So much stuff!

I think I have to officially say I now have so much stuff I now no longer know what I know I have!
What I do know - I don't have any 8-pin female headers! The one part I need!

yea I never have any freaking female headers, the male ones seem to multiply ... guess they eat the female ones, anywho a 8 pin dip socket and a saw works ok

I ended up cutting down a 10-pin.
Got a bunch on order for next time.

I made a database, but even that isn't perfect. I search for "opto isolator" but I entered it as "opto coupler". Or "P channel MOSFET" and I entered it as "MOSFET, PNP".

And are those things "sockets", "connectors", "headers" or what?

I try to order some 40 pin headers and sockets with every component order I place. Of course my issue is that I never have right angle or straight when I need them.

You seriously need partitioned storage boxes. You instantly see what you have. And if you keep a bit of order (categorized boxes), the amount of rummaging will be kept to a minimum. What remains is a pleasant dig for parts once in a while.

madworm:
You seriously need partitioned storage boxes. You instantly see what you have. And if you keep a bit of order (categorized boxes), the amount of rummaging will be kept to a minimum. What remains is a pleasant dig for parts once in a while.

I already have 3 of those. I need to buy at least 10 more to get my stuff ordered :astonished:. I also hate the don't have boxes big enough to store gear motors and so on.
I'm sure my girlfriend won't be smiling when she see me coming home with 10 more rofl
Best regards
Jantje

I also have 3 sets of palstic boxes, but they're not very convenient for a lot things, like leftover rolls of small components.

I made the mistake of putting my resistors in a partitioned box. Had it open on the table, and you guessed it, the tablecloth caught on my belt and pulled the box off the table. A few hours later I had them in little plastic bags properly labeled. Sigh.

I think I'll go to the trouble of putting them in one of those slide out drawer boxes (still in the bags of course)......someday.

draythomp:
I made the mistake of putting my resistors in a partitioned box. Had it open on the table, and you guessed it, the tablecloth caught on my belt and pulled the box off the table. A few hours later I had them in little plastic bags properly labeled. Sigh.

I think I'll go to the trouble of putting them in one of those slide out drawer boxes (still in the bags of course)......someday.

Hmmm, what we need is an Arduino with a clasping servo and a vision system that can pick up each individual resistor, identify it via the bands, and then put it in the appropriate box. Then you dump out all of the resistors on the table, let it go to work, and by morning, every thing is organized.
:roll_eyes: ]:slight_smile: XD :fearful:

I've also taken to putting Rs and Cs into small (1.5x3 or 2x4 inch) ziplock bags. I made a nice score on the clearance aisle of those semi-disposable imitation Tupperware sandwich-size boxes a couple years back, and have a few dozen of them with resistors (split by multiplier) and other small parts. They're less likely to spill than the partitioned boxes, and much easier to clean up when they do if the components are bagged. Also handy when you're pulling parts to stuff a PCB: you can use one as a "kit container", and have all the parts in one box when you're ready to solder.

For larger (in size or volume) parts, I like the mailing boxes about the size of a ream of paper: they stack well on shelves, and are easier to look through than the plastic shoeboxes that I use for bulkier items. And suprisingly durable: I have many that I've been using for over ten years, and still have a couple that some of my S-100 boards were shipped in (though they're getting little fuzzy around the edges).

draythomp:
I made the mistake of putting my resistors in a partitioned box.

Next time get one of the more advanced boxes. These come with a safety feature - a lid!

madworm:
Next time get one of the more advanced boxes. These come with a safety feature - a lid!

Of course you do have to latch the lid. Particularly if you are trying to find something and a cat/dog/2 year old come around at the wrong time. :roll_eyes:

My daughter has recently gotten into jewelry making, and now we have lots and lots of small plastic bags floating around the house. That and a label maker help a bit. As I breadboard stuff, I was making custom power/ground wires that are just the appropriate size instead of using the generic MM/MF wires, and now I got a sensor shield IV so that each thing connected has its own 2 or 3 connected cable rather than using common ground and power.