Shopping for parts

[harrison]

Hello everybody!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CS4K4Y8
I was just wondering: do you think I should buy this kit? There is also a #1, but I don't see much of a difference. I already own a breadboard, a soldering iron, a rainbow of 1 color LEDs, and about 25 resistors for the leds (all the same) Is there anywhere I (a noob) can get more parts kits for cheap? I can't afford to pay $5 in shipping for every part . Also: where can I find potentiometers, pushbuttons,and switches for breadboard? Thanks in advance!

 

[BioniC187]

Welcome

Where do you live?

Possbily go to a radioshack, or some other store near you. That way you also don't have to get stuff you don't need, so that will save you some money as well

 

[cowboybob]

Welcome, harrison!

An OK kit. Not a bad price. A second bread board is not a bad idea. Looks like a reasonable selection. As noted, sort of depends on where you are.

As Bionic suggests, Radio Shack, which is a fav of mine. Pricey, by comparison to Digikey, Mouser, etc., since they package individual components, but worth it (instant gratification, no shipping $) in my book.

And some items, i.e., a single package of a nice variety of seperated of resistors (caps also), a good selection of analog and digital ICs and plenty of the other items that you listed (although not specifically designed for bread board usage - see below) is always useful.

I would strongly suggest that you get the box of assorted, precut jumper wires for your bread board - they are a real time saver. Also some alligator pig tails. And a stash of shrink tubing.

What sort of circuit ideas are you considering?

 

[harrison]

Thanks for the helpfull replies! I am planning on doing basic stuff like a capacitator led blinker and messing about with adafruit trinket. I do also have a heat gun, heat shrink tubing, jumper wires, a radioshack variable power supply and a couple small bags of voltage regulators. However... I didn't know about the aligator clips! I'm assuming they help you breadboard the parts that don't fit, correct?
EDIT: I do live in the U.S. , so yes, I have a RadioShack. Can I get a better kit there for cheaper? I heard they overprice everything.

 

[cowboybob]

...Can I get a better kit there for cheaper? I heard they overprice everything.

No.
And, yes, their stuff is high, but if you only want one of something, it's always going to cost more. For my part, I use scavanged parts if they're only being used for circuit development (playing ).

...aligator clips! I'm assuming they help you breadboard the parts that don't fit, correct?

Yes. And anything else that needs connecting.

 

[harrison]

Ok, Thanks! I am probably going to get the kit then. A little off topic:
The breadboard I have is powered... And when I apply power to Va and ground poles, I get nothing on the breadboard. Do you know why?

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

A pic is probably in order. Take the breadboard here: https://www.circuitspecialists.com/pbb-272abundle.html

Connections are only made to the binding posts and not the breadboard. The red and blue is just to show how the pads are connected.

Some breadboards of this design, the outer rails are not continuous. They are discontinuous about 1/2 way through, The power supply may not be forgiving if you happen to apply power to the output of a supply.

 

[cowboybob]

Ok, Thanks! I am probably going to get the kit then. A little off topic:
The breadboard I have is powered... And when I apply power to Va and ground poles, I get nothing on the breadboard. Do you know why?

The post themselves are not, generally, pre-wired to anything else on the bread board.

You have to run wires from the posts of the bread board to either the power rails (as KISS explained) and then to the component strip(s) row(s) and/or directly to the row(s) of the component strip(s) you are using.

To a degree this depends on the bread board you have but all that I have used are arranged in this manner.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

In he first breadboard here: https://www.robotroom.com/Solderless-Breadboards.html there are 8 conductive horizontal paths. not 4 as might be expected.

Note the presence of more insulator half way. That is where the break is.

 

[chemelec]

Hello everybody!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CS4K4Y8
I was just wondering: do you think I should buy this kit? There is also a #1, but I don't see much of a difference. I already own a breadboard, a soldering iron, a rainbow of 1 color LEDs, and about 25 resistors for the leds (all the same) Is there anywhere I (a noob) can get more parts kits for cheap? I can't afford to pay $5 in shipping for every part . Also: where can I find potentiometers, pushbuttons,and switches for breadboard? Thanks in advance!

Sounds like a Fair Price for what you will get.

Radio Shack would probably charge you 3 Times that price for the Same Items.

 

[harrison]

Ok, thanks- you guys are awesome! I got the kit and am waiting for it to arrive...