The essential component "stock" list...

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All,

Due to my lack of age and inexperience in this realm it seems like anytime I build something I'm always missing a 2c passive or 20c transistor. I don't have a fully stocked electronics draw like some of you I'm sure. I've done some searching and not really found a good list of "must have" components for your lab.

I primed my collection of discretes with 50 x 50 values of resistor and 35 x 35 values of capacitor (0805 SMT) and something similar for through-hole. Other than that, my draws are completely bare.

So, what are the most common components you keep in stock in your lab for circuit design and prototyping? SMT and/or through-hole.

Martin_H

I go through lots of plated perf board, snap header pins, female headers, wire, and servo cables. I have a big bag of LED's, 1K and 10K resistors, 0.1 uF capacitors, and 2N2222 transistors.

I have about 10 Schmidt triggers and trim pots which tend to be useful for cleaning up analog signals for digital logic. 555 timers are useful so I have four of those sitting around for future use as well.

SRLM

This may help: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?101268-Electronics-parts-kit-on-a-budget
This one too: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?108198-Need-ideas-on-how-to-make-a-somewhat-high-tech-electronics-work-area-amp-room

Also helpful is to buy headers, MCP3208 ADCs (if you're using the propeller), buttons/switches, jumperwires, DIP sockets, female and male barrel jacks, voltage regulators, and 4-40 screws.

Duane Degn

I use a lot of 595 shift registers. I now buy them 100 at a time from Digi-Key. I also like the high power shift registers.

I like the L298N motor control chips. You'll need eight Schottky diodes per chip so you ought get a lot of those.

Besides the resistors and caps Martin listed, I also like to have a lot 1000 uF capacitors to use with servo projects. I also keep 0.01uF, 1uf, 4.7uF, 10uF, 47uF and 100uF capacitors on hand. I use a lot of 100ohm resistors to limit current to LEDs. I rarely buy through hole resistors anymore. I like the 0603 size of smt resistor because the fit nicely between holes on perf board. I also use smt components for the small capacitors.

I like HobbyKing's 24AWG wire for wires that go between boards. It's nice and flexible.

Wireless transceivers are pretty inexpensive now. I really like using the Nordic nRF24L01+ modules. You can get them off eBay for less than $3 (see first post in my index for link). They make it really easy to make a project wireless. (The driver can also be found in my index (post #2).) I now buy the wireless modules ten at a time (which costs about the same as one XBee).