Parts and Supplies
Historical
This page is left here mostly for historical value, as most "parts and suppliers" information has been moved to the Category:Suppliers pages
A lot of traffic gets created on the DMS list from people asking where to find a specific part resource to build a project. Parts and supplies for woodworkers, metalworkers, arts and crafts, makers, and all other makerspace activities should contribute to this as they see fit.
Electronics
Catalog Distributors
CAUTION! DO NOT buy semiconductors on eBay, Alibaba or UTsource and the like unless you have zero alternative! Counterfeit devices from China are rampant on auction sites and Chinese vendors. If the price seems too good, it probably is. Use an authorized distributor to avoid nasty surprises. More info on counterfeit devices can be found here.
- DigiKey Electronics
- Mouser Electronics
- Newark / Element 14
- MCM Electronics - A/V focused but has lots of stuff including hard to find A/V gear parts and assemblies
- B+D Enterprises - Similar to MCM, has lots of stuff including A/V gear parts.
- Parts Express - Almost exclusively A/V, extremely popular with the DIY Audio crowd.
- Madisound - Nothing but speakers and speaker related things.
- Sparkfun - All kinds of DIY electronic supplies. A great place to start for beginners with lots of Arduinio stuff. Use if the local distributors are out of stock.
Local Distributors
- Kineteka Systems - Local distributor for SparkFun, Adafruit, Pololu, and Freetronics. MAP
- Tanner Electronics - Across the street from the makerspace! Some new components and some salvage components. MAP
- BGMicro Electronics - Mostly set up for mail order but they will accept will call orders. Located in Garland, TX. MAP
- Garland Computers - Refurbished computers, servers and networking gear. MAP
- Atlas Electronics - Primarily a service facility but they stock quite a few odd ball parts for A/V gear. Very pricey but they often have the otherwise unobtainable genuine Japanese semiconductor you need to get that old stereo running again. MAP
- Electronic Discount Sales - Lots of surplus and used electronics including old computers. Prices vary from cheap to insane depending on which manager had the price gun. Haggle. MAP
Transformers
- Toroid Corporation of Maryland - They do quality work. They also sell a semi-custom kit if you want to spec a transformer and wind it yourself to save money.
- E Craftsmen - 5 unit minimum on custom transformers and inductors. Looks to be very high quality. Their standard line includes some neat autotransformers for lighting applications.
Oddball and Hard To Find Items
- Electronics Plus - They are a MG Chemical dealer. MG has long been a reliable supplier when you need FR4 w/ >1OZ copper. Usually this is PCBs for power supplies or other apps where you use a thicker copper board to keep traces from being too wide for a given current. Also has a variety of fluxes and circuit board repair supplies.
- All Electronics A very old and established mail order surplus dealer. Reasonable prices on most things.
- Electronic Goldmine Another old online surplus shop. $10 minimum order.
High Voltage Dielectric Glass
- Cincinnati Gasket and Industrial Glass - Does low quantity orders for Schott glass.
Large Capacitors
High Voltage Power Supplies
- Hitek Power - This place sells a variety oh high voltage supplies and will sometimes sell parts.
Magnet Wire
- WireTronic
- Surplus Sales of Nebraska
- Applied Magnets - Located in Plano, TX.
Robotics
Actuators
- Muscle Wires - Sometimes motors or linear actuators take too much power or won't give you a high enough reliability. Low power high MTBF actuators can be made with shape memory metal when performance is more important than unit cost. This place has muscle wire actuators and an electrically controlled Schrader valve for metering out air from a compressor.
- Images Scientific Instruments - They carry a variety of Nitinol actuators.
Raw Materials
Plastics
- Regal Plastics - Has plastic and acrylic supplies. This is a good source for acrylic for the laser cutter. MAP
Service Providers
Custom Fabricators
- Artifacture - Custom and prototype fabrication, has several laser cutters, acrylic heat bender, hydrogen torch, wood shop, electronics bench. MAP
Printing
- Multi-Forms - They can do custom direct to garment shirt printing, business Cards, flyers, banners, etc. MAP
Other
Resources
- See: Resources - for other various types of resources.
Vendor Blacklist
- See: Vendor Blacklist - for a list of vendors that members of the Dallas Makerspace are cautioned against using. ** These are Recommendations Only **
