Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Stock Up On a Few Components for Your Personal Electronics Kits

Electronics enthusiasts need to have the a variety or parts and tools for their projects. Without the right ones, you simply can’t get the job done. As a beginning hobbyist, deciding which components are necessary can be quite difficult. Although, the majority of kits provide the necessary components and list the tools you will need to complete the project. But if you want to design your own projects or adapt published projects, you’ll need to have a supply of available components.

Learn About Designing Custom Printed Circuit Boards

Below you will find a short list of some typical components that you should own. Buying them all at the same time could be very costly. We recommend buying a few each time you purchase tools or components for other projects.

Don't view this as a full list of items you need to complete any project. See this as a basic list of essential components that are used in the most common projects.

Printed Circuit Board Design Software
Though you could draw your custom project schematics by hand, but software is quicker and more accurate. By doing a little research on the Internet, you should be able to find a low cost or free printed circuit board design software program.

Find Out About Using Pcb Design Software

Storage
The importance of organized storage can’t be overstated. Every group of components should be clearly labeled, and in separate containers. A few simple ways to do this are with labeled cabinets, or with zipper bags with labeling.

Resistors
Most hobbyists have a stash of 4-band, 0.25W carbon film resistors. These are fairly inexpensive.

Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
It would be wise to purchase at least 10 red, 10 yellow, and 10 green 5 millimeter standard LEDs

Batteries
Any electronics component you build will need some power. Stock up on a few for 9V PP3 batteries and a few battery clips.

Wire
Having extra wire is never a bad thing. Pick up about 10m of red, 10m of black, and 10m of a color of your choice. 7/0.2mm standard wire is common.

Switches
Many circuits can be assembled without switches, but if you want to use them, we recommend 3 each of push-to-make and miniature SPDT toggles switches.

Boards
When choosing a board you will have a few options. You can choose custom PCBs, breadboards, or stripboards. Your skills and project requirements will determine which board you should choose. A simplistic circuit with up to two integrated circuits usually require a breadboard. Hobbyists usually use stripboards for prototypes or intermediate designs. If you are creating a sophisticated design or completing your final prototype, you will want to use a custom printed circuit board. You’ll have to use your judgment to determine which and how many you’ll need.

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