Component Suppliers
 

Struggling a little to find online component suppliers that will supply just a few components as opposed to having to buy 100 or 1000 (RS) at a time! Any thoughts, I'm currently using www.cricklewoodelectronics.com

Re: Component Suppliers
 

RS online will usually supply "one offs". It's just a bit of a chew on sometimes finding the listing of the component, so you have my sympathy there.
Cricklewood are a good reliable supplier in my experience and for one off purchases probably as good as anywhere.

A.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

There are the big three - Farnell/CPC do most components in ones or two's, but CPC often sends incomplete orders with components arriving months later and you need to spend £20 ex VAT at Farnell to get free postage. there is a similar handling fee at CPC. The other big dealers are Digikey and Mouser, but stock comes from the states, however delivery is fast from Digikey - next day, free postage on orders over £30. Never ordered from Mouser.

Then there's Rapid who are pretty good, but for one off bits Ebay is pretty good, but stuff costs more (and some stuff is counterfit), after all most vendors get their components from the big three, then bung their cut on top. Still, sometimes if you want a couple of 5w resistors say, in a rush Ebay is pretty good.

Andy.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

Agree with all those sources. Regularly order from Mouser - free delivery over £30, and they deliver quicker than Farnell. Farnell have definitely gone off the boil regarding delivery.

I think Mouser and Digikey have European distribution centres. I seem to recall that Mouser's is in Germany.

I have trade accounts with both Farnell and RS (as a sole trader) so I neatly sidestep the delivery charge regardless how small the order.

Craig

Re: Component Suppliers
 

A few other suggestions:-

http://spiratronics.com/

https://www.bitsbox.co.uk/

https://www.hotroxuk.com/ - Mostly guitar amp related but good for capacitors etc.

http://www.jellyfishaudio.com/ - Good for capacitors, their yellow axial film caps are ideal for vintage radios and very reasonably priced.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

The only time I ordered anything from Mouser, delivery, IIRC, took about a week, and the parts were sent via a distribution center in France via, again, IIRC, a rather roundabout route. Never ordered from Digikey so cannot comment on them. Mostly I use CPC (Postage free if you have an account with them, and order over £10.00 worth of items, Cricklewood & Rapid Electronics.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

I like bitsbox myself. Dirt cheap, almost always next day delivery and low quantities. https://www.bitsbox.co.uk/

Re: Component Suppliers
 

I agree about Mouser - very quick (a few working days typically) given that they're shipping from the USA.

But I'm surprised about your Farnell experience, especially given that we only live a few miles apart. I make a few orders a month and if I get the order in before about 18:00 I can't remember the last time it wasn't in my hand 20-22 hours later. They went through a phase a year or two back where (physically) very small orders were sometimes sent Royal Mail 1st Class. That often took 2 days and sometimes more. But it's been a while since I've had anything from them that didn't come via UPS.

Cheers,

GJ

Re: Component Suppliers
 

I have always found Mouser very reliable with 2 day delivery. RS always next (working)day.

Farnell rather more variable - sometimes 17.30 order - next day at 0900, other times, particularly if the order is on Friday for a Monday delivery it skips a day and comes Tuesday.

I also have trade accounts with RS and Farnell so can avoid small order charges.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

This thread may be of interest:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=55701

Re: Component Suppliers
 

I regularly order from Mouser and enough for free delivery, usually arrives in 4 days, shipped from Dallas.

Not bad when you consider things posted in Adelaide 200km away can take up to a week to arrive.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

I suppose I'm lucky in having a RS place a mile away, so it's order today and pick up tomorrow. But for those with no depot on the doorstep ,postage under their limit can be expensive. Problem with RS is minimum quantity. Takes a bit of trawling through the catalogue to find least number of items. Not too bad if it's for a project, as the common items are always useful in future .

Re: Component Suppliers
 

If you want pots with switch, vintage type, a company called Blore Edwards, based in South Wales, can supply, tel. 01685882043, or just search for name.
Cheers
John

Re: Component Suppliers
 

Open a trade account with them. I just made up a company name and did so with no problems. I pay by debit card.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

RS for me, next day free delivery with an account. That said, I use eBay for most small quantity components. Spiratronics and Cricklewood both have stores on eBay.

As per post #5, I also occasionally use Hotroxuk and Jellfishaudio, the latter is sometimes very slow to post though

Re: Component Suppliers
 

I get a lot of stuff from RS - not the cheapest but next-day free delivery means I don't need to hold so much of an investment in 'dead stock' parts.

[Does anyone apart from me look at a stash of unused components in drawers etc as a non-tax-offsettable non-wealth-creating loss?]

Re: Component Suppliers
 

Of low intrinsic value (metals content) and possible increasing liability with tightening environmental and disposal legislation....

Re: Component Suppliers
 

I've used

Arrow: https://www.arrow.com/

Aspen: https://www.aspen-electronics.com/

Rutronik: http://www.rutronik.com/

and RF-Shop https://www.rfshop.co.uk/

for stuff in the past. Many of these are not cheap but they've got proper traceability of parts, which is important if you're providing any kind of warranty on your work.

Re: Component Suppliers
 

Many thanks for all your suggestions. I didn't realise there were so many component suppliers still around. I must admit that I've been a little sceptical of some of the suppliers on the net, many only seem to be able to supply certain values which makes me wonder if they have old stock that's been sitting around for years. I'm going off now to explore some of your suggestions.