It's been a few years since I did any hardware work and then it was in the UK, rather than the US where I now live.
Back then I would have gone to Farnell or Maplins for components and wirewrapped a prototype or one-off project.
Coming back into things I find that DIP packages seem to be disappearing and loads of articles lamenting the fact that wire wrap is turning into a lost art.
Questions:
What do people use for one prototypes/one off boards? I want the one off to last. How do folks incorporate the various surface mount packages that predominate?
Any recommendations for component suppliers in the US. I found mouser.com, but its always nice to have choices.
Prototypes: Advanced Circuits, BareBonesPCB, Sierra Proto Express, AP Circuits, Sunstone
Surface-mount packages: high-quality temperature-controlled soldering iron with fine tip, fine solder (0.020" or smaller), lots of flux, tweezers, magnifiers, hot-air rework station. Soldering lead pitches down to 0.65mm is easily doable for young people with good eyes. At 0.5mm and below, magnifiers and/or microscopes help. Or just say "forget it" and pay someone like Advanced Assembly to do it for you.
Component supplies: Digi-Key, Newark, and Mouser are the big three for hobbyist quantities.
Welcome back to hardware...it's a whole new world from "a few years" ago
