UK supplier of transistor sockets?

[col]

Does anyone know where I can buy transistor sockets in the UK? I have tried making my own by cutting up IC sockets but they are not strong enough and don't grip the wires very well. I have tried anumber of sources but most have never heared of them.

Col

[gez]

I don't use them, but I do have some so I must have bought them somewhere in the UK.  I only use ESR, Rapid, Maplin and occasionally one or two others (though not for components), so at least one of them will sell them.

[MartyMart]

I got a "Tube" of 50 6 pin DIL sockets from "RS components"
they are good quality ( 8p each ) and grip transistors well.
Just half them for two nice tranny sockets !!
Product code:  160-4934

Marty

[BramcoteLorne]

Maplins do some small ones in strips of about 24ish, you can snap them into 3's or whatever you fancy.

they are not the greatest quality but I think they are about 79p a strip.



dave.

[col]

When I asked at Maplins they told me that they didn't do aything like that, then again they did try to sell me a relay base as a valve base despite them being quite obviously a different size. I'll have to look in the catalogue next time I go there,

Col

[BramcoteLorne]

hehe yeah,

I've only been in there a few times but I get the impression that the staff at maplins need persuading a little, that yes you really did see it in the cat/website, yes they really do have it in stock and yes they actually need to go round the back and fetch one for you...


dave.

[col]

Dave,

I usually prefer to get my bits from Modern Radio at Bolton where the staff know exactly what you want, suggest alternatives and are extremely helpful. Unfortunately they can't stock everything so I find myself at Maplins where the staff vary between excellent to appalling. I once went in with a list of around 10 different resistor values in multiples, only to find when I got home that they were all 470k! I'm still using them up. I have also been told that "the computer says they're out on the shelves". No-one in the shop can find them!
How have other people found Maplins solder? It is rubbish and will not form good, shiny joints in my experience. It oxidises rapidly and can be difficult to use. I get 3m of excellent solder from Modern Radio for £1.
There are a number of excellent suppliers on the 'net in the UK as well, I have had really good service whnever I have ordered parts and they have always been as described.
Still, if we didn't have Maplins we'd complain so I suppose we'll have to make the most of it,

Col

[Johnny G]

are these the sort of thing you're looking for

http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk/rkmain.asp?PAGEID=80010&CTL_CAT_CODE=&STK_PROD_CODE=M28933&XPAGENO=2

tbh at 22 pence (or 29 depending on size) id rather stick with these which i currentlly use and just break them up.

http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk/rkmain.asp?PAGEID=80010&CTL_CAT_CODE=&STK_PROD_CODE=M28942&XPAGENO=1

for a 32 pin length its 55p so if you split it up into ten 3 pin holders thats 5 and a half pence each. a quarter of the price of "proper" sockets and they do the job just as well. also you can use them to socket capacitors, resistors, diodes etc etc.

just my POV but i hope all thats helpful

[Johnny G]

just as an afterthought when i saw you're post about good online suppliers. rapid electronics has pretty much everything i need and the only things im not gonna buy from them are pots since they dont have a great selection of 16mm pots and gez (i think it was you lol) showed me a better place to go.

also with rapid if you place an order over £20 then shipping is free and its 2 day delivery as well.

[col]

Thanks,

I've been on their website but never ordered. They are exactly what I'm looking for and I hadn't noticed them before. I noticed that their cast Aluminium boxes are cheaper that I'm paying as well! I'll have to get an order up and send off for some stuff.

Col

[TheBigMan]

I've never had a problem using chopped up DIP sockets, but Maplin have them order code DC17T.

BTW in my experience Maplin staff in the shops are considerably better than the idiots who man their depot.  Not ONCE have I had an order from there come back exactly as it should.  At least last time I got 12 DPDT toggles instead of 10, rather than the more usual half the order being missing.

Rapid is likely to get my next order, although they don't have a few semiconductors that I only seem to be able to get from Banzai or Smallbear.

[col]

I got a strip of the Maplin sockets last week and they work fine. Thanks a lot for the info. I have been able to try several transistors in a circuit until I found the best sounding ones which has saved multi soldering/desoldering operations.

Col

[mveitch]

Just thought i'd add my twopence. I went into Maplins yesterday trying to get transistor sockets and they looked at me with blank expressions.  

Ive used Rapid Electronics twice and theyve been really good, and fast with it. ive also used the aluminium boxes that they sell which in the main are pretty good. However,  buy the seal that they offer too, just because without it the lid does not fit tightly to the rest of the box.  In hindsight it seems pretty obvious.... :oops: but then again why sell the seal separately....

[James P]

Rapid and RS are my two main suppliers. Maplins are a waste of time, unless you want crap neon lights for under your chav'd up Vauxhall Nova!!! If you are looking for NOS transistors etc you should contact Pete Roberts via his website. He stocks insane amounts of GE and Si transistors etc, as well as other types of components, and matrix board which I find is quite hard to find in the UK.

His website is: http://hometown.aol.co.uk/oldradioparts/front.htm

Regards

James P

[Ge_Whiz]

Matrix board? If you mean stripboard or perfboard (no copper), Rapid has both.

As regards chopped-up IC or SIL socket strips, it's important to get the "turned pin" types (as Johnny G specifies above).

[James P]

Ge_Whiz

Matrix board is perfboard WITH copper pads and mounting holes just the right size for 8pin dil and trimmers etc. I find it easier than hard wiring everything together, like you do when using the board you mentioned.

James P

[Johnny G]

James P, cheers for the heads up on Pete Roberts and his site. i had a look round and thats some pretty good stuff he's got on there

Ge_Whiz, careful, your the second person tonight on here who's made it seem like i know what im doing , can't have that now lol