Initial resistor and capacitor stock order.

[Diocide]

So I've decided to delve nose first into pedal making. I've made less than a dozen pedals, but really want to start doing builds more regularly.

In an effort to invest in my hobby, and at the insistence of my amp/pedal builder buddy, I'm going to put together a stock order from Mouser for my basic resistors and capacitors.

The price break on resistors is 200, so I'm going to pick up 200 of each of the following resistors;
1k,
10k.
100k,
470k,
1M,
10M,
5.1k,
4.7k,
27k,
33k,
2.7k
47k
470R
4k7
56k
330k
150k
220k
5k1
1k5
422k
15k
2k
12k
392k
1k8
560R
68k
3k9
10R 1/2w

I've also compiled a list of capacitors;
Capacitors
47n
1uf
6n8
100pF
33n
3n3
8n2
470pF
47pF
47uF
100n
10n
100uF
68n
390n
150n
82n
390pF
2n2
27n
820pF
3n9
4u7
220uF
10uf

Now the resistors are relatively inexpensive, but the caps start to add up quickly, even in bulk. I was initially going to order 50 of each capacitor, but I'm thinking that might be a little excessive. While I'd like to have a decent stockpile, I don't want to get a bunch of parts that will sit around forever.

If you guys could skim over this list, and let me know if there are some glaring omissions, or if some of the caps are true oddballs, please let me know.

With the caps, if there are some that are pretty rare, versus the more common ones, please feel free to suggest quantities. Im kinda jumping in blind (to an extent) and want to spend my money whe I need it.

Thanks folks!

[stevie1556]

TBH, you don't need massive stockpiles of parts that may or may not sit around for ages. I did it, and now got 4 drawer units full of components that I don't use. If you don't mind a weeks wait for parts to turn up, Tayda are really cheap and it would definitely bring the cost of the caps down, admittedly they aren't the best caps, but I've never had an issue with them.

[wgc]

I'd plan out the next 4-5 builds, and order for those. If a part seems pretty common, order that one in a bigger qty. The price break isn't so great that it will offset buying 100 resistors you won't use, IMHO.

[midwayfair]

These are the only ones I ended up buying packs of 200 for:

47R
470R
1K
2.2K
(2.7K, but only because I bought them accidentally)
4.7K
10K
22K
33K (you can skip this if you don't build a ton of FET-based overdrives ...)
47K
100K
220K
470K
1M
2.2M (again, can probably skip this)

These are the values you WILL use a ton of. 10K in particular you might as well just get 200 of if you're going to build another 10 pedals.

Getting 200 of each common value just isn't worth it imo. Getting 200 of each value in a klon, which is what your list looks like, makes even less sense, unless you're planning on building a hundred of the things for sale.

[muddyfox]

True dat. There's only a handful of values that I used more than a hundred pieces of.

Have you considered those cheap resistor kits from China? Yes, they are not thick lead Xicon variety but they worked great for me when I was building on vero. Once I switched to fabbed pcbs I went through the kit and ordered in bulk those values that were the most depleted from the kit. Weird values I still to this day grab from the original kit.

[Diocide]

Well this lists comprises of the first 3 pedals I'm going to build. I have quite a few that I'll be putting together from a friend, so I'd really like to have stuff on hand.  I may cut the quantities down on your guys recommendation. Especially of the caps.

[rullywowr]

Getting 200 of each common value just isn't worth it imo. Getting 200 of each value in a klon, which is what your list looks like, makes even less sense, unless you're planning on building a hundred of the things for sale.

If we are talking about Mouser Xicon 1/4w resistors, you can buy up to 21 pcs before it is actually cheaper to purchase a lot of 200pcs.  So if you think you may use more than 21 pcs (very likely)...it just makes sense to spend the $2.80 to get 200pcs (roughly 10 times more for the same price).

Example:
Mouser part 271-1K-RC (Xicon 1/4w metal film 1%) resistor:
1pc-199pcs = $0.13 ea
200pcs =$0.014 each

21 pcs @ $0.13 =  $2.73
200 pcs @ $0.014 = $2.80

Also, here is a link I put together to a shared shopping cart of Panasonic ECQ-V film caps (some of the best out there IMO).  Values of 10n to 1uF.  The price break hits around 100pcs.
http://www.mouser.com/ProjectManager/ProjectDetail.aspx?AccessID=4818477595

[Diocide]

Getting 200 of each common value just isn't worth it imo. Getting 200 of each value in a klon, which is what your list looks like, makes even less sense, unless you're planning on building a hundred of the things for sale.

If we are talking about Mouser Xicon 1/4w resistors, you can buy up to 21 pcs before it is actually cheaper to purchase a lot of 200pcs.  So if you think you may use more than 21 pcs (very likely)...it just makes sense to spend the $2.80 to get 200pcs (roughly 10 times more for the same price).

Example:
Mouser part 271-1K-RC (Xicon 1/4w metal film 1%) resistor:
1pc-199pcs = $0.13 ea
200pcs =$0.014 each

21 pcs @ $0.13 =  $2.73
200 pcs @ $0.014 = $2.80

Also, here is a link I put together to a shared shopping cart of Panasonic ECQ-V film caps (some of the best out there IMO).  Values of 10n to 1uF.  The price break hits around 100pcs.
http://www.mouser.com/ProjectManager/ProjectDetail.aspx?AccessID=4818477595

Those are both exactly the parts I'm ordering. You're train of though on the resistors is my exact thinking. It doesn't make sense to order 50 for 2 bucks, when I can get 200 for 4 bucks.

The caps on the other hand are a little different. There's obviously less of them on each board, and the priced breaks aren't as good. That's why I was asking which quantities are overkill.

[GermanCdn]

While I agree on the economics of the order, if you build 100 pedals, at least 20 of the values you have listed will still have 180+ resistors in the bag (Jon's list is pretty comprehensive, and even in that there are three or four values which are highly build type specific), while at the same time you will have re-ordered 10k, 100k, 1M, 1k a few times.  It's only a space thing, but the box of misfit parts gets to be a PITA after a while as well.

When I did my first stocking order, I went through every possible build (MB, 1776, JMK, Grind, Vero, Osh, etc, etc, etc) I could conceivably build, and then summed all of those parts.  Then doubled the qty.  Most of the odd values still only came in at <30 when I doubled the quantity, and I haven't reordered them since.  Comparatively, in that time I've gone through 2000 10k resistors.

As far as the caps go, here's the ones you'll use most of

10n
100n
1uF (non electro)
47n
22n
10uF (electro)
100 uF(electro)
47 uF (electro)
100 pF

Those I'd order in 50s.  All the rest, if you ordered 10 - 20, you'd probably be good for a long while.  390n are only used in klone circuits.

At the end of the day, what you have to realize is this - once you're hooked on building, you are ALWAYS going to be short something and will be ordering parts are a fairly regular basis.  You can always top up a later order if you find you're running out of stuff on a regular basis.

[jubal81]

I'd just echo GermanCdn on this.


Stocking up sounds like a good idea, but you're going to end up making regular orders anyway. There's always that pot value, IC, optocoupler, enclosure you'll need.


I'd recommend the "Ad Hoc & Stock" approach. Pick out your next 2-3 builds and make sure to order all the parts (Ad Hoc). Then, while you're at it, get the quantity break on the parts you'll need more of.


The way to identify the components to stock up on is to see the values that appear multiple times in the same circuit. That's where you see the big numbers adding up.

[playpunk]

I got a couple of resistor arrays from ebay and a great grab box of resistors from amazon, and some cap assortments from ebay, and my bases are pretty well covered.

I stocked up on stuff not because it saves money, but because it makes building so much easier to have well organized parts. Now I have a couple of storage units and my build process is way easier. 

[Diocide]

I'd just echo GermanCdn on this.



I'd recommend the "Ad Hoc & Stock" approach. Pick out your next 2-3 builds and make sure to order all the parts (Ad Hoc). Then, while you're at it, get the quantity break on the parts you'll need more of.

That's pretty much what I've done. I've got 4 builds coming up and these are the components for them.

[chromesphere]

Hey Diocide, someone asked this question recently, I pointed them to this thread I started some time ago.  Hope it helps!
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=13277.0
Paul

[Diocide]

Hey Diocide, someone asked this question recently, I pointed them to this thread I started some time ago.  Hope it helps!
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=13277.0
Paul

Awesome! That makes things much easier! Thanks!

[chromesphere]

Np diocide.  Don't forget to get some storage for all those parts.  Fairly certain this is the one I got.  I picked up 2 when they were on sale though, came down to about $25 each (aud) shipped. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raaco-Organiser-Drawer-Cabinet-RAA126762/dp/B0001JZYAG

I'm no cabinet expert but these were a nice upgrade from the plastic electronic shop cheapo I was using.
Here's a video if you want to see the cabinet in action:

Anyway, that was slightly off topic Good luck with your stock up mate!
Paul