[colonelkernel8]

Here are a few eBay sellers that can hook you up with electronic components on the cheap.

West Florida Components

Techno Star

C4 Parts

Electro Fashion

John's Silver Teflon Wire Shop

Enjoy!

 

[cotdt]

Those Russian teflon capacitors are pretty cheap and the best capacitors I've ever heard!

 

[pinkfloyd4ever]

in which shop, cotdt?

 

[achina]

Some sellers look suspiciously like they are reselling samples. Look at the parts they are selling and not selling. TI/Analog Devices does not offer some parts as samples. You will see those missing. Like the BUF634. Very rare on eBay, hasn't been available as samples from TI for some time now. TI also has a max quantity of 5 and Analog Devices a max of 2 when ordering samples.

I'm not saying any of them are actually doing it.

 

[splaz]

Reselling samples... ?

Only thing I'm concerned about with ebay is that they are selling counterfeits or generics instead of the real deal. Especially given the prices on some. Also the possibility of parts being sold as something they're not, like polypropylene caps are actually polyester or so on.

I had to resort to ebay for some 2107s. It was that or pay $50AU a pop.

Now I'm paranoid they're fakes though... maybe I should have forked out an insane amount of money for peace of mind. ?

 

[tomb]

The real problem with chips is that they often sell used.

 

[FallenAngel]

Is there really a usability lifespan?

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there really a usability lifespan?

Sure - most opamps and buffers run at an elevated temperature. That will cause failure sooner or later. Besides, you don't know where some of these have been or what they're exposed to.

Last time someone posted about buying ebay opamps, I think many of them were several years old and had been "cooking" in outdated mainframe equipment.

 

[colonelkernel8]

I am pretty sure West Florida Components is a reliable source. I have seen their facilities first-hand. (During my vacation). They are a legitimate company. Read their feedback! If no one has reported any faulty components, then it isn't likely you are going to get faulty components either.

 

[ericj]

I've bought from West Florida Components many times. they seem like stand-up guys.

Ordered some 30awg from the silver wire guy for some tricky double-entry-to-single-entry recables, prices aren't great, but, nobody else had 30awg stranded teflon insulated.

I've ordered from Electro Fashion, I think, and i do wonder if the opamps sold by them are samples. It's the people who sell samples who ruin the karma for people who actually use and enjoy their samples. But there's no way to know for sure unless there are batch codes to look for something.

splaz, difet parts like the 2107 are made on an entirely different production line than the more familiar 2132, etc, so the printing on the top looks different.

 

[splaz]

It wasn't the printing on top that had me worried, it was the price. 2 for $8US and when I looked at getting them before ti ran out they were $12US+ each.

About printing on top though, I also got some 2132s from the same seller, then I was comparing them to a 2134 I have from a few years ago and a 2132 I got from digikey. They're all different in numerous ways.

2134 - All white printing, Phillipines
2132 - digikey - BB logo slightly different to above, All brown pinting, dimple on pin1, Malaysia
2132 - ebay - BB logo quite different, logo and part brown, code in white, Phillipines.

That normal ?

 

[colonelkernel8]

Assuming that they were made in different plants, yes.

 

[colonelkernel8]

I received my order from West Florida Components 2 days after I ordered. Everything was as described and well packed. These guys are professionals, I highly recommend them.

Also, John's Silver Teflon Wire Shop is probably the best place to buy wire on the internet. Great prices, I have ordered 150 feet of silver plated OFC copper in teflon insulation for something like 30 bucks, amazing.

 

[Fitz]

Best place for small quantities of teflon SPC maybe. His prices are still pretty expensive though.

 

[micesol@yahoo.co]

Thanks, great resources.