[sdiy] prototype boarding (help?) and homemade pcbs.

[Ian Fritz]

At 07:39 AM 5/13/06, René Schmitz wrote:

>I never use any paper in the process, I do that all in my head, but maybe 
>thats just me. :-P

Nope, not just you.  :-)

I sometimes do a paper layout if space is tight, but usually I just make it 
up as I go along.


>Do the more localised connections first, run the "loops" of that "graph" 
>first, and follow the circuit in a functional way, e.g. in that ADSR, make 
>that three transistor circuit, exept for the connections to the 7555, then 
>when that is finished, go ahead to that 7555 and so on.

I always start by wiring up the "infrastructure", i.e., the power supply 
distribution/ busses, ferrite beads, power to the chips and a few bypass caps.


>There are a couple different ways one actually makes the connections:
>All wireing on the solderside (using mostly cut pieces of the resistor 
>wires). This would end up much like a single sided layout. For connections 
>between adjacent pads, you can use blobs of solder.

Yes, there are lots of ways to do this.  I'm somewhat hard-core old-school 
about soldering -- never rely on solder for the conduction path, meaning 
crimp all wires onto the components before soldering.  The IC sockets that 
are made for multiple boards have nice long legs and you can easily loop 
fine wire around them.  For other components you can solder them to the 
pads with some extra lead sticking out and then crimp fine connecting wires 
to them.  (This method solves the "third hand" problem also.)  I use lots 
of Vector clips for R's and C's -- this makes them easy to replace and the 
clips have nice holes in them for the fine interconnection wiring.  (The 
space here is small enough that crimping isn't necessary.)  I get the fine 
hookup wire by unraveling stranded wire.  Sometimes this has gunk on it 
that is easily cleaned off by pulling it through a cloth soaked with 
alcohol.  Teflon tubing can be used for insulation.  Or sometimes I use 
fine insulated wire, such as wire-wrap, etc.

Just some ideas to try out.  Everyone eventually finds a method that works 
for them.

   Ian