Build It Yourself Electronics
Choose a project you can use and learn something while building it.
How is that for a great combination?
Like a lot of engineers, electronics was my hobby long before it became my profession. From the 1950's through the 1980's, you could purchase electronic kits along with components, books and surplus electronics from retail outlets in any major city. For someone wanting to learn-by-doing it was and is, the best way next to attending a formal class with a laboratory. Actually, it may be better to build an electronic kit - you build what you want, and are motivated to do so by your own interest in the project. Sadly, the two largest manufactures of kit electronic products, EICO and Heathkit, are long gone from the kit manufacturing market. Once common electronic kits in blister packs at retail electronic parts stores have all but disappeared (along with most of the electronic parts stores). The good news is you can now find a wide variety of electronic kits, parts, surplus and prototyping components on the internet.
Kits and Surplus Components
Most of the electronic kit companies I have bought from also sell new and used electronics surplus. Here are some great resources for electronic kits, surplus components and gadgets.
- All Electronics Corporation
- Surplus components, subassemblies and electronic kits
- B.G. Micro
- Surplus components and electronic kits
- Circuit Specialists
- New and surplus parts, tools and electronic kits
- Electronic Goldmine
- New parts, electronic kits and surplus
- Futurlec
- Low cost new components and unique kits - long delivery time
- MPJA Electronics
- Surplus electronic components, electronic hardware and subassemblies
- Ramsey Electronics
- Unique electronic kits - great customer service
- Surplus Shed
- Surplus electronic and optical parts
New Electronic Components
These are the best sources I have found for ordering small quantities of new components and hardware for product development and pilot production.
- Digikey
- Largest selection of components, equipment and prototyping supplies - watch out for minimum order handling charge
- Mouser Electronics
- Passive components, tools and electronic hardware - better prices then Digikey for same items
Electronic Publications
Technical trade publication listed in order of my preference.
- Electronic Design News (EDN)
- Trade news and circuit applications
- Electronic Design
- Trade news and circuit applications
- Electronic Component News (ECN)
- Component and subassembly market coverage
- EE Product News
- New hardware/software for prototypes and products
- Circuit Cellar
- Microprocessor and general electronic design applications
- EE Times
- Electronics trade newspaper
- Product Design and Development
- Industrial control market coverage
- Nuts & Volts Magazine
- Hobby magazine with project ideas and sources of kits, parts, surplus and subassembly electronics
Electronic Prototyping supplies
Some sources of prototyping supplies for building one-of projects for fun and profit.
- Antona Corporation
- Prototyping adapters for SMD devices and wire-wrap wire supplies (this is my company).
- Douglas Electronics
- Perf boards for wire-wrapping prototypes, bus specific prototyping boards, card cages
- Vector Electronics
- The name in perfboard for prototyping bus specific boards
These links are all companies that I have some experience with and found of value. They represent a small fraction of what can be located on the world wide web by using any of the popular search engines.
Updated 09/03/10 12:00
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