In article , "Rick Gray"
writes:

I plan on building a crystal radio and need to get some 1N34A diodes. (I
figure about 50 would last me a lifetime). Can anyone recommend a good
supplier who has reasonable shipping charges? I see a bunch of people
selling them but I don't want to spend more on shipping then I do on parts.

An average shipping charge on a small quantity of parts such
as 100 or less small-signal diodes is roughly $9US.

At www.circuitspecialists.com you can get 1N34s for 14 cents
at 100+ or 16 cents at 10 to 99 or 17 cents at quantities 1 to 9.
If you purchased 100 diodes the total price would be equal to
23 cents per diode. Buying 10 would be equal to $1.06 per
diode. But that's if ALL you bought was the diodes. Circuit
Specialists (prompt good supplier) has lots of hobbyist electronics
and some nifty deals on instruments (check out the Protek 100
MHz dual-trace scope for $500...new, not "seconds"). For
orders over $50 you can get a nice promotional item (last
year's item was a nice 3 1/2 digit DVM. good all-around meter).

Going to www.oselectronics.com (Ocean State Electronics in
Rhode Island) you can find some nice prices there on many
things plus lots and lots of single and multi-gang variable
capacitors (expensive because those are rare items nowadays).

Digikey in Minnesota has all sorts of new components of a wide
variety and will waive shipping charges on orders over $25 (?).
www.digikey.com

Until chain drug stores carry germanium diodes on easy-to-grab
sales racks, expect to pay at least $9 to get any small, low-weight
mail order delivery via FedEx or UPS. Or go to a Radio Shack
store and pay much more (if they have it) and spend gas driving
to it.

Also does anyone know where to get the old Quaker Oats containers? The ones
I see in the stores have plastic tops.

"Plastic tops" won't hurt any hand-wound coil done in the old, old
traditional manner of crystal sets. If it has a metal band somewhere
in that circular container, you've got big trouble from the "coupled
shorted turn" effect lowering the inductance. [plastics used in most
packaging are non-conductive]

A better bet is to visit an office supply store chain such as Office
Depot or Office Max and check out the cardboard mailing tubes
both carry. All kinds of diameters and lengths to choose from.
The cardboard is thicker and sturdier and will have some slight
effect on copying a traditional oat-box coil former, but not over a
few percent off.

For a VERY sturdy coil former, DIY stores usually carry ABS
waste line pipe stock, diameters roughly to 4 inches with thick
walls. ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic is non-
conductive, non-magnetic. Check out the plumbing section at
those stores.



retired (from regular hours) electronic engineer person