Sourcing Astro Pi parts from USA-based websites/stores
Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 2:54 pm
Greeting, everyone!
I am writing from Florida, USA and I am attempting to put together a Astro Pi.
I'm a bit of a space/NASA geek and I've always wanted to learn how to programming, 3D-printing, and working with electronic parts. It was exciting to for me to read articles on Astro Pi and I see Astro Pi as a great opportunity to learn my aforementioned desires. I am a photographer by trade, so this is a new direction and experience for me.
I've got a Raspberry Pi 3 B, the Sense HAT, the camera v2.1 board, and I had the Flight Case printed out by a local 3D printer. The remaining tasks left for me are getting the electronic parts and putting it all together. Getting the electronic parts has proven to be a tricky endeavor for two reasons; I am a total newbie to electronic parts and the only place I can see where I could get all the parts in a kit is at this link: http://cpc.farnell.com/ucreate/uc-apk-c ... dp/SC14158 . I've been in contact with this company and for various reasons, it is not practical for me to buy the kit from CPC.
So now I am attempting to source the parts individually and locally. I am basing my list off the part list shown in this link (scroll down to almost the bottom of the web page): https://www.raspberrypi.org/learning/as ... worksheet/ . But this list is too generic for me to adequately source the parts with. It assumed I know what I'm doing, lol.
The bolts, nuts, washers, screws, and standoffs, I probably can find those in a local hardware store.
The tactile buttons, I've found a set at www.amazon.com. They looked similar enough to the Astro Pi worksheet's images.
https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-button-Loc ... ton+switch
It's the wires, the header, insulation boots, and friction fit crimp I wish to seek further clarification on in order for me to find them locally.
"Jumper wires"; will any do? What gauge am I looking for? 16?
"Length of black wire"; I saw 50cm in the CPC link so I have the required length. Same gauge as jumper wires?
"insulation boot" and "friction fit crimp"; I think I can find these at a local marine store, but could someone clarify on exactly what insulation boot and friction fit crimp I am looking for?
"Extended 23-way pin header": finding the right header is giving me the most difficulty because I don't know anything about headers. This is a first for me. I've manually looked through results at www.amazon, www.adafruit.com, www.mouser.com and www.digikey.com and I could not find a suitable header (results either doesn't have the correct header or are too numerous for me to adequately go through). I did found a 20-pin header and a 40-pin header at www.adafruit.com; is one of those a suitable replacement? Also, what is the height requirement for a header that will work with Astro Pi?
As you can tell, I'm pretty green to this, lol, and it's a little embarrassing for me to ask such basic questions. But I wish to learn. Especially on the header, I will appreciate any information you can spare.
olav
I am writing from Florida, USA and I am attempting to put together a Astro Pi.
I'm a bit of a space/NASA geek and I've always wanted to learn how to programming, 3D-printing, and working with electronic parts. It was exciting to for me to read articles on Astro Pi and I see Astro Pi as a great opportunity to learn my aforementioned desires. I am a photographer by trade, so this is a new direction and experience for me.
I've got a Raspberry Pi 3 B, the Sense HAT, the camera v2.1 board, and I had the Flight Case printed out by a local 3D printer. The remaining tasks left for me are getting the electronic parts and putting it all together. Getting the electronic parts has proven to be a tricky endeavor for two reasons; I am a total newbie to electronic parts and the only place I can see where I could get all the parts in a kit is at this link: http://cpc.farnell.com/ucreate/uc-apk-c ... dp/SC14158 . I've been in contact with this company and for various reasons, it is not practical for me to buy the kit from CPC.
So now I am attempting to source the parts individually and locally. I am basing my list off the part list shown in this link (scroll down to almost the bottom of the web page): https://www.raspberrypi.org/learning/as ... worksheet/ . But this list is too generic for me to adequately source the parts with. It assumed I know what I'm doing, lol.
The bolts, nuts, washers, screws, and standoffs, I probably can find those in a local hardware store.
The tactile buttons, I've found a set at www.amazon.com. They looked similar enough to the Astro Pi worksheet's images.
https://www.amazon.com/Yosoo-button-Loc ... ton+switch
It's the wires, the header, insulation boots, and friction fit crimp I wish to seek further clarification on in order for me to find them locally.
"Jumper wires"; will any do? What gauge am I looking for? 16?
"Length of black wire"; I saw 50cm in the CPC link so I have the required length. Same gauge as jumper wires?
"insulation boot" and "friction fit crimp"; I think I can find these at a local marine store, but could someone clarify on exactly what insulation boot and friction fit crimp I am looking for?
"Extended 23-way pin header": finding the right header is giving me the most difficulty because I don't know anything about headers. This is a first for me. I've manually looked through results at www.amazon, www.adafruit.com, www.mouser.com and www.digikey.com and I could not find a suitable header (results either doesn't have the correct header or are too numerous for me to adequately go through). I did found a 20-pin header and a 40-pin header at www.adafruit.com; is one of those a suitable replacement? Also, what is the height requirement for a header that will work with Astro Pi?
As you can tell, I'm pretty green to this, lol, and it's a little embarrassing for me to ask such basic questions. But I wish to learn. Especially on the header, I will appreciate any information you can spare.
olav