What is the Rat Shack (Radioshack) good for parts-wise?

[zenpeace69]

Do any of you guys have any particular things you get at radioshack that you think is a good deal or do you usually buy all your stuff online?

[Samuel]

Their smaller pad-per-hole perfboard isn't too bad...I also regularly get those chrome LED bezels there...also knobs aren't horrificly overpriced.

[Hal]

i get ferric chloride there....they're little Perf boards aren't bad either...

um....they have some kinda cool boss-style knobs, that aren't _too_ expensive...

I bought a pack of LDR's that i was pretty happy with...

everything else is fine, except the jacks.  Its all just massively overpriced.  So if you need just one thing - a cap or resistor or whatever, its better than paying shipping...

[RDV]

The 417-hole RadioShack "Grid-Style PC Board," part number 278-150 is great for Opamp circuits like my "Heavy Meatal Pedal". I also built my Sonic Distortion(w/volume recovery) on it. The two rails in the middle are perfect to run the 9v & 4.5v on for easy biasing.

I like the little 4-packs of knobs.

They got greeny caps, and electros too! I even talked them into stocking a few more values.

I get a lot of stuff from them and they've even stopped asking me if I want a cell phone!

I live 1 bock away from mine.

RDV

[zenpeace69]

Ok, so it sounds like they are an ok source for perf-board and knobs.  I have actually bought knobs from them in the past, but I am a sucker for chicken heads.  They sound better!   :wink:

Anyone else have a certain something they think is a good deal at that Rat Shack?

[drew]

RS's perfboard is shit compared to Small Bear's perfboard.

The knobs are a reasonable deal though, and in a pinch you can get cable or jacks/plugs there if you need it in an emergency (like you suddenly discover you need to convert two mono 1/8" jacks to a stereo 1/4" jack or something weird!)

drew
www.toothpastefordinner.com

[ExpAnonColin]

I posted a very very large list of this a while back... let's see if I can recycle it.



After my visit today, I thought it would be useful if we all generated a list of what to buy and what not to buy there.  So, here goes, there are 3 categories, one for "Good idea to buy", one for "Overpriced but OK quality", and "Keep away!".  Keep in mind, buying from mouser, steve, digikey, futurlec, or whoever, is almost always better.

Decent quality and prices
"High-tech" solder
2.1mm jacks (switching is a bit pricey)
LED bezels (plastic and metal)
Tool Kits
Pad-per hole and perf boards
Project boxes (hammonds are almost always better though)
#20 wire for making jumper cables
Knobs
LDRs

Decent quality, bad prices
Switches of most sorts (haven't had them break, but 2.50 for a SPDT is a bit much)
LEDs
Resistors, capacitors (waaay overpriced)
Most IC chips (at least the ones they have)
Potentiometers
IC sockets
Desoldering braid

Keep away!
Jacks (terrible quality, bad prices)
Soldering irons
Cables


There we go...

-Colin

[RDV]

RS's perfboard is shit compared to Small Bear's perfboard.

If Steve carried the ones with the 2 rails down the middle I'd order them from him, but he doesn't. What is the actual difference between them anyway? I don't exactly have a shit-o-meter to measure the difference in that particular way. You mean pads pulling up or brittleness, or the solder taking to the copper well(or balling up)?

Regards

RDV

[zenpeace69]

Thanks guys!

[ErikMiller]

The selection of useful stuff at Radio Shack is getting smaller and smaller.

From evidence I can find, they took a sharp turn further away from hobbyist electronics stuff a couple of years ago, and then another one recently, when they moved all the electronic parts into those map drawers.

Wire (and knobs for prototypes and one-offs) is what they're good for to me, and one of my products uses 100K audio pots, so in a production control emergency, I can get them from there. Their pots are Alphas, so no problem with the quality.

I really detest having to wait in line while morons explain cell phone packages to their fellow morons. I always bring something to read while waiting.

[aron]

RS's perfboard is shit compared to Small Bear's perfboard.

I've found them to be ok. I've been using them for years. They have one advantage over the epoxy boards - they are easy to cut.

[Chris Goodson]

The only advantage I see to buying parts at Radio Shack is not having to wait for something.  A lot of the stuff they have is low quality and way overpriced.  The female stereo jacks they sell are annoying because the lugs move and connect together when you tighten them down.  I find the service to be lousey in my area, all they seem to want to do is sell me a cell phone.

[BILLYL]

When I was in High School I was a tech and worked the parts counter at Lafayette Radio - now talk about parts.)O the GOOD OLE DAYS)  Radio Shack used to have parts - but I agree with others - who cares about cell phones.

Anyway - I will use them if I need something very generic - 100K pot, small spool of wire - Otherwise - major part orders I send to Small Bear - the best in the service.

BILLYL

[petemoore]

They're great for that something you don't have...if they have that.
 They're also good at emptying your wallet and only letting you have a few items for your cash.
 I have had N/P with quality [well there's better this's and thats's]...the Jacks are 'funky' and if you can't hold the inside while tightening them...G"Garbage'....I have had N/P ever since I figured out how to hold the 'bolt' side while I tighten the nut.
 Switches I simply cannot recommend. There's better ones at wayyyy better value/price. They will do some bypasses if you're EZ on 'em...I got a few failed ones already, One the toggle broke off easily, the other one the case came apart, and the third still works....sometimes if you twiddle with it.
 I buy sockets there..59 cents for two 8 pin...some People don't like 'em...I guess I'm good at working with what others consider 'wimpy' ..which, [in comparison to the ones SB, others I'm sure sell decent sockets] they are.
 If all you gots ten buxx and you need a junky Iron that'll last for years...[the tip might' last for a project or two]...you can't beat 'em. Again I know they're junk, I have been using for the whole time [all builds except the first one or two] two years?...All in the timing...that said: get a 'better' iron.

[claydavis]

they used to have a big bag of assorted resistors that wasn't too terribly expensive, and had a usefull variety of values. maybe they still do?
the 5-pack of ldrs is good for experimenting.
the knobs are reasonably priced (i love the big chrome ones for 2-knob pedals).
they have assortment packs of leds that are handy.
the wire and solder is ok.
they have cheap packages of alligator clips that are the perfect size for test leads.

[Paul Marossy]

Who needs cell phones?!
Why everyone on the planet just absolutely has to have one stuck to their ear at all times. Just ask the guy driving in front of you who is going too slow and not staying in his lane because he is too busy talking instead of driving.

Cell phones are handy to have, but I could never understand what the big deal is - why everybody just has to have one. I guess it's a fad and it's "in fashion", but give me a freakin' break!

Sorry, I just got back from lunch and had a cell phone experience with a fellow "driver".  :oops:

I'll agree, most of the stuff at RS sucks in terms of quality and price. However, if you are trying to buy stuff locally, their prices on pots aren't that bad - and they are made by Alpha, which quality-wise, they seem pretty decent. Heck, Fry's sells pots for something $6-7 each, or at least the one here in Las Vegas does. Don't get me started on Fry's...  :evil:

OK, I'm better now.  :wink:

[PB Wilson]

I bought the resistor pack (500 assorted) and I'm getting a lot of mileage from them. Not too expensive, certainly not the cheapest, but convenient nonetheless. Another local electronics store wants $.25 per resistor (!)  unless you buy a ton, and then it's a special order that takes at least as long as it does from Smallbear, Mouser or any other vendor... So yes, Radio Shack can be a good thing to have in town.

I've bought some perfboard that's fine and some parts here and there. I've had some good results from their soldering iron tip cleaner and tinner and their pot cleaner spray is nice to have around. Some stores carry etchant that has come in handy, but all the local stores carry for copper clad board is double sided! Oh well, thank god we have Steve at Smallbear and other businesses that can get us what we want and need with relative ease. Although I can't help but wonder if the large online companies have made Radio Shack lose interest in stocking items for DIYers?

[Paul Marossy]

That double sided PCB that you can buy sucks! It takes forever to etch, it doesn't etch well and it doesn't respond too well to P-N-P type stuff. Or maybe I just got a bad piece...

[Bucksears]

I use RS for little things that I want right away, not to mention not paying shipping costs. My eagerness gets the best of me sometimes and I'll run and buy whatever I need/want at RS without thinking.
Shipping costs are ridiculous sometimes, though. Most non-RS things I'll either order through Mouser or Smallbear.
- Buck
www.bucksears.com

[Ansil]

That double sided PCB that you can buy sucks! It takes forever to etch, it doesn't etch well and it doesn't respond too well to P-N-P type stuff. Or maybe I just got a bad piece...

hmm so maybe it wasnt' just me and it wasn't the etchant after all.. i just took some back to radio shack and they refused to give me money back on the board but gave it freely on the etchant..  this is why i dont' do  boards for my stuff anymore.   and the last board before that was from shields and it did the same thign

three hours of etching..  and then switching to fresh etchant  for antoher two hours no dice..  still not done all the way... i said forget it, at that time it was starteing to eat the sharpie off.