Hi there
It seems that like many on this forum I have too many projects and am getting older, grumpier and more deaf.
Before, I would order parts from Michael Percy, Audionote etc but now I just want to finish some things and downsize. I need to build up a stock of reasonable quality parts starting with resistors.
So, to the point. I've been looking at these resistor kits from rs components and farnell and could use some selection advice because from my phone it's not easy to search their websites.
I guess I need .5 watt 1% metal film standard resistors at all the standard values. The audiofool in me would prefer them non magnetic.
Any advice? Cheaper is better and rs is preferred because they are close to me and I don't have credit cards anymore.
Thanks, sp
It seems that like many on this forum I have too many projects and am getting older, grumpier and more deaf.
Before, I would order parts from Michael Percy, Audionote etc but now I just want to finish some things and downsize. I need to build up a stock of reasonable quality parts starting with resistors.
So, to the point. I've been looking at these resistor kits from rs components and farnell and could use some selection advice because from my phone it's not easy to search their websites.
I guess I need .5 watt 1% metal film standard resistors at all the standard values. The audiofool in me would prefer them non magnetic.
Any advice? Cheaper is better and rs is preferred because they are close to me and I don't have credit cards anymore.
Thanks, sp
Hi stoolpigeon,
Do you work most with tubes, transistors or ICs?
Resistors have a voltage breakdown rating in addition to power dissipation limits, so consider that. if you work with ICs, then 1/4 watt values would work well for you.
Most applications do not benefit from metal film resistors. There are only a few locations where metal film makes a difference. I would probably lay in a stock of good metal oxide resistors. Then buy the metal film values that you need, like gain setting applications, low level signal circuits and stuff like that. Similarly, purchase the 1/2, 1 and 2 watt parts you normally might use. I even have to stock 3 and watt values for my work.
Remember about the voltage breakdown ratings!
-Chris
Do you work most with tubes, transistors or ICs?
Resistors have a voltage breakdown rating in addition to power dissipation limits, so consider that. if you work with ICs, then 1/4 watt values would work well for you.
Most applications do not benefit from metal film resistors. There are only a few locations where metal film makes a difference. I would probably lay in a stock of good metal oxide resistors. Then buy the metal film values that you need, like gain setting applications, low level signal circuits and stuff like that. Similarly, purchase the 1/2, 1 and 2 watt parts you normally might use. I even have to stock 3 and watt values for my work.
Remember about the voltage breakdown ratings!
-Chris
Hi Chris, thanks for responding.
I have tube and ss to build and repair and was hoping to be able to lean over to this kit and grab whatever resistor I needed. Can't access now but some of these kits contained 100 ea of 60 odd values from 10r to 1meg.
I know there would be a lot of waste but as it is I'm not getting much done anyway because everytime I get a chance to do something I just waste time looking for things.
Off the top of my head I have some Pass designs, a Tubelab simple SE and the high octane phono pre to finish.
Cheers, sp
I have tube and ss to build and repair and was hoping to be able to lean over to this kit and grab whatever resistor I needed. Can't access now but some of these kits contained 100 ea of 60 odd values from 10r to 1meg.
I know there would be a lot of waste but as it is I'm not getting much done anyway because everytime I get a chance to do something I just waste time looking for things.
Off the top of my head I have some Pass designs, a Tubelab simple SE and the high octane phono pre to finish.
Cheers, sp
Hi Bare,
I couldn't disagree with you more on this. There are 169 standard 5% values, and I have a drawer for each one. Then there are all the capacitors as well. The amount of "wasted" resistors doesn't come even close to how much $ you'll spend every time you need one you don't have because you didn't buy them all. Besides, they are a lot cheaper in quantity.
I don't know about you, but the selection of #4, #6, and #8 screws, nuts and washers I bought saves me a heap of money. I only wish I could buy the same for metric hardware at the same savings. At least the hardware you can use the container they came in. When I get low on one size, I buy 100 to fill that spot. Because they were all used, I know I use that size a lot.
Hi stoolpigeon,
Buy the cabinet drawers when they go on sale. Normally they will go on for 1/2 price at some point during the year. You need 3 X 60 drawer cabinets for the resistors, the same for capacitors, and some for the transistors and ICs you will use most often. Yes, I have a wall of cabinets, but I built it over time (each time the cabinets went on sale). Each cabinet cost me approx. $16 CDN. Organization costs some money, but I can't see messing around trying to find a bag (or worse!) of a value every time I needed something. Then re-ordering is another ordeal. With the parts cabinets, I can easily see what needs to be ordered (before they run out).
The time you waste looking for parts greatly exceeds the money it costs to organize the stuff. Making up standard values with two or more resistors is for the birds, it pays to have the right parts.
-Chris
I couldn't disagree with you more on this. There are 169 standard 5% values, and I have a drawer for each one. Then there are all the capacitors as well. The amount of "wasted" resistors doesn't come even close to how much $ you'll spend every time you need one you don't have because you didn't buy them all. Besides, they are a lot cheaper in quantity.
I don't know about you, but the selection of #4, #6, and #8 screws, nuts and washers I bought saves me a heap of money. I only wish I could buy the same for metric hardware at the same savings. At least the hardware you can use the container they came in. When I get low on one size, I buy 100 to fill that spot. Because they were all used, I know I use that size a lot.
Hi stoolpigeon,
Buy the cabinet drawers when they go on sale. Normally they will go on for 1/2 price at some point during the year. You need 3 X 60 drawer cabinets for the resistors, the same for capacitors, and some for the transistors and ICs you will use most often. Yes, I have a wall of cabinets, but I built it over time (each time the cabinets went on sale). Each cabinet cost me approx. $16 CDN. Organization costs some money, but I can't see messing around trying to find a bag (or worse!) of a value every time I needed something. Then re-ordering is another ordeal. With the parts cabinets, I can easily see what needs to be ordered (before they run out).
The time you waste looking for parts greatly exceeds the money it costs to organize the stuff. Making up standard values with two or more resistors is for the birds, it pays to have the right parts.
-Chris
Dunno Just like buying a 'packaged' selection of screws, nuts and bolts '
The package actually ends up having None.. or at least V few of the bits one actually needed
Rest simply waste storage space.. for a while
One important difference being that there are approximately an infinite number of different kinds of screws, nuts and bolts (check the McMaster's Carr Catalog McMaster-Carr (incomplete)) while for example the number of different E12 values of resistors are 12 per decade of resistance range covered.
Acquisition of a representative stock of values of common capacitors and resistors is one of the steps in a cosntructor's career that needs to be taken if he is to progress.
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