Component Kit Shelf

The shelf of kits you take a specific value from when you need it right now. Separate from the consumables boxes: those hold small parts mixed together, this holds them sorted by value.

The SMD books

The main thing on the shelf. A binder where every page is a row of strips of resistors or capacitors, each strip labelled with its value and tolerance: R0805 4.7K ±5% and so on.

There are several books, in different sizes. That matters: 0603 and 0805 are not interchangeable. If your board is laid out for 0805, an 0603 part will sit badly on it and a 1206 will not fit at all. Check which book you are taking from.

Take the part out of the strip carefully and put the strip back on its ring. A book with the strips out of order is useless: there is no way to identify an SMD resistor's value by eye.

Through-hole parts

Resistors on paper tape, labelled by hand with their values, plus diodes, transistors and the rest loose. Through-hole is easier on a breadboard and for anything built point-to-point.

Electrolytics and LEDs

Two ready kits in compartment boxes: electrolytic capacitors in several dozen values from fractions of a microfarad to thousands, and LEDs in 3 and 5 mm in various colours.

Electrolytics have a polarity and a working voltage, both printed on the can. A 6.3 V capacitor in a 12 V circuit swells up — sometimes at once, sometimes a week later.

How to use

1. Take what you need for the job in front of you.
2. Put the strip or the part back in the same place. That is the one rule here that really matters.
3. If a value has run out or a compartment is empty, tell us and we restock.
4. If you are unsure of a value, check it on the UT612 LCR meter or the bench multimeter.

Components are included in your access within reason.

Access

The shelf is in the hackspace room, so a plan that includes hackspace access is required. No induction is needed.