Suggestion for getting parts in Canada? (not @ ratshack)
 

I went to the local ratshack this afternoon and struck out trying to get the parts to finish the Guino. Some were out of stock (the transistor - and it wasn't even clear if it was the right one).

Other parts (resistors) came in packs of 100 (I suppose that's normal - never looked at buying that stuff before).

Do I need a reality check? Any other supplier suggestions that don't involve expensive shipping from the US?

Maybe Futurlec might have everything and be more reasonable?

i.e.
LCD Display's

100 pack of resistors is normal. Although they should have some smaller 10 or 20 packs.

Have your tried digikey?

Digi-Key Corporation - Canada Home Page

Haven't tried Digikey yet. Last time I ordered something small from them, shipping was 2x the cost of the parts!

I wonder when some enterprising EM member will put kits together to sell & mail (for a reasonable profit, of course).

I'll do more hunting around tomorrow...

What parts are you still needing? Just interface parts, transistors, resistors, diodes, etc? I might have some extras that I can just stuff into an envelope for you.

The "kit" is an interesting idea, but would need to wait for a stable device. Wouldn't be very fair for a DIY if it shipped in a "not too stable" state and the buyer couldn't easily get the parts to make it right. But interesting indeed.

Where are you? GTA by chance? There are often "hobby" electronics stores or even better, some suppy stores that you can just walk in, walk down the isles and pick up whatever you want. Mississauga has a strip mall with about 7 such stores. If you can't find it there... well... you CAN find it there.

I've used digikey before, but I've also heard mouser.com is a good alternative. I'm not sure how much shipping would be though.

Metro,

Did you find your outstanding parts?

I've got him covered.

Great!

Hey, this is my 100th post! Woo-Hoo!

I went the iDuino way. Future Logic (iDuino) also has lots of other parts you can buy. I posted information on an iDuino MPGuino thread, so maybe that will be helpful. They are also out of Canada, and their shipping was under $3.00 for my order (an iDuino and pretty much everything else I could get from them for the build).

I know a good place
 

Metro, there's a great place in the GTA I found a while ago and it came in handy when I was making a wire to hook my old truck up to my laptop to record engine data from the ALDL. They have almost everything you'd need (save for maybe a chip or two) and everything's dirt cheap.

Sayal Electronics, SAYAL Electronics - Your Source For New And Surplus Electronic Components - We Buy Your Surplus! I think, they have a few locations in the GTA, Oakville, and Kitchener. and the place is always HUGE. I always end up spending a good half hour to an hour there browsing the random crap they have there.

In Montréal there is a couple of place: Adisson, Maddison, Future, Abra, etc.

I never go to radio-shack, I only go to hobby electronic store, they sell parts, kits, etc.

Take a look in yellow pages I guess.

Montreal's closer than the GTA for me, but still 2 hours! I guess I'll have to stick to online orders (digikey) in the future. Thanks for the replies, though.

Stuey, Sayal is exactly the place i was thinking... it is in a strip mall with A1 electronics and a bunch of others where you can get kits, parts, testing equipment, everything electronics