If you're looking for replacement knobs - or ANYTHING else... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2020, 08:05:33 pm
content: ...schedule a visit to Shenzhen China. We just got back from another trip there, and when I saw this I thought of the frequent "WTB knobs for [T&M equipment]" threads that appear in this forum.This was just ONE vendor in a small booth, there are dozens more just like it. There are booths that specialize in just knobs... just LED strips... just LiPo batteries. Want some electrolytic caps? There are booths that have what appear to be gallon sized ZipLoc bags stuffed full of hundreds and hundreds of axial or radial leaded caps in any value or voltage you want. Need SMD components on reels? There are booths with racks and racks of every passive component, plus many IC's too. We're talking THOUSANDS of reels as far as you can see.One booth was slightly unique in that it had surprising one-off RF components. Attenuators with SMA or N connectors, in steps of 10dB, out to 10GHz+. Diplexers in the same frequency ranges. Amazing stuff that just doesn't show up at the usual hamfest. Every conceivable RF adapter in every gender and split combination. There was one booth that had every connector and coax type I could think of and if they didn't have something pre-fabbed they'd make it up for you if you bought at least ten or so (if my Chinglish understanding was accurate). Example: Need a UFL to RP-SMA pigtail 10cm long? They had 'em by the dozens.The multi-story photo is just one small building in this market. The market stretches for blocks in every direction, with major streets running through it as well as wide walking paths. It's like an American outdoor shopping mall x100. We went there twice while in Shenzhen, hours each time, and didn't see ten percent of it. You could spend several full days just getting the feel of the place. Folks that hang out here would feel like they've been dropped into EE Disneyland. I suspect that other than some very specialized IC's, you can probably get everything you need for any imaginable project from raw PCB laminate to enclosures. And all of this was literally in downtown Shenzhen. Prime real estate across main streets from high rise hotels and business buildings.Granted, the quality of these components might be suspect here and there. But the breadth of selection was just mind-boggling. And the prices were ridiculously low, so low that I'd be tempted to buy 2-3X any required quantity and just throw away the bad ones. It's also tempting to show up, buy some new inexpensive luggage (they sell that too, this isn't a new idea!), stuff it full of things folks want back home, and haul it back.Truly remarkable.

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2020, 11:05:33 pm
content: Neat! I've heard of similar places in Japan, but wouldn't have guessed Shenzen was big on salvaging gear for parts or the like - which I'd assume is the way to get a healthy stock of knobs.If you only want plastics, though, there's always a 3d printer and a CAD program

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2020, 11:45:58 pm
content: Quote from: DaJMasta on January 05, 2020, 11:05:33 pmI'd say 95% of what is offered is brand new. Some of that microwave RF stuff I mentioned was used, but otherwise most things are brand new. On SMD reels, in antistatic packages, etc. Battery cells are in bulk packaging of course. Through-hole discretes are in bags of hundreds. There was one floor in one huge building devoted entirely to LED's of every type... walk on the floor and start bartering for your best deal. My 17YO son got a couple of vendors bartering against each other for some components, he's a ruthless negotiator and was absolutely in his element.

author: andy3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2020, 12:20:19 am
content: Reminds me of the times I was going to Singapore very often some 30+ years back. There was this place called Sim Lim Tower where the vendors had everything and anything one wants. I used to spend hours looking for all sorts of parts there and always came back with more than I wanted. The advantage in Singapore is that the whole place is so small, you can find all the genuine agents for the top US/Japanese/British Hi-Fi equipment manufacturers within a few miles of each other. Unlike here, you could buy any part for anything over the counter. I have even bought glass dials for age old tuner amps there. Amazing place.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 06, 2020, 02:54:46 am
content: I think I'd get lost in there ... and never want to come out.