• 22-gauge solid wire, insulated, 15–25 feet (you only need 15 feet of wire if you purchase precut jumper wires). Multiple colors are preferable but not necessary. Tayda Electronics sells black (#A-4994), white (#A-4995), red (#A-4996), yellow (#A-4997), green (#A-4998), and blue (#A-4999) for $0.10 per foot.
• Alligator clips, fully insulated. Get 1 set of 10, preferably in assorted colors. RadioShack #2700378 (1 1/4-inch mini clips) or #2700356 (2-inch clips) or similar ($2.50–$3.50 per set). Also check online at Walmart, Amazon, or eBay.
• Alligator clip jumper wires (also called test leads). Get 1 set of 10. Tayda Electronics #A-2373 ($2.46) or similar.
• Two (minimum) 3-pin single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) slide switches. Make sure these switches are breadboard friendly with pins spaced 0.1 inch (2.54 mm) apart. Banana Robotics #BR010115 (5-pack for $0.99), Tayda Electronics #A-5102 ($0.78 each). Or look on Amazon.com or eBay for the 50-pack Amico #610256339894 (roughly $4.00).
• Eight 4-pin mini pushbutton (momentary-on, normally open) switches (also called tactile switches). Tayda Electronics #A-5127 or #A-5126 ($0.04 each) or similar.
✓ Resistors: You’ll need an assortment of resistor values. Look for carbon film resistors rated at 1/4 watt (W) (or more) with a tolerance of 20 percent (or less).
Tayda Electronics sells individual resistors for just pennies each. Select RadioShack stores offer a variety pack (#2710312, $14.49), which contains 500 assorted 1/4 W resistors with 5 % tolerance and includes all the values listed next.
Listed next are the resistor values, the color codes used to identify them, and the minimum quantities you need. Note that Ω is the symbol for ohms, the unit of measure for resistance. I recommend you get at least one extra of each of these values:
• One 10 Ω (brown-black-black)
• One 47 Ω (yellow-violet-black)
• Five 100 Ω (brown-black-brown)
• One 220 Ω (red-red-brown)
• One 330 Ω (orange-orange-brown)
• Two 470 Ω (yellow-violet-brown)
• One 820 Ω (grey-red-brown)
• Two 1 kΩ (brown-black-red)
• One 1.2 kΩ (brown-red-red)
• Two 1.8 kΩ (brown-grey-red)
• Two 2.2 kΩ (red-red-red)
• One 2.7 kΩ (red-violet-red)
• One 3 kΩ (orange-black-red)
• One 3.9 kΩ (orange-white-red)
• One 5.1 kΩ (green-brown-red)
• One 10 kΩ (brown-black-orange)
• One 22 kΩ (red-red-orange)
• One 47 kΩ (yellow-violet-orange)
• One 100 kΩ (brown-black-yellow)
• One 470 kΩ (yellow-violet-yellow)
• One 1 MΩ (brown-black-green)
• Optional: 1 4.7 MΩ (yellow-violet-green)
✓ Potentiometers (variable resistors):
Tayda Electronics has each value you need for just $0.50. Expect to spend $3.49 each if you purchase potentiometers at RadioShack stores. You need these rotary potentiometers:
• One 10 kΩ (linear taper). Tayda Electronics #A-1982 or similar.
• One 100 kΩ (linear taper). Tayda Electronics #A-1984 or similar.
• One 100 kΩ (audio/logarithmic taper). Tayda Electronics #A-1956 or similar.
• One 500 kΩ or 1 MΩ (linear taper). Tayda Electronics #A-1985 or #A-1658 or similar.
✓ Capacitors: When you buy the capacitors in the following list, it’s important to look for a voltage rating of 16 volts (V) or higher. Prices range from roughly $0.01 to $1.49 each, depending on the size and supplier. Tayda Electronics sells each value for just pennies. Always order at least one extra, especially electrolytic capacitors. Note in the following list that F is the abbreviation for farads, the unit of measure for capacitance:
• One 2200 pF (which is 2.2 nF or 0.0022 μF) ceramic disc
• Two 0.01 μF Mylar (polyester) film
• One 0.047 μF ceramic disc
• One 0.1 μF Mylar (polyester) film
• One 4.7 μF electrolytic
• Two 10 μF electrolytic
• One 22 μF electrolytic
• One 47 μF electrolytic
• One 220 μF electrolytic
• One 470 μF electrolytic
• Optional: One 100 μF electrolytic
✓ LEDs and other diodes: Minimum quantities are specified in the following list, but I recommend you purchase at least a few more of each. (They’re cheap – and they’re fryable.)
• Ten diffused light-emitting diodes (LEDs), any size (3 mm or 5 mm recommended), any color. Buy at least one red, one yellow, and one green for the traffic light circuit in Project 13. Tayda Electronics sells 5 mm LEDs for $0.03 each in green (#A-1553), red (#A-1554), and yellow (#A-1555), as well as other colors and sizes for a few pennies each. (I suggest you buy ten red, ten yellow, and ten green.)
• Eight ultrabright clear LEDs, 5 mm, white. Tayda Electronics #A-408 ($0.05 each).
• Ten 1N4148 or 1N914 small signal diodes. Tayda Electronics #A-157 ($0.01 each) or #A-615 ($0.03 each).
• One 1N34/1N34A germanium diode. Tayda Electronics #A-1716 ($0.24).
✓ Transistors: Buy one or two more than the minimum specified quantity of each type, just in case you fry one. They cost pennies each online, or $1.49 each in RadioShack stores.
• Two 2N3904 general-purpose NPN bipolar transistors. Tayda Electronics #A-111 ($0.02).
• One 2N3906 general-purpose PNP bipolar transistor. Tayda Electronics #A-117 ($0.02).
✓ Integrated circuits (ICs):
• Two 555 timers (8-pin DIP). Splurge and buy four or five! Tayda Electronics #A-249 ($0.13 each).
• One LM386 audio power amplifier (8-pin DIP). Get two because they’re so cheap. Tayda Electronics #A-206 ($0.23).
• One 4017 CMOS decade counter. Buy at least two because these chips are sensitive to static discharge. Tayda Electronics #A-020 ($0.30 each).
✓ Miscellaneous:
• One 8 Ω, 0.5 W speaker. Tayda Electronics #A-4140 ($1.28), RadioShack #2730092 ($3.99), or similar.
• One or more light-dependent resistor (LDR, or photoresistor). (any value). Tayda Electronics #A-1528 ($0.24) or similar.
• One spool (at least 50 feet) of 24 gauge (AWG) magnet wire. You need this expensive item if you choose to build the radio in Project 14. Temco #MW0190 or similar. ($6.00–$15.00 online at Amazon or eBay.)
• (Optional) One cheap ($10.00 or less) 3.5 mm audio headset. This headset is optional for Project 14. Check Walmart or your local dollar or other discount store.
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