How did you build up your set of components you use

[TheUnnamedNewbie]

Just to be clear I am not asking how to get parts, or what parts to stock up on. I'm also not asking what parts I should use.

I think everyone who does designs on a regular basis will build up a set of standard parts you pick from.
In my case, for example, I have 2 SMA board-edge connectors I will use (one that actually provides very high performance, the other that is just a cheap but reliable SMA connector for lower frequency control signals). Whenever I need to use a SMA connector in a design, I will grab one of these. Will they be the best possible choice on the market for my application? Probably not, the high performance ones are really quite high performance, and as a result not exactly cheap. However, the time it would take for me to go find a new one, check its performance, design the footprints, etc is probably going to cost a whole lot more than that connector, and thus for prototypes I always use it if I need to be able to trust the performance.

Similar things apply to basic DC/DC converter modules, or certain connectors, or PCB standoffs, protection diodes, LEDs, etc..

What I was wondering is - How did you build up your library? In my case, for most of the connectors, I got recommended them from colleagues. Others I just found them at some point and decided to keep using them. Still others it will be the support provided by the manufacturer (samples, application notes, eval boards, etc)

[CJay]

I tend to see what's being used by other hobbyists for their projects then, if it's cheap enough and easily available and I want to duplicate or build on their work I'll buy a few and store them, if I use them enough to run out or get low I replenish, if not they stay in a box somewhere until I find a use for them or give them away.

If I design something for myself I tend to use the 'net and places like this forum as a cookbook source, if I run dry here I'll go and use a parametric search on something like Farnell or RS, then the above applies again.

Microcontrollers, I tend to buy the top of the line version (PIC chips for instance, 18F4550 was my goto for development, it had all the peripherals I needed for a while and porting code to lesser versions was a doddle if I needed to save space/power etc.)

The bubblegum stuff, caps, resistors, basic transistors, I throw a few extra onto orders to make up the minimum order fee or until the total price 'looks nice'.

[bd139]

I'm slightly anal about this. I've got a big spreadsheet with parts in it and can do a parametric search on that. I will only buy stuff on that list and try and keep parts stock to a minimum these days. If I get burned by something crap, I'll chuck it in the "ebay box" and buy another couple of vendors' parts and pick the one I like. That will make it on the spreadsheet. This inevitably ends up with a list of Vishay, Bourns, Fairchild, Panasonic, LT, TI, Amphenol and very little else. Then I head in their direction when I want something else to avoid picking up crap.

Each row or section in the sheet has a link to a copy of the datasheet on disk.

Picking the examples I've got from you, typical product selection process:

1. DC/DC modules, I evaluated no brand ones from China, BYO and was dissatisfied and ended up with Recom modules from RS.
2. Connectors. I just head to Amphenol or TE connectivity now. So many let downs elsewhere it's unfunny. Literally wasted hundreds of ££ on shit connectors over the years.
3. PCB standoffs. All hardware like this goes to Harwin. This is after turned pin sockets elsewhere corroded (!).
4. LEDs. Lite-On or Broadcom. This is after being burned by inconsistent brightness between other cheaper vendors.

Ergo, write a list of what you like, then buy it again. If something is crap, find something better and erase the crap things from the list.

Note: this can get seriously expensive but if your time is involved you win. Rarely do I get disappointed or have a problem now.

Not buying shite from Aliexpress will help too