pass transistor
Hi jackorocko.
Inductors are just enamel copper wire wound on a set diameter core and length, the core is normally ferrite but for small stuff its often axial lead components, look like resistors but chunkier, the schematic tells the inductance, wire / turns / AWG / SWG first is the US standard the other is UK, and Europe i suppose.
Why not have a go at a linear continuous variable voltage supply first, just use the LM317, ok dont complicate things with current limiting yet, build the basic supply a 2 amp transformer is ok for a start, build it on matrix or copper strip board, or even point to point wiring, get a feel for the lay out, i know its a basic no frills start, but a simple variable supply would give you the foot up on the practical side, not to put you off but the schematic you want to start with would have swamped me in my first few builds.
It does get mind testing on copper strip, you got to keep every thing clear and focused, when you apply power is nerve racking the first few times, its all so easy to create an unwanted solder bridge, or put a link in a track containing other component leads, and yes its happened to me, despair best sums it up, as Resqueline said he was where you and me are, not to far apart, the first successful build will give you the boost, some might say to simple, but better a good first ending than disaster, i hated my failures, once in a while i make a mistake now and again, ie, no power out, sit there going over every track link until i find my mistake, making less now as iam getting more confident.
Visualizing the components lay out is not as easy as you might think, kits can be ok, but there not rewarding like building up a circuit from scratch.
You talk about the theory which is good, although my maths is not brilliant, i did it in tandem, as i read about a circuit i attempted it, and that way of the theory and practical running in parallel worked for me, still is.
The basic supply you will use, and you can still case up your first psu, going with linear voltage travel, and voltage and current analogue panel meters, ok so you can only drop to the reference voltage, and you have small constraints with current out put, but theses are ok for a first psu build, your still power plenty of other projects with such a first power supply.
Build the board up, rectifier use individual diodes, not a package, even a full wave rectifier can be a challenge for a first circuit, but a goal once built, then your filter capacitor, regulator, and so on, your be surprised what looks basic in lines on paper is way more time consuming on the board, and of course fused and grounded case if steel or alloy.
All the above is not to put a damper on your circuit, i think its ok, the above is not taking huge steps to quick in the build process, any other member thats started on copper strip or similar will know what i mean. Your look back in a few months, and have had little or no failures. Please dont be offended by my suggestions, as thats all they are, the bottom line starts with you and your choices. Dave.