Hobbymakers like me consume a lot of components. We need the electronics, modules and mechanical fixings for our builds. I can’t always plan or predict what I may need so I also need them on short lead times and without breaking the bank.
When you manufacture a product or do a pilot run you work to a stable fixed design. From which you have a component list to purchase. Planning the production run allows one to seek deals, negotiate on components and accept delivery lead times. For small-run projects and in R&D this is not the same. To keep the project going we need the components in good time. Ideally, they are on the shelf because we predicted the need. My crystal ball is foggy and I need a small number of components quickly.
Of course, I source stuff from the big marketplace websites (Amazon and eBay). One has to avoid a few common issues with them though. Lead times can be longer than I want, and I have to take care to spot the estimated delivery time. This is because some of these things are being shipped by sea from Asia with a 4-week plus lead time. Since Brexit even EU orders can be problematic in timeline. Finally, the quality of the modules ordered can be an issue with some being poorly soldered clones. So ordering from the marketplace is not always straightforward.
I also buy from the really great Raspberry PI Eco System retailers (ThePiHut and Pimoroni). Modules and components from these guys are good quality but sometimes feel expensive. These suppliers really come into their own in shipping Raspberry PI products and specific modules built for Raspberry PIs and Picos.
I’ve been looking for an additional option for components and modules in the UK. I think I have found it in Kunune. I can get quick delivery of UK-hosted stock. Great customer service on a good range of components and modules.
My friends at Kunkune have also offered a discount on their first order to the readers of my blog. Just quote “drjonea20” at checkout to get 20% discount. This excludes electronic test equipment and FNIRSI.
