| My local Radio Shack is closing, what items to buy to build a cheap Gainclone? - Click HERE for Original Thread |
| beady |
Hi all. My local Radio Shack is closing next week, and everything left is on super clearance. Like 80% off.
There are a lot of electronic components left, what should I go buy "just to have on hand", and/or to build a gainclone with?
I was thinking rectifiers/diodes (what do I need?), resistors, RCA connectors, switches, diodes, etc......
Please throw out any items I should look for. Part numbers or specs would be even better.
I already built a Cmoy amp for practically nothing in parts in the first couple weeks of their clearance.
Oh yeah, all the "wall warts" are super cheap, like $5, even for the higher voltage ones. Seems like they have a 30V one? What should I look for to run a preamp I might build later, etc? I already got a regulated one for my Cmoy and it works great.
Thanks,
Mike |
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| beady |
I find it hard to believe that at 80%+ off, there is *nothing* at Radio Shack worth snagging.......
Anyone?
Thanks,
Mike |
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| lndm |
Do you have a chance to get some power transformers? I know many of us get them from old equipment, but high power dual secondary units are harder to find and great to have.
How about heatsinks, and smoothing caps, motor run caps if they have them. Solder station, screened cable, new multimeter? A new amp for the car?
Good luck with this. |
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| Leolabs |
| Hi,beady.Go for semiconductors,heatsinks,transformer and casings. |
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| beady |
All the enclosures went early. They didn't have any solder stations, as I looked for them.
Already have a nice RS DMM from several years back.
Guess I could check what kind of heat sinks they have. I glanced at tehe, mostly smaller ones, nothing big enough for an amp. Might do for a preamp or active crossover or something though.
As for car amps, I've already got more of them than I do cars, lol :-)
Thanks,
Mike |
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| RetroAudio |
| I dunno. Just ordering what you need for any project is also a good way to buy stuff. RS does have the components but you can order better, and ordering is something you'll have to do anyway. Digikey and Mouser have come to have quite the inventory over the years and sitting down with them for one order can be quite effective. Just speaking from years of accumulation is all. |
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| john65b |
For a Gainclone? Not really much - you wont find LM3886 chips there, or anything other than caps, resistors and stuff...you could find enough for a complete Power Supply, tho...
I would get a few 25A rectifiers (oversized, but hey), 10,000uF 50V power supply caps, Transformers, Wire, wire block connectors, Terminal connectors, Resistors, Solder, Alps Dual Ganged Pots (I kinda like the way they sound), knobs, IEC connectors, and Rat Shack has great 5 way binding posts - allbeit a bit expenive (but 80% off right?)
And yes, a few LM-317 Voltage Regulators - with a pot - (not for gainclone) -has to be the most usefull electronic gadget I ever made - a variable DC voltage supply - from 1.5V to 30V..I use it all the time... |
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| BrianDonegan |
| They carry blue 2-position terminal blocks that latch together to form longer ones. They are great for GCs. |
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| beady |
OK, they don't have many big items left, but they do have some component stuff left in teh drawers.
They are ANY 10 items for $3.....
So, I'm going to go spend $50 or something and grab a ton of stuff. They have XLR connectors, both cable ends and chassis mount types. Should I grab those for $.33 each? I don't have anything with XLR connections, but it seems to good a deal to pass up.... There are no good binding posts left, but I'll grab some cheapies, and some RCA chassis mount connectors.
They have 2200, 4700 and 10000 uF caps still as well, so I'll grab them.
What about resistors? They have some ceramic several watters left as well.
Thanks,
Mike |
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| neutron7 |
| 80% off regular radio shack price for resistors etc is close to the normal price everywhere else, so dont buy too much stuff you will never need! |
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| lndm |
| IMO, never mind the ceramics for that price. Large electros seem worth it for $0.30, output transistors? like T-03P packages? |
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| john65b |
"80% off regular radio shack price for resistors etc is close to the normal price everywhere else, so dont buy too much stuff you will never need!"
I am glad someone said it, as I was biting my tounge...Sorry to burst your bubble...
In all honesty, I avoid Rat Shack unless I need it NOW. They are way overpriced on just about everything.
Apexjr is one of my favs, as well as Digikey.... |
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| beady |
Alright, alright, so their regular prices aren't so great. But, ANYTHING in the components drawers are only $0.33 each. So, $6.00 XLR connectors are now $.33, etc.
I'll grab some rectifiers and I guess some amp chips, as they are all only $.33 each as well.
Thanks,
Mike |
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| DJ Exprice |
Go for the standoffs, kits, and other cool things! Make a mad dash for it!!!:smash: :smash: :smash: :smash: :smash: :smash:
AND DIODES!! BRIDGE RECTIFIERS!!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :smash: :smash: :smash:
HUSTLE! (lol) |
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| mod_evil |
I think is a GOOD IDEA buy some 10.000uf capacitors, some GaincloneChips, some POLYESTER CAPACITORS, some heatsinks, some cases, some wires.
Resistors? This is interesing if the price looks good. But... BUY in per hundred. The most used values: 100R, 1K, 10K, 100K, 47K, 4K7, 470R ( all 1/4W )
5W or Ceramic with more of 10W - 0.47 if you will mount a transistor amp.
A TOROID with 18+18 if the prices look good is a GOOD buy. Some 5 to 8A to suitable more than 2 gainclones on the same transformer.
:)
Thanks. |
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| 3-LockBox |
| quote: | Originally posted by john65b
"80% off regular radio shack price for resistors etc is close to the normal price everywhere else, so dont buy too much stuff you will never need!"
I am glad someone said it, as I was biting my tounge...Sorry to burst your bubble...
In all honesty, I avoid Rat Shack unless I need it NOW. They are way overpriced on just about everything.
Apexjr is one of my favs, as well as Digikey.... |
Radio Shacks were handy back in the days before internet. Getting your hands on a good catalog for electronic parts and speaker components was tricky before the web because the catalogs were closely guarded secrets held by salesmen and repair men.
Other than snatching up some of their FR drivers a few years ago, RatShack stopped being relevant in the world of DIY after the arrival of the web and that's why RatShack is slowly getting out of the DIY game and turning into a phone and RC mart. They never carried high quality component stuff anyway. |
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| billdinva |
| fuses. damn things are always blowing :bawling: |
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| kmj |
| quote: | | Apexjr is one of my favs |
Amen to that, even from here in the far north :D |
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