Small Bear should carry...

[powerplayj]

assortment of metal film resistors........

[formerMember1]

assortment of metal film resistors........

i second that!

[analogmike]

Plastic washers are better than metal for mounting switches. I won't tell you why but try it and you will see.

[nelson]

wah shells.

Different shaped enclosures.

TDA1207, TDA1208.

All at prices that are not indicative of an oligapoly.

[Hal]

63/37 solder, even though I finally bought a roll anyway...

lower prices...especially on 3pdts ...

[Dave_B]

Complete parts kits of the most popular circuits on runoffgroove, tonepad, etc.  No knobs, boxes, or PCB's, just components.  It would make it real darn easy to order stuff even if I end up with a few things I already have.

Surely I'm not the only one who's left a critical part off their order, right?

[PenPen]

I've done the whole 'forgot one part in my order' deal. Totally sucks.

Though, instead of having him list 'kits' for pedals, I would rather see savable lists for carts, like Mouser has, you can put together a list for this or that, and then just add it later to a cart. Makes it really simple to roll your own 'value packs'. Like, one list that has everything needed for an enclosure: the case, feet, jacks, switch, etc. And then you later can just click on that list and add it to your cart. Or a list of parts for a Small Clone, or Rat, or BSIAB, or a resistor set, or cap set, etc etc. You could create your own lists instead of relying on pre-rolled kits.

[formerMember1]

yeah i always forget stuff too, 

Yeah, some kind of way to add stuff to your cart then save it,

[Peter Snowberg]

I've done the whole 'forgot one part in my order' deal. Totally sucks.

Though, instead of having him list 'kits' for pedals, I would rather see savable lists for carts, like Mouser has, you can put together a list for this or that, and then just add it later to a cart. Makes it really simple to roll your own 'value packs'. Like, one list that has everything needed for an enclosure: the case, feet, jacks, switch, etc. And then you later can just click on that list and add it to your cart. Or a list of parts for a Small Clone, or Rat, or BSIAB, or a resistor set, or cap set, etc etc. You could create your own lists instead of relying on pre-rolled kits.

That's a fantastic idea!

Kits are a drain to assemble and they pull away from otherwise available stock. If you could replace the whole concept of a kit with a spring-loaded shopping cart that would assemble that bunch of parts "just in time" as Japanese industry and the Java folks say, I'll bet lots more parts could get sold in the end without any of the 'kit' headaches.

It would be so easy to have multiple versions that way... one could be basic parts while another expanded on that to include pots, switches, and jacks.... followed by a version that includes the box and knobs too.

A little more work would yield something almost form like that could customize a "kit" by selecting a basic set of parts and then asking a few additional questions like "color of box" or if you wanted mojo NOS part substitutions, etc..

Best of luck in moving to your new cave Steve!

[smallbearelec]

Guys--

As Judy occasionally reminds me when I get "enthusiastic" about adding things, I am not "L. L. Bear." Nonetheless, at least some of this will get done during the coming year, AFTER I'm fully moved in and organized, and after "Kristmas Krush." Before I comment on these (very good!) suggestions, I have a marketing question concerning something I want to add:

I have finished re-design of my Trem, and I want to connect pots and other components to the board using header pins and suitable connectors. What is a good header/connector combination for this, including a crimping tool that doesn't cost a fortune? I want these for my own immediate purposes, so will add them to the stock list immediately if I get some agreement on items that would be widely used. I was looking at Mouser 517-2312-6111-TG. Would this be good? What would mate with it? Talk to me...

Now to your requests:

--The metal washer for the 3PDT is on my list. I also want an exactly-machined fiber shoulder washer for the metal DC jack.

--Nobody mentioned: what is the source for the wrench for tightening the dress nut on Carlings?

--Cardboard boxes? To protect a finish, maybe? I get the colored boxes in nice foam bags for transport. Would those be better?

--Wah Shell (sigh). I have investigated this. I got close to being able to offer a blank shell, but I have had difficulties that I can't discuss. I will do it, eventually.

--Fulltone 3PDT/Wah Pot/Inductor. MF will no longer sell his OEM parts for DIY. The switch is not such a problem, because the blue one is pretty good. The wah pot is a loss...it's rugged, and the ICAR taper is popular. One possibility that I will look into is getting the maker of the "blacktop" 200K (I know who makes it) to do a 100K ICAR. That's at least a $2K investment. I now have the pot cores for the halo inductor clone; can someone direct me to a core assembly for a "stack of dimes?"

--42TM006, LM567, will add as soon as I have drawers for them in the new space. Thanks!

--Tantalum caps. Maybe a few, up to 10 mf. 16 v for LFO timing and such?

--Nuts and Washers. Yes! I already have nuts for the 16mm pots on order. I
will add others.

--Parts kits. I have always avoided offering kits per se, figuring that many people will want to use what is on hand or make substitutions. But I do have a large library of Excel spreadsheets that I draw from when someone asks for a full list for a particular pedal. At some point, maybe I'll post all of these for download from the site.

--Metal Film Resistors. This is a little tough because of the number of values, but I will consider it.

--63/37 solder. ASAP!

Nobody mentioned: 9-volt duracells. I can get a decent wholesale on these, would be on the site at about $2.00 each. Reasonable?

Thanks, and I will save this list for shopping!

[no one ever]

i agree whole heartedly on the round carling nut wrench- my hands aren't working 

[The Tone God]

Ahhhhh.... Last Thursday was a very good year. 

lol. To be more fitting for a DIY sol'n:

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request121.asp

Andrew

[Mark Hammer]

*  Custom surf-boards!  No, not the long things you stick on top of your station wagon, but the little boards that allow people to use SMT chips in conjunction with "normal" spacing components.  So many things are becoming available only in SMT form that we'll have to switch eventually.

[Dragonfly]

--Fulltone 3PDT/Wah Pot/Inductor. MF will no longer sell his OEM parts for DIY. The switch is not such a problem, because the blue one is pretty good. The wah pot is a loss...it's rugged, and the ICAR taper is popular. One possibility that I will look into is getting the maker of the "blacktop" 200K (I know who makes it) to do a 100K ICAR. That's at least a $2K investment. I now have the pot cores for the halo inductor clone; can someone direct me to a core assembly for a "stack of dimes?"

hi steve...
   pm me about the icar taper pots...i might be able to at least put you on the path for some....

[MartyMart]

Plastic washers are better than metal for mounting switches. I won't tell you why but try it and you will see.

Well, a metal washer is going to "cut" right into the paint finish for a start !!
I had a bunch of them and just swopped them all for plastic one's

Marty.

[Steben]

Nobody mentioned: 9-volt duracells. I can get a decent wholesale on these, would be on the site at about $2.00 each. Reasonable

?

I guess "duracells" doesn't imply the manufacturer. $2.00 would be an international best seller in that case  .
You mean "battery"? Zinc - carbon...

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Well, a metal washer is going to "cut" right into the paint finish for a start !!
I had a bunch of them and just swopped them all for plastic one's

Since the only objection people seem to have to the plastic washers is that they 'look weird', maybe some metal washers PLUS a felt washer to go under it? I know felt and composition washers are standard items (though not in electronics). They could be a nice Bear item.
As far as wah shells go, it would be impossible IMHO to make them for less than the wholesale price of Behringer foot control pedals ($US 35 or so). Maybe a conversion kit for these? At the moment, there is a single pot in there, if a substitue pot was sold so people could do a conversion... also, if you do the conversion, you get a nice dual VCA chip!!

[transient]

--Metal Film Resistors. This is a little tough because of the number of values, but I will consider it.

Maybe a kit of metal resistors that contains the common values?

.
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[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

..the Thomas Henry booklets on the CA3080 etc. People are trying to sell pirate copies on ebay, which has (understandably) upset TH, but now Midwest Electronics has closed, there is no source. I'm pretty sure he would be happy to let Steve sell them for a royalty, and anyone who bought one, would be very likely to find something else in the Cave. Plus, a certain 'how to lay out your board' would surely be a good seller.

[GVC]

"Metal Film Resistors. This is a little tough because of the number of values, but I will consider it."

This is the only reason my last order did not go through small bear.