How far would you be will to travel for a "local" electronics hobbyist shop?

Here in DK what you describe in the US is almost "fairy land". In Copenhagen there is basically one shop left. The rest is out in the countryside (other end of the country, which given DKs size is less than 4 hours in car) where they operate out of their garage (call ahead to see if someone is home). It is therefore ipso facto webshopping. I haven't tried crossing the bridge to Sweden for electronics shopping, but I know of one shop (about 1 hours drive for me, but the bridge costs ~€25 to cross EACH WAY, so shipping and waiting is far far cheaper)

Interesting question, are you planning to open a store?

I have considered it for a while now, but haven't quite figured out how to make it viable yet.

I really like the idea that liudr had about organizing a sort of local co-op to keep a stockpile of parts in the area and swap. For the record, I would be happy to share with anyone in this area (Youngstown, OH).

It's easier for me to mail order here in the Styx!
And I'm only 30km from Adelaide!
Since Dick Smith went downhill bigtime, Jaycar is on it's way there as well,
it's AZtronics for serious gear.

That's an hour bus ride each way AND I have to catch a cab to the damn bus!

So I buy stuff from LittleBird and ToysDownUnder.

Seriously though, waiting nearly a week for some LED's and resistors is frustrating!
:slight_smile:

I'll be happy with shipping but i'm living in the country where there is NO trend or NO system for good shipping, some companies are providing now but lot more expensive so i have to go around sometimes for more than 150 or 200 miles to buy just simple few things :frowning: which i sometimes don't even find them =(

[quote author=Saad Khalil link=topic=75911.msg574334#msg574334 date=1319076100]
I'll be happy with shipping but i'm living in the country where there is NO trend or NO system for good shipping, some companies are providing now but lot more expensive so I have to go around sometimes for more than 150 or 200 miles to buy just simple few things which I sometimes don't even find then
[/quote]OK. I wont complain anymore.

At my university, the ECE department (or maybe the students) also keeps a healthy stockpile of parts for students needing parts quick and cheap. I haven't been in contact with them regarding getting parts or supplying parts yet. I may give it a try sometime.

As for me, I am lucky, I live in Toronto, ( Canada's biggest city ---> yeh.. it ON the map )....I usely drive to the local store. I do a "run" or driving a big circle around the city to go to the following : Active Surplus, Active Components and Sayal Electronics. Sometime I go to A-1 Electronics and the other Sayal Electronics in Mississauga ( The town west of Toronto ) if I planning to go west. If I want to go downtown , I may take the TTC. ( Parking is expensive downtown ) I not to consern about the fuel cost, ( I drive a 2000 Ford Focus )

I prefer going to the store instead of on-line. No waiting for parts, you can see what they have, you can spot good deals, you can touch the goods and it sometimes give some insight by going to the store.

Techone:
I prefer going to the store instead of on-line. No waiting for parts, you can see what they have, you can spot good deals, you can touch the goods and it sometimes give some insight by going to the store.

yes thats the major advantages you'll have by going there yourself..

But, in a small town or middle of no-where, your option are limited. A local electronics repair shop ( the owner may sell some of his electronics stock pile ), the second hand store ( harvest the parts ) or your nearest garbage bin ( harvest for electronics parts ). If that is the case, I just hope you have basics tools ( pliers, screwdrivers, soldering iron, de-soldering tool <-- option ) I did that when I was living ( as a teenager ) in New-Brunswick small town in the 1980's. The town has a Radio-Shack by the way. That what I call - use what you have.

I like to see actual parts myself too. Spec sheets just don't bring the 3D information I want before I put it on a PCB. Maybe I should learn Ki-cad since it has a 3D renderer. Wonder how difficult it is to run that renderer.

BTW, how far are you willing to go for laser cutting, plasma cutting, 3D-printing, and other tools you wish you have?

"Spec sheets just don't bring the 3D information "

If not, you need to dig a little further. You may have to look up other files from the manufacturer to get the mechanical info on a part, it is almost always available.

Actually they do have 3D information but I'd rather see them instead of reading 2D cuts :slight_smile:

Well, depending on what you're doing, the numbers can be very handy!
For example 0.5mm pitch legs vs 0.635, just looking at parts its hard to see the difference.

Tho for things like displays, is nice to see just how big or little things really are, or to feel their heft.

liudr:
BTW, how far are you willing to go for laser cutting, plasma cutting, 3D-printing, and other tools you wish you have?

It'll be nice if those are local, but Ponoko and Shapeways have been quick enough. I don't think those services are common locally, and if they are, they are probably not as cheap.

Techone:
As for me, I am lucky, I live in Toronto, ( Canada's biggest city ---> yeh.. it ON the map )....I usely drive to the local store. I do a "run" or driving a big circle around the city to go to the following : Active Surplus, Active Components and Sayal Electronics. Sometime I go to A-1 Electronics and the other Sayal Electronics in Mississauga ( The town west of Toronto ) if I planning to go west. If I want to go downtown , I may take the TTC. ( Parking is expensive downtown ) I not to consern about the fuel cost, ( I drive a 2000 Ford Focus )

I prefer going to the store instead of on-line. No waiting for parts, you can see what they have, you can spot good deals, you can touch the goods and it sometimes give some insight by going to the store.

Sayal in Vaughan is a 10 minute drive away, I bike there if it's warm out. Too bad they don't open after I get off work during the week.

CrossRoads:
Well, depending on what you're doing, the numbers can be very handy!
For example 0.5mm pitch legs vs 0.635, just looking at parts its hard to see the difference.

Tho for things like displays, is nice to see just how big or little things really are, or to feel their heft.

Always print out a 1:1 copy of your PCB layout on paper to visualize!

Sayal in Vaughan is a 10 minute drive away, I bike there if it's warm out. Too bad they don't open after I get off work during the week.

I should check the Vaughan store. I check their site for the address.

@ frank26080115

Did you check the Active Surplus store ? Located between Weston Road & Islington Ave on Steeles Ave West, south side. lot of nice stuffs. Not to expensive either.

BTW, how far are you willing to go for laser cutting, plasma cutting, 3D-printing, and other tools you wish you have?

For that, It sound "expensive" even if they are local.

This is what I do to visualize:

I am fairly close to a major city (Melbourne) so there are a few outlets which carry the basics within 20 to 30 minutes. However compared to ordering online their prices are about 4 times as high. However, online orders, especially from overseas, tend to take a week or so, and have a minimum of $20 to $40 shipping costs. So obviously a resistor with $20 shipping added on is very expensive.

I have been trying to counter that by buying in modest bulk (eg. 10 items) things that look useful, so when I need them they are right here.

I must admit a bit of planning ahead, and you could get exactly the quantity you need, but I tend to find that even if you have a supplier that supplies "the next business day if you order before 6 pm" and it's 7 pm on Friday, you still don't get your stuff until Tuesday afternoon.

Plus, who wants to have exactly one of something? If it fails you don't have a spare to swap it over with to see if you got a dud one.

Even then, you get to a circuit that says "use a tantalum capacitor" and you don't have any of those, or any in the desired value, and your scheme falls down.

Anyway, I voted "30 minutes" which of course means an hour, once you return where you came from.

Active is about 5 hours away. So pretty much mail order all the way for me. Am finding that eBay is a great place to pickup odd parts at very low shipping costs. Only it takes 2 weeks to arrive. But then ordering from Sparkfun or Mouser isn't any better as it is cross border. So 2 weeks for shipping is about the norm. Am a big Digi-Key fan. Their low volume pricing is high but I can order today and be sure to have it 2-3 days later. It has made a big difference.

Been around electronics all m live. Used to live in a "small town" with two electronics stores walking disane away. Parents owned an electronics repair shop which opened endless possibilities and made nearly any components almost instantly available. That was a long time ago... Then moved overseas to the little remote town I live in now. If electronics were made from wood I'd been in heaven. I moved into te stone age when it came to electronics. One store 5 hours away and 24 years ago internet an mail order was non exisant.

Things have changed dramatically. Even 5 years ago things were by no means as accessible as tet are now. Now my electronics ambitions are no longer limited by availability of parts. Have lots of ideas and notebooks full of brain storm. The day job and family are what keeps the brakes on nowadays. And a project easily takes 3-6 months to go from idea to something physically in my hands... 25 years ago could have pulled it off on a weekend.

I'd be curious to know how any aspiring electronics hobbyists live close by. I'd not hesitate much to facilitate group orders or projects.......

I live 2 hours uphill, over 2-11,000 foot passes, of Denver on a good day, 5 on a snowy winter day. Internet or RS are my only choices.

Jim