Looking for links and order info for PARTS

I recenty posted this to a newsgroup specific to tube gear, but got no responses. I am sure most of you on here are into modern solid state gear, but maybe some of you also work on the old stuff too. I could spend months looking at websites of component sellers, and use the trial and error method to purchase parts, but it seems easier to just ask people like you, where to buy parts. I am a hobbiest, so I am not buying large quantities, just a few caps, or other parts as needed. I would like to build up a small stash of common caps and have them on hand, but overall, I will only be buying small orders of parts as needed.

Back in the 60s and 70s I worked on old electronics all the time. Life took me in other directions, and the solid state gear was a big "turn off" for me. Not long ago, I got a few old tube radios at a garage sale and that got me back into my old hobby. I am retired now and have the time too. Fortunately I still had a lot of my old Eico and Heathkit test gear stored in a shed.

It was like riding a bike. It all comes back to me like it was yesterday. But there is a huge problem. Where the hell do I buy parts now? In the 60s and 70s I lived in a large city with many electronic parts stores. Now I live in a small town/rural area with no such thing. So far I have just used ebay, and paid the often ridiculous prices they charge (to a limit). Heck, there is a seller on ebay selling the old NOS resistors, 1/2W for $5 a piece. On top of that, the guy claims some are out of tolerance and tells people to bake them in a oven which he clainms will bring them back to specs. (what an idiot).

Anyhow, there are places like Mouser, Digikey, Allied, etc. I have looked at their websites and feel lost.... Just too much to sort thru. Not to mention I assume places like that sell in large amounts with large minimum orders and costly shipping.

I just want caps, resistors, and some other stuff. Ebay seems to be ok for tubes, but far too costly for caps and restisors.

I'd like this to be a thread to list other places to buy parts for vintage tube gear. And also, could someone list the minimum order and shipping amounts for those large sellers.... Like Mouser, etc...

Reply to
tubeguy
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Digikey, Mouser, Element14(Newark+the old MCM electronics) are your best bet. Lots of Higher voltage caps and some carbon film resistors, but I don't see a reason to not use film resistors for replacements. For Instance, I just received a Mouser order with some Vishay non-inductive power Film resistors, they work fine at RF and thermally stable too. Film resistors replaced Carbon resistors years ago.

Get used to using the search filters and whittle down to the parts your looking for. They have thousands of parts, and the only way to find something is to know what you need and search for it.

The minimum order limits are long gone too, I don't think the big guys have minimums anymore.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

Neither Mouser nor Digi-Key has a minimum order these days. However, minimum _shipping_ cost is an issue... even the cheapest method (usually first-class parcel) costs enought that ordering just a half-dozen resistors doesn't make sense.

Digi-Key does still offer a "mail-order" method with a benefit: if you send in your order by mail, and include a check for payment in full, they'll ship the order to you (their choice of methods) at no charge. I haven't discovered whether there's a way for you to "pre-fill" an order on-line (and then either submit it for processing, or print it out in a mailable format) - lacking that I suppose the thing to do is fill it out in a spreadsheet, with all of the proper part numbers, and print that.

There are plenty of vendors on eBay and elsewhere who sell various parts assortments - kits of resistors and capacitors. Most of these are probably generic Chinese-made parts, and I can't swear to the quality of them, but they're probably a reasonable way to stock up on noncritical parts at a modest cost.

Reply to
Dave Platt

I have ordered some resistor and cpacitor assortments off ebay. MOst come from China or other orental countries. They seem ok to me. I would stay away from their simiconductors as many have reported problems. Friend bought some transistors and they were bad. I bought some 20 watt RF transistors and while suppose rated to over 30 mhz, thye were only good up to about 1 mhz.

They functioned to 30 mhz, but instead of 25 watts for a pair, I could only get about 2 watts. Subistuted in some Americn transistors and the power came right up to spec.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

Mouser or Digikey would be OK. Get some sample kits maybe. You can email them and ask about an account.

Amazon has an impressive lot of components and test equipment and chocolate.

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John Larkin         Highland Technology, Inc 
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Reply to
John Larkin

...

Try

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There are other web sites catering to hobbyist tube focused folks, but these guys are where we get 90% of our tube equipment caps.

John :-#)#

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Reply to
John Robertson

Wait, chocolate?

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Reply to
Winfield Hill

Where do you live? You need to find a nearby bloke with overflowing old parts bins, who'd appreciate a fellow enthusiast. Then you'd both be all set. A suggestion: Use real names and real addresses. Get connected.

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    - Win
Reply to
Winfield Hill

Anyone ever heard of AVNet? avnet.com

I was at their office north of Boston a few weeks ago trying to attend a conference I had signed up for but there weren't any signs for visitors, didn't know where it was being held. Went up to their office on an upper floor it looked deserted, couldn't find anyone to ask. Maybe they were all at the conference wherever it was.

I wrote them asking for a refund on the conference fee, still haven't heard back. I'd never heard of them before, are they a real company or just some kind of money-laundering operation?

Reply to
bitrex

Avnet doesn't distribute chocolate.

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John Larkin         Highland Technology, Inc 

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Reply to
John Larkin

\

I kinda wish they did I bet I wouldn't have had to leave disappointed _and_ hungry

Reply to
bitrex

That's how composition resistors were made:

fit one terminal, fill the tube with composition, fit the other terminal, bake, measure, paint. If the only problem is moisture, baking should fix them.

Digikey has free US shipping if you order by mail and include a check for the purchase.

Else yeah shipping costs apply below some minimum.

So far as I know no minimum order, shipping depends where you are and what day of the year it is. if you order enough regular shipping is free.

Aliexpress has surplus lots with cheap shipping, but the range of parts is limited and variable.

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  When I tried casting out nines I made a hash of it.
Reply to
Jasen Betts

Mouser and DigiKey both have no minimum; Jameco has a $5 adder if total order is below some value (forget amount). Surplus Sales of Nebraska sells tubes of various types, along with the hardware.

Reply to
Robert Baer

Fair Radio Sales is still around. I used to buy from them when I was a kid. They still have some WWII surplus tubes.

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John Larkin         Highland Technology, Inc 

lunatic fringe electronics
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Reply to
John Larkin

I've been at a testing lab this week; they have chocolate on the front counter.

Avnet is mainly big quantity sales. If you aren't buying reels, they're probably not interested.

Arrow used to be the same way but recently opened up free shipping with no minimum order, so you can add them to the list of hobbyist-friendly suppliers. This puts them on par with Newark (Element 14, etc.) whose online catalog/search is mediocre.

Also Allied Electronics, whose catalog is even more limited and ponderous still; they're geared more towards industrial and automation, but they do carry a useful range of electronic components.

Tim

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Reply to
Tim Williams

I think the only thing I ever bought from Allied was a small power transformer several years back for a project, that had the old school HV and 6.3V filament winding on the same core, rated for enough current for a couple of 12AX7s say. It was about 18 bucks as I recall a good price for a seemigly-uncommon new manufacture part. Don't know if they still carry those

Reply to
bitrex

I think it was this one though I don't recall at the time the product page displaying explicitly it was a Hammond-manufactured part, it was just labeled Allied like the one in the pic.

Reply to
bitrex

Nope, I'm wrong the one I got has different colored leads and the HV secondary isn't center-tapped. I don't see it anywhere on the site now.

Reply to
bitrex

Three suggestions:

  1. Antique Electronic Supply - will have what you're looking for, website should be easy to navigate. You might not like the prices.
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  1. Consult the vendor list at
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  2. Plug in a part number, value, or description at
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    It will give you suggestions as you type (e.g. '10uF 450V' will suggest 'radial' and 'axial'). The search results are organized by manufacturer and part number, with a table showing distributor prices and quantities. Clicking on the distributor part number will take you directly to the product page, bypassing their ponderous search engines. Not the best way to find tubes - some types (e.g. 12AU7) will get hits, but not at reasonable prices. No chocolate either.

Sceptre

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sceptre@sdf.org 
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Reply to
sceptre

Wow - an electronics professional (in a major market, no less) who has never heard of Avnet. Guess that just shows how far the online distributors have come (and perhaps how much the legacy distributors have shrunk).

I was going to ask you previously whether you got stuck with the fee. Did you try calling them (978-898-4834)? Maybe a human being still answers.

Sceptre

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Reply to
sceptre

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