How to do electronics with ease in Nigeria? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Oslaw
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 02:27:09 pm
content: I can get some components here in Nigeria. I have noticed some companies do not ship here. And EBay is slow. How do you continue doing electronics with limited funds and supply of components?

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2018, 11:47:31 pm
content: Maybe you grab up some surplus pieces and remove the parts. I haven't tried it but since a toaster oven will do reflow solder, I imagine it can heat the board enough that you could pull it and bang the edge to remove many of the components. I certainly have never tried using a torch on the back side of a PCB to desolder components on the front side. But I would...I guess I would be disassembling everything I could get my hands on. Doing electronics in Nigeria is going to be difficult. Creativity will be the key.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 12:54:07 am
content: Tell people around you that your interest is in electronics. Ask them to tell others.If they have broken or old electronics, give them to you instead of throwing out. Strip down anything broken and remove the PCBs for easy storage. A power supply from a TV would have a few components damaged, the rest are fine.With a multimeter, solder sucker and solder you can do component troubleshooting and repairs. When you need a component look through PCBs for something suitable. Charge people for the repair or sell off things you repair. Use this to fund buying better equipment and components.Don't think you are alone in doing this, I have a pile of PCBs as well.

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 01:44:17 am
content: I checked shipping rates to Nigeria from USA. Reasonable sized box, 3lb maybe, would cost around $60.Yes, fairly expensive, but perhaps someone on here (me even) would be willing to send a package of stuff, if you knew what you were interested in.In your case, it may be worthwhile to stockpile as many components as possible. If you had access to a fast, local distributor (like Digikey/Mouser here in the US), then the consensus (these days) would be to *not* stockpile components, and instead buy as needed. However, since shipping will be slow and expensive to Nigeria, perhaps building up a diverse collection of parts would be in your favor.How slow is shipping from eBay? (China, I presume?) For instance, if someone in the US purchased a collection of inexpensive parts from China and sent them to Nigeria, I can't imagine it taking less than 2 weeks total. Is it slower than that?What is your focus? Are you just starting off, trying to learn?

author: Oslaw
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 12:00:12 pm
content: Quote from: TimNJ on June 27, 2018, 01:44:17 amThanks for the reply.I ordered for ARM Cortex-M4 development board (STM32F4Discovery) from ebay on the 10th of this month and still expecting it. I am a beginner interested in Automation, IOT and Robotics. Still searching for the few electronics markets in my city.

author: tester43
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 01:44:48 pm
content: did you try asking for shipment cost in china sources (alibaba/aliexpress etc)?

author: Teledog
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 02:46:40 pm
content: I don't mean to hijack the the thread, but 2 weeks shipping is fast!Anything coming from overseas for postal delivery in Canada is typically 2 to 8 months - really!https://forums.redflagdeals.com/mail-processing-canada-customs-slow-711375/328/

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2018, 04:02:53 pm
content: Quote from: Oslaw on June 27, 2018, 12:00:12 pmNot trying to invalidate your concerns, but I'd say 17+ days is not completely out of the ordinary when ordering from China. I recently bought some aluminum knobs and they took close to two months to come in. That said, if the 17 days turns into 57 days, then getting anything done would indeed be quite tricky.I'd say with a reasonable selection of parts, a multimeter, your M4 dev board, and a computer, you can get pretty far!If you are having trouble getting a hold of very particular parts/items,(i.e. No sellers shipping to Nigeria), let me know, maybe we can figure out an alternate way.

author: Sudo_apt-get_install_yum
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2018, 08:02:13 am
content: I have no idea how it is in Nigeria but when I was getting started with electronics at a young age, I didn’t really have much money nor did eBay have the same electronics they have now.I used to go to the dumpster and pick up random electronics devices that I tough were interesting and rebuilt, repurposed them or salvaged parts and made new things from the parts. It was time consuming but 10 year old I didn’t have much money and I learned a lot from it!When I got older and got my first job I saved up the money and ordered modules or components on eBay or went to the local electronics shop (Elfa) and purchased them. Back then there was no easy/ cheap way to make PCB's so everything was hand soldered with jumpers on proto boards.I also built up an "electronics lab" in my bedroom with soldering iron, scope, components shelves and more. I still use my 40+ year old Weller tat I salvaged from my high school; they were going to toss it out since someone cut the cable.Nowadays I’m much lazier and make more complex projects so I design the PCB send it of for production, go to Digi Key, order the components and ill have everything at my door within a week. Then I just go to work steal there reflow oven and I’ve got a hopefully working PCB within a week from sending the design of. I also have a real electronics lab at work so I no longer need one at home, just need the basics!Hopefully this gave you some ideas!You don’t really need much to get started with electronic; nowadays you can simulate a lot on the computer so you don’t really need a physical circuit to get started.If there is will there is a way!