[sdiy] how to best learn the trade

[Tim Daugard]

> I personally detest proto boards; they always seem to
> end up as a rat's nest of wiring. I'm coming to terms with stripboard; I
> believe the secret is to plan _all_ of your component, wire, and trace-cut
> placement ahead of time. Doing PCB layout does indeed take a long time,
> personally I find it an interesting process. Given my experiences with
> various methods, I wouldn't use anything other than a PCB for anything more
> complex than, say, four ICs and related components. It's obviously a matter
> of taste, though. JH used to do everything on stripboard but I believe that
> he's now a PCB-makin' fool. :-)
>

I built a computer proto boards - up to 9 ICs per board three plug in boards (so far) and
a fourth plain perfboard for a front panel with LEDs and switches. All 20 or 22 gauge
wire.

The next boards - video, FRAM memory, IDE interface, I/O will use telephone or wire wrap
wire. I have the parts for the boards. All I need (sigh) is time. It's amazing how much
time a 2 year old grand daughter takes up. When the water warms up in another month or so,
we'll probably be swimming in the Gulf of Mexico 2 or 3 times a week.

Tim Daugard
AG4GZ 30.4078N 86.6227W Alt: 12 feet above MSL
http://home.sprintmail.com/~daugard/synth.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~synthfred/h_toctop.htm (Fred's online edition)