Were can I find...

[dis12upt]

So I'm just tinkering around looking at 4 old computers i have sitting around and decide i want to make a laser pointer.

I have a few diodes from dvd burners already but I want to make a driver to protect them.

I tried locally to get the diffrent parts needed on the many tutorials but no one in this town has any of them, and usally i get a funny look when I ask.

So I figured the parts may be found on my old Pc's.

So far I have several resistors and capastors but dont know how to tell what they are rated for but found websites that will help me determine that.

Next I notice everyone says I need this LM 317 chip, I didnt find one with those serials on it but I did find a "LT 428" "MO8PEC" "LT 422" "2sc2625" and one with no labling.

Im wondering if anyone knows if those will work, or how a person could test them and compair to a LM 317.

And lastly where could one find a pot in either a PC or any home appliance.

I did find most of these parts in the power supply section of the PC.

 

[Wolfman29]

As far as I am aware, there are no LM317 chips in any normal PCs. Trust me, I have looked hard and I haven't found any =p However, pots can be found in any appliance where you adjust volume, speed, etc., for that is what they need to adjust current flow - a pot!

Unfortunately, however, most pots you are going to find in household devices are going to be *very* high resistance pots due to the huge amount of voltage flowing and the tiny amounts of current that most of these devices will need.

As for the the resistors... I assume they are using the band system? Here.

 

[dis12upt]

Ok that makes sence, Im sorta new to this stuff. So I need to find a small low powered electronic device, would say an old MP3 player or discman work?

I am using the color band system and found a nifty little calculator, but now having a hard time finding a 10 ohm resistor.

Also one question i do have is in computers there tube looking things like resistors that are black with one band on them usually silver, what are those?

 

[Wolfman29]

Well, yeah, an old MP3 player or discman would work perfectly, especially because they have a volume control mechanism.

As for the 10 ohm resistor... yeah, most resistors you will find in a computer will be in the kOhms range.

And do they stand up vertically? If so, I think you are talking about electrolytic capacitors.

 

[dis12upt]

no they lay down, i think they are diodes?

 

[Coherent Light]

Can You post pictures of the Parts?

 

[Wolfman29]

Yeah, pictures would be helpful.

 

[BShanahan14rulz]

black barrel with a silver stripe around the diameter of one end with a lead coming out of each end is a diode. 1n4### series may be worth harvesting to make a test load.

 

[Leodahsan]

Uuh, you can't use 'volume control' pots everytime. For a DVD burner, the pot you want should be around 50 ohms.

 

[midias]

Radio shack has the parts or an online parts site like US - Electronic Components Distributor | Newark.com Electronic Components Distributor | DigiKey Corp. | US Home Page Mouser Electronics - Electronic Component Distributor

 

[dis12upt]

black barrel with a silver stripe around the diameter of one end with a lead coming out of each end is a diode. 1n4### series may be worth harvesting to make a test load.

^^^ exactly what I meant.

Also the radio shack here and other stores dont really carry much in regards to these components.

I live in northern Canada, so I will have to order some things off the net I suppose.