Just going through the cat bundled with the SC magazine.
I note that the component section is about the same as last year.
For valve work I have used the valve sockets, the Soanar 1 watt resistors, the 250 volt AC, 250 VDC polypropylene range and the 630 volt polyester capacitors, and the PW wirewound resistor range. I have never had a component failure. These parts may be too modern looking for some "vintage" repair work but are excellent for the sort of work I do.
While these parts are in the 2019 catalogue that means they will be bought and stocked for the life of the catalogue, after that who knows.
The way to keep any part in a Jaycar catalogue is to keep buying them!
Warehousing and selling means you have to justify the product being there and selling small components is a loss leader for any company!
I'm not advocating for Jaycar, I don't work for Gary Johnston any longer but just want to point out the realities of business.
There are forces in any company that are devoid of emotion, only see things from a stock sheet balance and would dearly love to get rid of loss leaders.
While Gary Johnston has any breath left in him components will stay. Read the editorial and you can see where both companies would like to be. Help both Jaycar and Altronics by buying their products and keeping their network of stores open. Look what happened to Dick Smith once the "bottom line" experts got their hands on the company. I have worked for company wrecking specialists who could not understand why the companies failed under their control: they could not understand what they were there for!
Ignore Altronics and Jaycar and they will turn into Bing Lee and Harvey Norman, both lovely companies and well run but just sell things in boxes by the bottom line and we can all join the "throw it out" brigade and forget any hobbies.
Fred.

I agree about Jaycar, but Altronics only has one store in Sydney and it's too hard to get to, not worth my while.

Look what happened to Dick Smith once the "bottom line" experts got their hands on the company.

Just goes to show how well a grocer runs an electronics chain (or two chains, if you count the Tandy takeover debacle).

Perth-based Altronics doesn't treat NSW seriously. Frankly, if its Auburn shop disappeared tomorrow I wouldn't even notice.

Most of the items you have mentioned are non existing in the two stores close to Wollongong.

Hi Jimb,
o dear. items are stocked by the store managers in response to customer purchases and tend to stock what people buy in that area.
The stores are a great show case and allow customers to "see" stuff before you buy.
I only have personal experience now with the Rydalmere store they tended to stock just about everything in the catalogue.
However to access all products a more direct approach may be to buy on line that way you access the warehouse and sidestep the stores. Great when you are buying by part number and know exactly what you want.

On Altronics, well Jaycar and Altronics were always in competition and tended to stick to their own side of the Island.
Then Jaycar expanded so much and now occupies the whole island!
While there is some common product, Altronics also tend to sell their own Aussie built PA and amplifier gear, something Jaycar never touched.
Use them or lose them.
Fred.

Perth-based Altronics doesn't treat NSW seriously. Frankly, if its Auburn shop disappeared tomorrow I wouldn't even notice.

I would notice. I work at a hospital which is fitted with around 400 televisions. We buy an audio amplifier from Altronics for the televisions to interface with the nurse call handset (which contains the loudspeaker to hear the telly with). This particular amplifier does the job and is easy to install at the same time.

Auburn isn't hard to get to. Just hit the M4 or take the train to Clyde and walk across Parramatta Road.

I agree, it'd be nice if they had more stores.

We are fortunate in Bathurst there is a Leading Edge which is a Jaycar outlet and don't know how many times I have scooted down there to get some odds and ends.

A good range of components and has saved me much trouble.

Have an account with Altronics and get stuff from them from time to time as well.

Hope these two businesses keep going for a long time.

I had forgotten about the stockists!
As well as about 100 shops, there are the stockists and that was heading to 150 when I was last there.
In effect that's 250 Plus street outlets on the mainland and on both "Islands".

Add to that the mail, phone and internet sales and you are starting to get an idea of how LARGE Electus (Jaycar) is.
Makes any thing else in the "electronics shop" category look tiny.

Still, use them, or lose them!

Fred.

It is at times (and time is changing this weekend) amazing just how much fun (sic) chasing parts is & how rude some organisations are.

One of the suppliers worth noting is RS components, whilst I baulk at some of their prices, they should not be overlooked and I have bought from them and sometimes Middendorp. They carry "Trade" stuff & some of the meters for valve radio, need to be "Trade" / Industrial in order to get the voltage rating. "Category" is important. AVO 7X pre dates it, but will not internally flash over under 3kV.

Whilst I have found a source; Being in a rural area it is incredible at times what turns up here for repair and that can be a tractor & recently a HO gauge Locomotive based on an EMD GD50: Magnifying glass job. However, I was looking for a 20μF 900V Pulse grade cap for an electric fence energiser (7kV). Naturally the Produce Merchant only sells energisers & all they do is send them back to the manufacturer. So I contact the mob that make them: Not even the courtesy of a reply & I have an ABN. That's a wonderful way of loosing repeat business.

Auburn isn't hard to get to. Just hit the M4 or take the train to Clyde and walk across Parramatta Road.

And if you go to 233-239 Parramatta Rd you'll find a new Jaycar outlet, about 500 metres from Altronics.

If I require a part that must be of highest quality I use either RS or Element 14 despite the high cost.
Their freight cost is also very reasonable and I know the parts won't be counterfeit.
WES is good for run of the mill parts but I've had counterfeit semiconductors from them in the past which I notified them about but got no response.