

Your Digikey links are taking me to an Index page, if you go to the page that has only the one particular pot on it, the link will get get us where you want.

Here's a link to a desirable Switchcraft jack.

https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/switchcraft-inc/11/SC1085-ND/109515

dave

Links seem fine... if I click the link for the 10k rev log, it takes me to the exact part that I was looking at.

[davent]

I think because it's cached or something in your system you get to where you want but i go to the index page. I remember having problems getting Digkey pages to show up correctly.

dave

This is the page i see with your link.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en

[THRobinson]

Weird

Product #s are    987-1729-ND and 987-1659-ND

[ss_230]

Any specifics?

Like SPST Footswitches, or 100k LIN pots?

That's more what I'm after... a 'must have' collection of parts for common builds.

Likely though I'll order from DigiKey.ca though. Tayda may be cheap, but I'm pretty much done with ordering overseas. Have had absolutely bad luck all year with anything ordered outside of North America. Digikey.ca takes 1-2 days and ships from Winnipeg (Canada).

Though I did order a few aluminum boxes from Malaysia... ETA is Sept 24th though. 

EDIT - May have to reconsider, site looks pretty good price wise.

I'm just starting out and did an order last week from Tayda (I'm in Vancouver), it shipped the day after I ordered and arrived in under 72 hours via DHL (which was their cheaper option!) I got dinged $22 CDN for customs on a $100 USD order but also used their 15% off coupon (15again). Their prices were great and no issues with anything I bought so far.

Mileage may vary but I was quite happy to buy things that arrived that quick for way less than the local electronic shops.

[davent]

Weird

Product #s are    987-1729-ND and 987-1659-ND

https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/tt-electronics-bi/P160KNP-0QC20B100K/987-1659-ND/4780750
https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/tt-electronics-bi/P160KNP-0FC25C10K/987-1729-ND/5957473

This is the page i came up with for those P160 series  plastic pots you picked, 55 different ones that may cover your needs.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en?t=84&s=25825

I think plastic elements are pretty rare in pedal sized pots and most people use 16mm Alphas which are carbon, widely available, many many values and tapers, a couple different shaft styles and with shaft lengths sized for pedals, in my eyes not having to cut down the shafts is wonderful.
dave

[digi2t]

I'm never in a hurry, so I roll mostly with Tayda. If it's some deluxe item, then I'll shop for it on Ebay, again, depending what and where it is will determine delivery time. If I'm building for someone else, then I include the time to receive parts in the estimation.

ABRA electronics is my second choice, but I'll usually drive the 40 minutes to the store since they have a $50 minimum for internet sales. They do have dirt cheap prices on some stuff though.

Digikey/Newark/Mouser is my last choice. Higher prices on some stuff, sometimes higher shipping too, but almost instantaneous delivery. I'm just never in that big of a hurry.