tools / test gear / components in the US?

[Dave McGuire]

On Mar 8, 2007, at 9:38 AM, Jules Richardson wrote:
>> Out of interest, whereabout in the US is good (mail order) for  
>> getting hold of tools / test gear and components? There's only a  
>> Rat Shack in town here, which as everyone knows is utterly useless  
>> for absolutely anything :(
>
> Thanks for all the replies everyone - certainly given me a few  
> useful places to look at anyway.
>
> Like Zane, I prefer to have real paper catalogues rather than some  
> electronic version anyway, which is making Digikey sound good...

   Mouser also sends out gigantic paper catalogs..  (lest you think  
the decision is that easy!)

   Realistically speaking, you'll need to deal with several  
distributors.  Even carrying different parts numbered in the hundreds  
of thousands, no distributor can (practically) carry them all.  When  
purchasing components for a project, I almost always place orders  
with both DigiKey and Mouser, and sometimes one or two other vendors  
as well (usually direct from the manufacturer...Analog Devices,  
Linear Technology, etc).

             -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL