Ordering from onlinecomponents

[bloodygood]

I was just getting ready to place an order with onlinecomponents.com but it looks like they mainly or only ship to businesses. Since I do not have a business location to ship to, is there some way to get a shipment from them to a residential location? As I haven't ordered through them before I was hoping someone who has might have some advice. I have a small order mainly for a test project I have coming up for this Christmas, keeping the details a surprise until then.
Any help or recommendations are appreciated.

Note: I sent them an email already asking if they would be able to ship residentially and they have not responded, it has been a few days since I sent it.

[RColinTaylor]

Why not just claim you are a from-home business? I have done that a few times. Also, I am a Duke.

[bloodygood]

Why not just claim you are a from-home business? I have done that a few times. Also, I am a Duke.

Wouldn't I still need a wholesale license that many require to order from them? If I was a from home business and I had that, then I probably could, I am not sure if they require that or not. Also it requires a business name, did you just make something up then?

[RColinTaylor]

Wouldn't I still need a wholesale license that many require to order from them? If I was a from home business and I had that, then I probably could, I am not sure if they require that or not. Also it requires a business name, did you just make something up then?

I haven't ordered from them specifically so I am not sure about the Wholesale Licence requirement. I have in the past had companies require that I, too, be a business and include a name/address for that business so I just claimed home-business and named myself something pertaining to my actual real name.

[bloodygood]

I haven't ordered from them specifically so I am not sure about the Wholesale Licence requirement. I have in the past had companies require that I, too, be a business and include a name/address for that business so I just claimed home-business and named myself something pertaining to my actual real name.

I will keep that in mind then, but I want to wait and hear if anyone who has ordered from them will respond to this thread and perhaps that will clear up any questions for sure.

[dorkvader]

Why not just claim you are a from-home business? I have done that a few times. Also, I am a Duke.

Note that this is sometimes illegal.

Why onlinecomponents? If you only need a few, pester the company for samples. Otherwise, Mouser/digikey/farnell (element14, etc) or allied should have most things)

I'd wait on the e-mail response before doing anything major, though. If in doubt, call.

[bloodygood]

The one main reason is that I can't find one particular part anywhere else. I am trying to get MX1A31NN or MX1A31NW which they appear to have the N version. (toggle-able mx switch) I also mentioned I was looking for this in the classified section but no responses so far.

[dorkvader]

Ah, I see.

Well, I'd recommending calling. I know at my work, we much prefer calling customers than e-mail, though it depends on the company (and it's size). I'm surprised they stock such an uncommon switch.

If that doesn't work out. it looks like they can be sourced elsewhere:
http://www.masterdistributors.com/search.cfm?part_number=MX1A31NN

(other companies have quote request forms, and are unlikely to sell in limited quantities)
http://www.xsmicro.com/rfq.php?pn=MX1A-31NN&mfr=CHERRY
http://www.o2xygen.com/parts/MX1A31NN.htm

Finally: Have you tried to just buy them from their webstore. I know that other places mainly ship to businesses (So you may want to pick it up at work) but that doesn't mean that they won't ship to residential addresses at all. Lots of places that have stock and also show prices (so you don't have to get a quote) do so, to they can sell to anyone interested.

[bloodygood]

Thank you for the response. if you click the sourced link it links back to onlinecomponents where the stock is as it says 38. The quote requests as you said are not likely to get any motion if I am not ordering say 500+ of them (and I kind of doubt I can get 500 people on here interested for a groupbuy) or even 50 people wanting 10 each. It is a switch that is used I believe as the equivalent of the old "Shift Lock" key. It was when I tried going through placing the order that I got to the second and third screens say:
Phone number: Ext.: *
Company Name: *
*required
Since my phone wouldn't have an extension that is a partial give away, then the required company name was the kicker.

I can definitely try giving them a call if I don't hear back by mid-day monday.

[flyball]

any reason why you aren't trying jameco/mouser/digikey

[bloodygood]

any reason why you aren't trying jameco/mouser/digikey

If you can find MX1A31NN or MX1A31NW on any of those then please let me know. i have already checked and it wasn't there.

[flyball]

If you can find MX1A31NN or MX1A31NW on any of those then please let me know. i have already checked and it wasn't there.

http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/MX1A-E1NW/CH197-ND/20180
they use the part numbers from http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/switches/key/mx.htm

[bloodygood]

http://search.digikey.com/us/en/products/MX1A-E1NW/CH197-ND/20180
they use the part numbers from http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/switches/key/mx.htm

Yes, yes they do, and that is not the switch I asked about. That is a 3 not an E. the switch looks like this.
Black with grey upper housing: alternate action, 60cN, MX1A-3

This switch appears to act like the ALPS capslock switch, as it incorporates a latching mechanism. Toggles state each time it's pressed (aka push-on, push-off).

[cactux]

Yes, yes they do, and that is not the switch I asked about. That is a 3 not an E. the switch looks like this.
Black with grey upper housing: alternate action, 60cN, MX1A-3

Show Image

This switch appears to act like the ALPS capslock switch, as it incorporates a latching mechanism. Toggles state each time it's pressed (aka push-on, push-off).

what is the price per unit if > 100

[bloodygood]

what is the price per unit if > 100

The website only has 38 in stock. http://www.onlinecomponents.com/cherry-electrical_mx1a31nn.html?p=11075424 link to all information I have from them. I really just want 1. $11.32 each (buying 1-49). Afterall this is a Toggle on/off switch, not to be used for typing unless a replacement for "capslock" with a literal shiftlock. which is a good use of it.

Oops sorry list of prices from site
1-49 :   $11.32
50-99 :   $9.08
100-499 :   $7.38
500-999 :   $6.80
1000-1999 :   $6.35
2000-4999 :   $5.88
5000 + :   $5.68

[cactux]

^ thanks

[flyball]

Thank you for the response. if you click the sourced link it links back to onlinecomponents where the stock is as it says 38. The quote requests as you said are not likely to get any motion if I am not ordering say 500+ of them (and I kind of doubt I can get 500 people on here interested for a groupbuy) or even 50 people wanting 10 each. It is a switch that is used I believe as the equivalent of the old "Shift Lock" key. It was when I tried going through placing the order that I got to the second and third screens say:
Phone number: Ext.: *
Company Name: *
*required
Since my phone wouldn't have an extension that is a partial give away, then the required company name was the kicker.

I can definitely try giving them a call if I don't hear back by mid-day monday.

it looks like you can just type in a phone number without an extension. put home for the company name or something.

[bloodygood]

it looks like you can just type in a phone number without an extension. put home for the company name or something.

I would still think that using "Home" would qualify as falsifying their order sheet. But since I do not know, and I still plan on calling them on Monday, I will update with what I find out, so that others know too.

[Dox]

I just ordered 2 of those switches. I put my name in the Company Name field and you don't need to put anything in the extension field.
I did that before when I ordered from them last time.

[bloodygood]

I just ordered 2 of those switches. I put my name in the Company Name field and you don't need to put anything in the extension field.
I did that before when I ordered from them last time.

Thank you for the reply! I am glad to know someone has done it before, I plan on placing my order that way then. Thank you again.

Edit: Order Placed!

[dorkvader]

Looks like they don't really care that much about company. I'm sure it's for some sort of records keeping or some such.

I may want to order one, if I ever get enough time to DIY-up a keyboard.

[bloodygood]

Looks like they don't really care that much about company. I'm sure it's for some sort of records keeping or some such.

I may want to order one, if I ever get enough time to DIY-up a keyboard.

For now it will be for my project for Christmas, but after that i will be using it in a Dox KB. Very interested in developing my own layout as shown in the HHKB thread I started.

[dorkvader]

Hmm, are you plate-mounting? If so, where are you sourcing the plate?

I really want a plate/case design, and I have a few good ideas for achieving it, but I just don't know where I can get the plate punched. Maybe I'll borrow the punch at the university here and do it myself.

[bloodygood]

Hmm, are you plate-mounting? If so, where are you sourcing the plate?

I really want a plate/case design, and I have a few good ideas for achieving it, but I just don't know where I can get the plate punched. Maybe I'll borrow the punch at the university here and do it myself.

I would recommend asking over at the Dox post. http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:19227&do=comments There are many people there working on the same thing, I am still trying to source all the parts myself. Yes I will be plate-mounting also.

[Dox]

I just got my switches! I'm gonna open one and take pictures* later.

*crappy cell pics

[bloodygood]

I just got my switches! I'm gonna open one and take pictures* later.

*crappy cell pics

Oh awesome I am looking forward to seeing the pictures. Mine won't be here until Monday -very disappointed-

[Dox]

Crappy pictures as promised.  The spring in the switches are stiffer then clear spring, they feel much nicer with blue spring in them.

[bloodygood]

Crappy pictures as promised.  The spring in the switches are stiffer then clear spring, they feel much nicer with blue spring in them.

Considering they are a sort of single press key, I would think they do not necessarily need to be the softest click. But I can see what you mean as far as using a lighter spring since those look absolutely high pressure. From what I can tell from the picture, it has a 3 prong ring that spins each time the key is pressed and that activates the on off function? They do look quite nice and it is good to know that they are easy to disassemble like any other mx switch. Can you tell if it is possible to swap the upper housing+spring with any other switch, or is it a one piece one function kind of keyswitch. They do look awesome and I didn't know that they stayed literally pressed down in the on position, I had thought they was a internal toggle not the whole stem, very impressive design.
For the sake of asking, do you have any plans as far as what you want to do with your switches? i had a feeling that since you bought two you might have some interesting idea up your sleeve.

[Dox]

Yes that's right on how the switch activate. The parts of the switches (except the spring) are not interchangeable with standard cherry switches.
[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 30778[/ATTACH] [ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 30779[/ATTACH] [ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 30780[/ATTACH]

I'm not sure about what I'm gonna do with those yet but something like a toggle function layer for a numpad or mouse keys could be useful.

[bloodygood]

Yes that's right on how the switch activate. The parts of the switches (except the spring) are not interchangeable with standard cherry switches.
(Attachment Link) 30778[/ATTACH] (Attachment Link) 30779[/ATTACH] (Attachment Link) 30780[/ATTACH]

I'm not sure about what I'm gonna do with those yet but something like a toggle function layer for a numpad or mouse keys could be useful.

That just blew my mind. I think 1 shift lock and 1 Fn lock is an absolutely genius idea. I now know I will be ordering a second one in the near future for my future Fox keyboard. Thank you very much for the thorough Mod article. This is definitely going to be an awesome project.
The main reason I had wondered if they could be swapped was to see if they could be swapped into PCB mounted switches since I can't find any suppliers for that version, but that is okay Plate mounted only is more ideal for a custom keyboard anyway. Thank you very much for your findings, this was definitely a good idea to look in to.