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[on:]

A newbie to Electronics & Arduino, I've been ordering and playing with an increasing number of boards, sensors, actuators ...
One problem I've found is having the right connectors for all the various combination of connections.

Seems that the most common requirement '2.54mm' pins ::  1x3, 2x4, 2x3 etc ... f-to-m, m-to-f .. crimp-to-pin, pin-to-pin .. and all variations in between.
(e.g. connections for the ends of servo wires, connection for NRF24L01, HMC558 to wires, etc etc ..)

Individually these are not as cheap as I thought !
e.g.   "4 x (1x4) Pin PC Header plug Housing connector 2.54mm" ... with crimp pins = £3  + pp on ebay !
So a good wide selection of connections would add up, and mean buying from numerous different suppliers.

Maybe I am using the wrong search terms, but I am struggling to source what I thought would be standard parts !?
Can anyone point me to a good supplier who has a wide range at a decent price ?
Ideal world .. just an 'assortment bag' would be nice .. but I'll take any suggestions.

Sorry seems such a basic question to post , but ... !!

[Reply #1 on:]

i get everything from china, have to wait a bit but always arrives

im in the uk, to get the best prices, log onto usa ebay then search for whatever, if you cant wait rapid electronics 

[Reply #2 on:]

Rapid are good pricewise but like most of the larger UK suppliers have a hobbyist-killing shipping policy: £5 +VAT on all orders under £35 + VAT, so if you just want a few odds & sods you have to go elsewhere....

There are a few good smaller suppliers if you google around - Earthshine comes to mind.

[Reply #3 on:]

china is the way to go, i always order there too... on ebay click search "worldwide" and prices will go down for what u need.

Sometimes i d order elsewhere but the big issue is that usually that hongkongstuff doesnt even cost shippment, so its usally way cheaper

[Reply #4 on:]

Hobbytronics are based in the UK if you need it quickly.

[Reply #5 on:]

http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/connectors/header_con.html

[Reply #6 on:]

Wow !!
I was expecting the thread to be brushed over as trivial ... so such a response is fantastic, thank you everyone !!!

I ended up going to Hobbytronics in the end.
I got almost everything I was looking for in the one place, and at what I thought a good price.
Admittedly, I am sure there's someone in China cheaper, but I really want to support UK business where I can, so that China doesn't become our only option in another 10 years time !
(plus, I am impatient !)

Thank you to all suggestions, I've bookmarked those others so will be revisiting them again !

This is the oil that will hopefully make my projects a lot smoother in the future

[Reply #7 on:]

Admittedly, I am sure there's someone in China cheaper, but I really want to support UK business where I can, so that China doesn't become our only option in another 10 years time !

Where do you think the UK business gets its parts from?

[Reply #8 on:]

buying in china is like cutting out the middle man

[Reply #9 on:]

But far more risky - a friend of mine says their company has to x-ray the big expensive chips they get before opening
the packaging to check there is actually any silicon inside...

[Reply #10 on:]

Rapid are good pricewise but like most of the larger UK suppliers have a hobbyist-killing shipping policy: £5 +VAT on all orders under £35 + VAT, so if you just want a few odds & sods you have to go elsewhere....

There are a few good smaller suppliers if you google around - Earthshine comes to mind.

This is the sad thing, until recently I used RS exclusively but now you have to place orders > £20 to qualify for free shipping so I have found myself using eBay

[Reply #11 on:]

If you don't mind waiting a bit for parts, I just noticed that my favorite store has pretty reasonable shipping rates to the UK and might be worth checking out for your next project:

http://www.taydaelectronics.com/

Shipping esitmate for a few 40 pin breakaway headers was only $1.03 (£0.66).  It's still more than the headers themselves cost, but it's the cheapest shipping I've been able to find so far.  Only down side is it can take a week or more to arrive sometimes, thought my last order made it to the US in 4 days.

[Reply #12 on:]

Proto-Pic isn't too bad for this kind of thing if you need UK.

As everyone else says, most buy direct from China.

Exactly what and how many do you need? I'm in Anglia area and also know someone in London who would also have a reasonable hobby stock.

[Reply #13 on:]

This crowd are in the UK

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130802267649?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Not particularly cheap but they have what few others have - long pins.

And they are nearly as quick as the Chinese - to Australia