Steve Rodgers has been busy coding. He’s developed a set of Python scripts (BOMtools) which allow you to extract part numbers from a Kicad schematic and match them to a part number database. There are two scripts. One which does the part merge operation and is called from Kicad and the other which manages the […]
Category Archives: partlist
Another way to store your electronics components
As a response to yesterday’s Workshop Video on how we stock our parts, Alvaro made a video of his own storage system. He predominately uses portable boxes, which have 4 removable compartmentalized containers. We also talked with Alvaro at the Bay Area Maker Fair 2012, and his wireless friend finder project. Via Twitter.
WORKSHOP VIDEO: Parts we stock and part storage
What parts do you stock, and how do you store them? In this workshop video we cover: The common parts we stock and try to use in every design Substitutions and shortcuts we take when building a prototype How we store our parts Sources for most of the parts in the video are available on […]
Soldering Iron Driver v1.5 Mouser order
S7726 shared his Mouser part order for the Soldering Iron Driver v1.5. This board is still under development so we haven’t yet decided on all the parts we will use. One thing to note is to follow the partlist on the project page, as the schematic has some errors in component values that will be […]
Arena PartsList free BOM management tool
Nabilt tipped us to Arena PartsList. It’s a BOM manager that’s integrated with the Octopart component database. It has neat functions like auto-fill, that automatically adds a part to your database directly from a sales page of a electronics component distributor like Farnell, Digi-Key, Mouser, etc… Octopart just tweeted a free tool for BOM management. […]
Partlist Wednesday: Lithium-polymer battery charger chips
Lithium-polymer batteries are an excellent choice for portable projects. They are relatively cheap, hold a significant charge, and last for a long time. The drawback with these batteries is that they require rather complicated charging protocols. You have to watch out for overcharging, undercharging, overheating, etc… We are looking for a standard part to use in […]
Partlist Wednesday: Tantalum capacitors
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated Dangerous Prototypes partlist. This week: tantalum capacitors. We use tantalum capacitors sparingly, usually only when a datasheet specifies. The element tantalum is a conflict mineral, and it’s expensive. For example the PICs on the Logic Sniffer and Bus Pirate have an internal voltage regulator that specifically […]
Partlist Wednesday: Clock sources
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated Dangerous Prototypes partlist. This week: clock sources. As always, there are footprints for all these parts and more in our public domain Cadsoft Eagle part library. In our workshop the first rule of crystal selection is ‘use a surface mount HC-49/US package if it will fit’. […]
Partlist Wednesday: LEDs
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: LEDs. Surface mount LEDs feel a bit smaller than capacitors and resistors in the same package. Despite moving to 0603 C and Rs, we still use 0805 LEDs. It’s not just because we’re stuck with a reel of them, we find 0603 LEDs […]
Partlist Wednesday: Ferrite beads
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: Ferrite beads. We usually use ferrite beads as a power supply filter. You’ll find them on the USB supply in circuits with an FT232 USB->serial converter chip, like the Bus Pirate, and on the ethernet interface of the web platform. For general purpose […]
Partlist Wednesday: NPN transistors
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: NPN transistors Transistors do lots of analog tricks, but we only use them to switch high powered stuff with a weak microcontroller pin. Usually an LED. See the IR Toy, #twatch, PICqueno, or USB POV Toy for the sad truth. We’ve standardized on the BC818 […]
Partlist Wednesday: Buttons and switches
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: buttons and switches. Let’s talk buttons. The 6mm button is the classic button. It comes in surface mount and through hole versions. The 6mm surface mount button, DTSM-6 seems to be one package name, has nice beginner-friendly pads that are easy to solder. […]
Partlist Wednesday: Voltage regulators
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: regulators. This week’s part: voltage regulators. We try to use the cheap 150mA voltage regulators in SOT-23 package whenever possible. These are cheap (from 25 cents in 1s) and super resilient to shorts, over temperature, and over load. 150mA is enough for the […]
Partlist Wednesday: Resistors
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: resistors. If you don’t have a cheap resistor kit with common values, head to eBay and get one now. It’ll prevent last minute part orders and project delays. Sjaak likes this kit from MDFLY because it comes in plastic pages, only $15. Many […]
Partlist Wednesday: Ceramic capacitors
Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: surface mount ceramic capacitors. Ceramic capacitors are cheaper than aluminum and tantalum SMD caps, but come in smaller values. Typical values are in the pF to 1uF range, but we’ve noticed some 2uF+ ceramic caps at Mouser recently. Most have a maximum rating […]
A simple part: Pinheader connectors
From the Dangerous Prototypes partlist: pinheader connectors. 0.1″ (2.54mm) header is the standard width of bread boards Straight and right angle versions They are used on every project we’ve made so far. Their standard pitch spacing makes them easy to use with breadboards, jumpers, and wires with female connectors on them. We use them on […]