newbie on board

[parricide]

hi everyone
im new around here so first id like to say hi to everyone. so. er. HI

i have been thinking about bending for about 6 months and finally bought a speak and spell for my first toy.
i dont know much about electronics and components but i have been reading a lot around and i am starting to learn a bit. one of the places i keep ending up is here, so i thought id join, and i hope to be around for a long time.
other than to say hi i started this thread for advice on a first bend. i have read the tips section here http://www.circuitbenders.co.uk/tips.html
and im going to start stocking up on components going by the list.
i saw suggested shops in another thread and ended up browsing the rapid electronics online store and bookmarking what i will need.
maybe someone could tell me if ive made a bad choice with any of my selections? here are the parts

http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Switches/Rocker-Switches/SPST-Snap-in-rocker-switch/71446/kw/SPST
http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Switches/Rocker-Switches/SPST-Illuminated-snap-in-rocker-switches/75721/kw/SPST
http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Connectors/Equipment-Wire/Equipment-Wire/10-0.1mm-Equipment-wire-1kV-at-0.5A/62319 couldnt find any 7/0.1mm wire on this site
http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Resistors-Potentiometer/Control-Potentiometers/16mm-Commercial-potentiometers/65222/kw/potentiometer
http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Fasteners-Production-Equipment/Fasteners-Fixings/Knobs/16mm-Soft-touch-knob/64710/kw/knobs
http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Connectors/Connectors-Audio-Video/Jack/6.35mm-PCB-Mounting-standard-jack-sockets/400553/kw/output+jack

ive got most of the stuff covered apart from the push to make/break buttons. what exactly are these? and what is different about them from any other buttons?

also, does the, 10/0.1mm, for example, on wire represent how thick it is? and is this measurement to show you how much current it can handle? and if you have thicker wire do you really need thinner stuff? (maybe thicker wire adds resistance?)

i think thats all for now
sorry for the long post.
any help is greatly appreciated.

[Circuitbenders]

Nice avatar 

I wouldn't go for those switches if i were you, especially not on something like a speak & spell. Look at the size and shape of the holes you're going to have to drill and/or cut out for thosethings.
I'd go for something like this http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Switches/Toggle-Switches/Sub-miniature-toggle-switches/79431 although those are a bit plastic and shit so i usually use these http://www.jprelec.co.uk/store.asp/c=1039/Subminiature-toggle-switches-Salecom . With toggle switches 'sub-miniature' are perfectly usable for most things especially when you have limited space.

The pots and knobs are fine, and so are those jack sockets.
Thats the same wire as i use most often. 10/0.1mm means that there are 10 strands that go up to make the wire, all of which are 0.1mm thick.

On a normal 'push to make' button you'll have two contacts that are connected together when you press the button and disconnected when you release it. A 'push to break' button works in the opposite way i.e. the contacts are connected until you press the button when they are disconnected. If you wire a push to break button in series with the power input to a circuit it'll cut the power when you press the button an reconnect it when you release it. This can be handy if something crashes or locks up so you can restart it easily.
I use these:
http://www.jprelec.co.uk/store.asp/c=974/Miniature-Push-to-Break-Switch
http://www.jprelec.co.uk/store.asp/c=973/Miniature-push-switch-PIC

Whatever you do, don't by the cheap ones like this as they are utter crap:
http://www.jprelec.co.uk/store.asp/c=972/Miniature-push-switch-low-cost
http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Switches/Push-Button-Switches/Miniature-push-switches/64324

[parricide]

thanks a lot for the help CBs
i understand the make and break buttons now. thank you.

on what occasion would you use different wire to 10/0.1mm?


im getting really excited about my speak and spell project. just gota fix the speak and spell before i can start


thanks a lot again for the help

[Circuitbenders]

I've used thicker wire for connections that might need to be stronger in case they are going to be flexed a fair bit, or thinner if you have to somehow get a whole lot of wiring through a small hole or round a tight corner. It depends on the situation really, but 10/0.1 is pretty much usable for most jobs.

Some people use solid core wire, but they are probably in the pay of satan as its the work of the devil! 

[parricide]

great. so its just a physical thing then.

thanks a lot for your help. im sure it wont make a difference as im new, but how do i add to your karma thing?

[Circuitbenders]

well, its a physical thing at this scale and for these purposes. At high voltages it might matter more but i don't think it'd make any differences for what you want it for.

You can change karma using the 'applaud' and 'smite' links on the left just under someones user name.

[parricide]

thanks.
i applaud you!

im guessing by your user name that this is your site?