Surplus electronics shops

Thinking about it Maplin/Toys r Us ...um both sell expensive toys for kids (maplin has sold more toy tat like remote controll cars etc than anything else for years)

Maybe it's that market segment where the value is collapsing ?

Interestingly this article suggests that VC's milking Maplins were at least partially resposable for it's demise

http://www.itv.com/news/2018-02-28/was-private-equity-to-blame-for-maplins-failure/

I can see that happening. But also some of it was their own doing though : (

I never understood why some of their product portfolio never changed from decades ago. They were still selling 74LS logic gates! : )  And TBA820M, the early (seriously awful) 12C508 PICs, etc : )

Some stuff was not bad though : ) usable stripboard, project boxes, tons of enamelled wire (again something they never updated, but in this case I didn't mind that : )

I can see that happening. But also some of it was their own doing though : (

I never understood why some of their product portfolio never changed from decades ago. They were still selling 74LS logic gates! : )  And TBA820M, the early (seriously awful) 12C508 PICs, etc : )

Some stuff was not bad though : ) usable stripboard, project boxes, tons of enamelled wire (again something they never updated, but in this case I didn't mind that : )

I find the colours on modern day tiny resistors are often a bit difficult to make out, compared with those on the old 1/4 and 1/2 watt resistors of olden days.....(nostalgia isn't what it used to be).

I always double check with the meter...........is that an age thing as well?

A bit of both. Look for 5 or some with the same colours then check them with a meter.

It's exactly that rationale that means I hoard random old electronics and random hardware . . . . .

Then I keep it somewhere 'really safe', so safe that I can't find it later - so I end up buying the stuff again!

Ow! That's painful meditation!

You doing it the clever way (colour codes) or the cheats way (measure)?

I picked up a mystery box of components from Freegle last year. Just got around to sorting out the resistors, so far have done about 50 or so. I think it will be something I'll do in the evening as a form of meditation.

Same issues with fixings - pay £1 each for 8mm bolts at somewhere like B&Q......maybe get a box of 50 for £10 at Screwfix. Depends how many you need now & whether you'll need more in the future.

As an old guy I knew used to say "I'd keep that if I were you; it'll come in handy one day, even if you never use it"

Same here, I have one within 11 miles and one about 22 miles away, I will pay IF I need it now, but kick myself afterwards for being impatient.

As an example, I bought some venerable old 1N4148 switching diodes at 9p each, 6 of them cost me 54p - not that much.

I checked with CPC that evening, a PACK OF 50 for 47p inc VAT!!

Stick in on a £5 (+VAT) order and It would have been cheaper to buy 50 and throw 44 away!

I reckon THAT is part of the reason they were struggling.

I'm not that near to one but do pop in when I am nearby and need something quickly. But I've been disappointed by their parts department so normally only use them for stuff like switches, boxes, batteries etc that can't be damaged.

I am usually "near" a Maplin about once a fortnight & usually call in for a browse. I often find something I've seen online, but would like to examine properly. I sometimes pay a slight premium at Maplin, to walk out with it, rather than wait a week for the post to deliver.