I am extremely impressed with the variety of inexpensive ways to create a circuit board. I struggle with etching a board and it is messy and time consuming and mistake-prone -- at least for me since I am an electronics idiot. I will try several of your techniques. THANKS!! GREAT Video.
Great coverage of commonly-used techniques - showing how practical circuits were built is very educational for new builders. Also, having seen Dave AA7EE's circuits in person, I agree: he is an artist! I hope to someday match his patience and forethought in building.
Thank you W2aew, you are a master at this. For those of us who have a drill press, time and interest, as you pointed out, we can make any number of circle cutting bits that cut to any depth, from scoring on to complete perforation, by serration of the end of various diameter steel tubes as Davies by the Sea points out, I think he used a tubular bearing out of an old video cassette. A diamond cutting tool is far superior in this application, of course, because the fiberglass in pcb dulls any plain steel tubular bit very quickly. Still, in a pinch one will improvise with whatever one has at hand.
Your channel is what I ve been searching for. Im glad you are very straight forward with your videos. Alot of people on youtube try to act funny and goofy or put on a show to much and its annoying or just plan sad and the subject matter then suffers
In a pinch, I have used 1/32" RC airplane plywood as "circuit board" and as "islands" and used combinations of the methods you show. Also, various widths of the adhesive backed copper foil tapes used in stained glass work can be employed in lots of creative ways. Great video!
Tin snips! That's how. I've been making all sorts of bad edges trying to working with copper clad board. I bought some snips today, and its EASY! Thank you so much.
~4 years later, and it's still a great video. Thanks. Something to mention, that may or may not have been prevalent when you made this video, that I just discovered recently is that you can get professional PCB with your design done VERY cheap these days. I won't point to a specific one so that it doesn't look like I'm plugging anything, but $2 or so will get you ~5 boards in the 10cm x 10cm single sided range and some of the more popular pcb design applications spit out exactly what they need to build them. Of course the methods that you show here are still great at-hand solutions when an idea hits you or when you want to test something. Just wanted to put it out here for anyone else who may not be aware. I was actually researching small CNC machines when I discovered how cheap it has gotten to have them done professionally.
It really is amazing how companies like OSHPark (and many more) have made small-run PCB production very affordable - years ago it would have cost hundreds or thousands to get a small run fabricated.
I built a small copper clad board when I worked for IBM in the late 80s that used an HP step recovery diode that was used in a TDR in a high end HP oscilloscope (HP54120T) (the diode could only be bought by those who owned the scope and so may have needed it for repair) and the board could generate a 50 ps pulse with an amplitude of 5 volts. Needless to say it needed to have a very strict 50 ohm impedance throughout with minimal impedance discontinuities. It used rigid coax and sma connectors.
+saturn5tony There are many factors in studying electronics. One resource I found which succeeds in merging these is the Gregs Electro Blog (google it if you're interested) definately the best info that I have ever seen. look at this amazing site.
Alan, Your tutorials are awesome and I always learn something! Thank you for providing this great learning opportunity. Happy New Year and all the best in 2014. Vy 73, Mack W4AX
Nice vid! I've been tinkering off and on with electronics since the 70s (the 60s if you count taking stuff apart without it ever working again!) and I just learned about Manhattan style circuit construction yesterday! It blew my mind! Of course I'd done point to point, and I'd seen the Dead Bug trick without knowing there was a name for it, but I had never seen the island style. Whether it be the raised islands of separate board layers or the mechanically traced circles, the whole thing is a revelation to me. Thanks for contributing to my passion of catching up on all the cool vids I'd missed out on! Cheers from Canada! (--> No tariffs on good ideas! lol)
Love the dead-bug construction. I'm pretty new to electronics and have done it with a dremel before, but cutting out those little islands with a hole-saw is a great idea! There's likely to be a very similar and far more affordable diamond impregnated hole-saw in your local hardware or tool store though. They'll be in with the masonry bits, because they're intended for tiles.
I work in a tool shop here in Australia and our supplier makes them as small as 6mm outer diameter. Don't know the exact inner diameter, but the cutting edge is =/< 1mm. They're an Australian manufacturer, but I have no doubts a similar product would be available in most developed countries.
@w2aew. Thank you for sharing. I really like watching your videos. Keeps me motivated and focused in this noisy world we live now. On another note, It would be nice if you could do a video about ground planes and why they are important in high speed circuits.
+Zinahe Asnake I\'m not sure but ,if anyone else wants to uncover introduction to electronics tutorials try Ichordo Electronics Expert Fixer (just google it ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my partner got amazing results with it.
Thank you for this video. Always looking for different ideas. I've been using scrap plexy glass with hobby brass and copper stripping. I hope all is going well 73!
I have used almost all of yours methods except for punch tool& drilling islands. But Manhattan style is one of my favorites for RF circuits, I have a MW radio and 91MHz FM transmitter built this way
Wow! Your workbench looks like mine. Full of "stuff" but your array of test equipment is far better than mine. Oscillator is what I'm looking for-- the purpose being testing crystals.
this wonderful. thank you very much for taking the time. I'd think one can get the small diamond holesaw for granite, to cut islands. found at most hardware store, shop local.
To make these Islands, i like this style construction. A 1/8 to 1/4 stainless steel tubing with some Micro Teeth filed onto the end will work just fine in a drill press. I enjoy watching this video.
Great video as always, thank for showing us that there is many ways to skin a cat. Lol. Great to see how you make things so easy and simple. Merry x mas.
Very cool " just had to sub , because i love this kind of thing even though im a complete Noob, ya gotta start somewhere and i like your style , regards from shores of the south pacific Islands of New Zealand B-b
Thanks! Very nice video. I found that these prototyping methods work fine up to 200MHz with some care. When I wanted to prototype circuit at 900MHz and 2.4GHz I had to try something else - I started with gluing self adhesive copper foil to single sided FR4 or PTFE board substrate like Rogers 3004. It works pretty good and reworking/adjusting microstrip components with foil is easy too. I am nowhere an expert in using this method so I am wondering if anyone else tried it? How do you prototype something at 2GHz+?
Your techniques for UHF and microwave prototyping are good. Especially at 1-2GHz and above, controlled impedance traces, impedance matching, etc. are very important, as well as the use off low loss substrates.
I've used tin shield plates from TV tuner cans or other RF shields to construct circuits on, using the shield as a ground or common and sky wire the leads of components
there is also ratsnest construction using 1M resistors or Bypass Caps as standoffs to hold components up off the ground plane.......done that a few times.......and of course routing PCB material with an CNC engraver to make what is similar to etching normal boards etc....
The pinboard show in 1:05 is quick ,BUT be very careful because connecting a 1% (ONE PERCENT ) 68ohm resistor will OFTEN cause that resistor to appear as 70 , 71 ohm resistor due to interconects of a pin board.
Thanks Alan. For a future video, could you discuss considerations when-to-use and when-not-to-use sockets for components? I sometimes worry about directly soldering component leads due to heating, but of course the socket introduces problems like parasitics and intermittent connections, etc. Some IC's are so cheap it doesn't matter, but I don't want to ruin, say, an AD8307 or other fairly expensive IC while soldering it. Also sockets help if you want to exchange different types of components later.
You really covered most of it in your comment! If you have a good soldering iron, and are proficient (meaning that you don't have to apply the iron for an excessive period of time), it is unlikely that you'll damage a part. If you think that there might be a reason to re-work, modify, change the design, then a socket is a good idea so that the part isn't exposed to a lot of re-heating. Of course, if is a part you want to re-use, or maybe change to a different part as an experiment, then a socket is a good idea. If you need the highest speed, fastest risetime, etc., then avoid the socket if you can.
Do you have any links to info on things like wrapping wire around those ferrite cores, for the purpose of making chokes and maybe even a few little audio isolation transformers? I’m sure a quick search would yield some online tables for sources of this sort of math. Perhaps in your previous endeavors you have encountered some free software, or an online applet which are of particular interest to you? Edit: I can see that you yourself have a great wealth of very helpful videos, +1 subscriber. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR STYLE!! You have a very interesting aesthetic, and I’m glad I didn’t just cut off your video because you really have a lot of great work for me to even brag to other people about!! THANKS FOR SHARING!
I have a video that shows how to wind a toroid: ua-cam.com/video/sDIWNHOoNh8/v-deo.html There are online calculators for determining the number of turns, etc. One easy one is Toroids.info I've also used this mini-ring toroid calculator: mini-ring-core-calculator.software.informer.com/
Cutting islands into copper. I've never tried, but you can buy ten different sizes of diamond cutters on Amazon. Sounds way better than grinding a drill bit. And cheaper too probably.
Hi Alan! After the video I started to use islands on superglue for prototyping. It works best! I like it! Thank you! Your videos have deepest informative level and free of chatter. I like it even more than of Dave Jones. Now you loose him only in quantity :) But we want you to do much more videos! Best regards!
Thanks Alex. The only problem I have is that I have a full time job and I make videos in my limited spare time. Dave's full time job is his blog & channel. About the best I can manage, and still keep the quality up, is about 2-4 videos per month. Thanks for being a loyal viewer, and be sure to let me know what you'd like to see!
***** I only a beginner. I bought first scope one year ago. And each video made me stronger to understand electronics. Your hundred of them made about the same result as Dave's 700. (I like Dave too) I think you are lucky to have a job like hobby and a hobby like a job... Am I right? Projects to look at... Probably something like walkie-talkie to play with children. Have you something from your RF beginning?
Put together some pretty nice 3-dimensional Op Amp circuits using skywire techniques. The IC socket(s) formed the basic structure and then we tacked on resistors and caps etc as needed. Some of these "Rats Nests" were better performing than PCB implementations as ground loops could be managed well with some thought.
Hey everyone, the best success that I have ever had was with the Gregs Electro Blog (i found it on google) without a doubt the most incredible course that I have ever tried.
When using the solder pads from QRPME, the glue sometimes breaks down under solder temperatures. Can you recommend a glue and a solder temp for 63/37 Pb/Sn solder.
Hi, does wiring them all up direct like that not get extremely finicky? With the proto board with holes in? With wires overlapping each other and so much solder? It looks like hell to be honest! Printing and etching has to be easier? I love the little PCB island bits though.
Each technique has its advantages and disadvantages. There's really nothing finicky about direct wiring. In fact, you can often create higher performance circuits this way by having better control over parasitics. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - to me, these hand-built prototypes are beautiful.
Could you slide a copper ground plane under the proto type breadboard? That was a thought I just had was possibly sliding a copper board under the breadboard and using it as a ground plane.
You can. It will help a little to lower the ground impedance. This will also increase the capacitance of every node to ground (which usually is a bad thing, but can be advantageous in some circuits). Of course, this won't help reduce the inductance if the interconnects.
Hey why u never covered the isolated islands made with a hook knife used in scoring fibresheet also called acrilic sheet cutter hook knife. By far I am successful in creating isolated islands in a clad board.
Hi,I am new to prototyping and wondering how to hold a TP4056 li-ion battery charger module and DC-DC booster alongwith battery together--can these modules be glued/soldered ,how does one put this into a project box? I was thinking of directly attaching modules to project box wall if possible using glue OR can we attach them to veroboard?
If you're using the modules that I'm thinking of (and why don't they ever seem to have any provisions for mounting?) double-faced tape works well for me. I've got a few LED lights I've put together using a module mounted that way, a 10W LED mounted with a couple of small screws, and a DC input connector glued to a scrap of aluminum.
I am extremely impressed with the variety of inexpensive ways to create a circuit board. I struggle with etching a board and it is messy and time consuming and mistake-prone -- at least for me since I am an electronics idiot. I will try several of your techniques. THANKS!! GREAT Video.
As newcomer to electronics, amateur radio and construction, this video was informative and inspiring...as your videos often are. Thank-you.
Great coverage of commonly-used techniques - showing how practical circuits were built is very educational for new builders. Also, having seen Dave AA7EE's circuits in person, I agree: he is an artist! I hope to someday match his patience and forethought in building.
Thanks Rob. I'm sure Dave's creations are even more impressive in person!
cheese en field. like a band of brothers.
Thank you. Just a reminder of the various ways to do 1-off builds is helpful when I'm considering what technique to use on a project.
I appreciate your professional radio insight. Thanks for your time.
Thank you W2aew, you are a master at this. For those of us who have a drill press, time and interest, as you pointed out, we can make any number of circle cutting bits that cut to any depth, from scoring on to complete perforation, by serration of the end of various diameter steel tubes as Davies by the Sea points out, I think he used a tubular bearing out of an old video cassette. A diamond cutting tool is far superior in this application, of course, because the fiberglass in pcb dulls any plain steel tubular bit very quickly. Still, in a pinch one will improvise with whatever one has at hand.
Your channel is what I ve been searching for. Im glad you are very straight forward with your videos. Alot of people on youtube try to act funny and goofy or put on a show to much and its annoying or just plan sad and the subject matter then suffers
In a pinch, I have used 1/32" RC airplane plywood as "circuit board" and as "islands" and used combinations of the methods you show. Also, various widths of the adhesive backed copper foil tapes used in stained glass work can be employed in lots of creative ways. Great video!
Tin snips! That's how. I've been making all sorts of bad edges trying to working with copper clad board. I bought some snips today, and its EASY! Thank you so much.
Making RF circuits are art on its own. Thanks for sharing!
~4 years later, and it's still a great video. Thanks.
Something to mention, that may or may not have been prevalent when you made this video, that I just discovered recently is that you can get professional PCB with your design done VERY cheap these days. I won't point to a specific one so that it doesn't look like I'm plugging anything, but $2 or so will get you ~5 boards in the 10cm x 10cm single sided range and some of the more popular pcb design applications spit out exactly what they need to build them. Of course the methods that you show here are still great at-hand solutions when an idea hits you or when you want to test something. Just wanted to put it out here for anyone else who may not be aware. I was actually researching small CNC machines when I discovered how cheap it has gotten to have them done professionally.
It really is amazing how companies like OSHPark (and many more) have made small-run PCB production very affordable - years ago it would have cost hundreds or thousands to get a small run fabricated.
I built a small copper clad board when I worked for IBM in the late 80s that used an HP step recovery diode that was used in a TDR in a high end HP oscilloscope (HP54120T) (the diode could only be bought by those who owned the scope and so may have needed it for repair) and the board could generate a 50 ps pulse with an amplitude of 5 volts. Needless to say it needed to have a very strict 50 ohm impedance throughout with minimal impedance discontinuities. It used rigid coax and sma connectors.
Excellent. I like your descriptions and the pace of delivery. Subscribed.
Thank you Alan for sharing this, especially QRPme and others, great techniques!
+saturn5tony There are many factors in studying electronics. One resource I found which succeeds in merging these is the Gregs Electro Blog (google it if you're interested) definately the best info that I have ever seen. look at this amazing site.
+Amela Alic - Na these electronics youtubes and A2AEW are fine, I dont need another door stop thick textbook(s)! lol
Alan,
Your tutorials are awesome and I always learn something! Thank you for providing this great learning opportunity. Happy New Year and all the best in 2014. Vy 73, Mack W4AX
Nice vid!
I've been tinkering off and on with electronics since the 70s (the 60s if you count taking stuff apart without it ever working again!) and I just learned about Manhattan style circuit construction yesterday! It blew my mind! Of course I'd done point to point, and I'd seen the Dead Bug trick without knowing there was a name for it, but I had never seen the island style. Whether it be the raised islands of separate board layers or the mechanically traced circles, the whole thing is a revelation to me.
Thanks for contributing to my passion of catching up on all the cool vids I'd missed out on!
Cheers from Canada! (--> No tariffs on good ideas! lol)
I like the punched isolated islands techniques, very practical. Thanks again for such a nice video.
I'm rather surprised you didn't demonstrate wire wrap; but I'm very glad you did demonstrate some methods new to me.
Thanks Alan you have successfully delayed my 700 km road trip by another 25 minutes:)
Well, you really weren't looking forward to that much windshield time, now were you?
@@w2aew Depends on the car ;)
@ That's entirely true! If you don't back at your car after your park it, you're driving the wrong car.
Your videos are always great and this one is no exception to the rule. Thanks for taking the time and effort.
I find your videos very practical and thoroughly enjoyable. Tremendously valuable. Thank you.
Love the dead-bug construction. I'm pretty new to electronics and have done it with a dremel before, but cutting out those little islands with a hole-saw is a great idea! There's likely to be a very similar and far more affordable diamond impregnated hole-saw in your local hardware or tool store though. They'll be in with the masonry bits, because they're intended for tiles.
Great idea regarding the diamond hole saws for ceramic tiles! I wonder if they're available in such a small diameter.
I work in a tool shop here in Australia and our supplier makes them as small as 6mm outer diameter. Don't know the exact inner diameter, but the cutting edge is =/< 1mm. They're an Australian manufacturer, but I have no doubts a similar product would be available in most developed countries.
That Island bit is genius. I'm going to go make one now.
Hi Alan
Your videos never cease to be engaging and informative
Well done
So nice the world's best teacher
Great Tip on the QRPme link, great little set of items, thanks!
@w2aew. Thank you for sharing. I really like watching your videos. Keeps me motivated and focused in this noisy world we live now. On another note, It would be nice if you could do a video about ground planes and why they are important in high speed circuits.
I'll add that to my long list...
***** a Ground Loop also :D
+Zinahe Asnake I\'m not sure but ,if anyone else wants to uncover introduction to electronics tutorials try Ichordo Electronics Expert Fixer (just google it ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my partner got amazing results with it.
This is really neat! Thanks for uploading it!
Thank you for this video. Always looking for different ideas. I've been using scrap plexy glass with hobby brass and copper stripping. I hope all is going well 73!
I have used almost all of yours methods except for punch tool& drilling islands. But Manhattan style is one of my favorites for RF circuits, I have a MW radio and 91MHz FM transmitter built this way
Wow! Your workbench looks like mine. Full of "stuff" but your array of test equipment is far better than mine. Oscillator is what I'm looking for-- the purpose being testing crystals.
This another great video! Never knew it was called Manhattan construction...
Good technique, probably better than a pcb for some circuits. Some nice work there..Thank you for the video..
this wonderful. thank you very much for taking the time. I'd think one can get the small diamond holesaw for granite, to cut islands. found at most hardware store, shop local.
nice video and very inspiring for makers and also artists
Beautiful job!
The part that I most enjoy is designing my PCBs layout and etching it.
To make these Islands, i like this style construction. A 1/8 to 1/4 stainless steel tubing with some Micro Teeth filed onto the end will work just fine in a drill press. I enjoy watching this video.
Good tip!
Good job Alan…will send a note to our club reflector recommending they watch.
wow. I have a hard enough time soldering surface mount components to a flat surface... and you go and do them up skywire...
Very informative, thanks! Helps a lot
Solid video, W2AEW, thank you for sharing!
Very informative!!
👍 Good video, some interesting info and ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Dremel Engraving Bits work well for clearing copper away.
Very nice work! clean and efficient. thanks for info.
I tried several types of protoboards for
Don’t forget Harwin track pins - push fit then solder - to connect through a copper clad board instead of PTH
Use to connect ground planes etc
Perfect video and electronic materials !! I mourn I don't live in USA!!!!
fantastic learn t some great ideas from your video thumbs up from a beginner.
Great video as always, thank for showing us that there is many ways to skin a cat. Lol. Great to see how you make things so easy and simple. Merry x mas.
Inspiring. Great video as always.
Very cool " just had to sub , because i love this kind of thing even though im a complete Noob, ya gotta start somewhere and i like your style , regards from shores of the south pacific Islands of New Zealand B-b
Nice overview. Thanks.
Very inspiring, thanks.
Thank you, Oona! I'm glad you liked it!
you are an artist too
Thanks for you 73 from baghdad deYi1hxh
That was excellent, very useful, thank you
Impressive. Thanks for inspiration.
Great tips, nice work
Tks
73
Thanks! Very nice video. I found that these prototyping methods work fine up to 200MHz with some care. When I wanted to prototype circuit at 900MHz and 2.4GHz I had to try something else - I started with gluing self adhesive copper foil to single sided FR4 or PTFE board substrate like Rogers 3004. It works pretty good and reworking/adjusting microstrip components with foil is easy too. I am nowhere an expert in using this method so I am wondering if anyone else tried it? How do you prototype something at 2GHz+?
Your techniques for UHF and microwave prototyping are good. Especially at 1-2GHz and above, controlled impedance traces, impedance matching, etc. are very important, as well as the use off low loss substrates.
Hi Alan... And thanks for all exelent videos ! (thumbe up)
Very good. Thank you for your video.
Great ideas ! Good video !
Excellent demo! Thanks! 73, John/N6VTS
Thanks for uploading! Great video!
cool stuff. I've been wondering HOW u work with those copper clads!! Thanks for sharing.
I've used tin shield plates from TV tuner cans or other RF shields to construct circuits on, using the shield as a ground or common and sky wire the leads of components
Nice idea!
The old days , lots of circuits were built “sky wire”in tobacco tins!
For making the islands using the drill press, if you search glass drill bit on eBay, will find hollowed bits to make those islands as well.
Excellent tip - thank you!
there is also ratsnest construction using 1M resistors or Bypass Caps as standoffs to hold components up off the ground plane.......done that a few times.......and of course routing PCB material with an CNC engraver to make what is similar to etching normal boards etc....
The pinboard show in 1:05 is quick ,BUT be very careful because connecting a 1% (ONE PERCENT ) 68ohm resistor will OFTEN cause that resistor to appear as 70 , 71 ohm resistor due to interconects of a pin board.
Thanks Alan. For a future video, could you discuss considerations when-to-use and when-not-to-use sockets for components? I sometimes worry about directly soldering component leads due to heating, but of course the socket introduces problems like parasitics and intermittent connections, etc. Some IC's are so cheap it doesn't matter, but I don't want to ruin, say, an AD8307 or other fairly expensive IC while soldering it. Also sockets help if you want to exchange different types of components later.
You really covered most of it in your comment! If you have a good soldering iron, and are proficient (meaning that you don't have to apply the iron for an excessive period of time), it is unlikely that you'll damage a part. If you think that there might be a reason to re-work, modify, change the design, then a socket is a good idea so that the part isn't exposed to a lot of re-heating. Of course, if is a part you want to re-use, or maybe change to a different part as an experiment, then a socket is a good idea. If you need the highest speed, fastest risetime, etc., then avoid the socket if you can.
Very nice video.
Thanks for the tips.
73.
PU2CLR.
Ricardo.
Do you have any links to info on things like wrapping wire around those ferrite cores, for the purpose of making chokes and maybe even a few little audio isolation transformers? I’m sure a quick search would yield some online tables for sources of this sort of math. Perhaps in your previous endeavors you have encountered some free software, or an online applet which are of particular interest to you? Edit: I can see that you yourself have a great wealth of very helpful videos, +1 subscriber. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR STYLE!! You have a very interesting aesthetic, and I’m glad I didn’t just cut off your video because you really have a lot of great work for me to even brag to other people about!! THANKS FOR SHARING!
I have a video that shows how to wind a toroid: ua-cam.com/video/sDIWNHOoNh8/v-deo.html
There are online calculators for determining the number of turns, etc. One easy one is Toroids.info
I've also used this mini-ring toroid calculator: mini-ring-core-calculator.software.informer.com/
Just like the good n old times
👍😆
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Cutting islands into copper. I've never tried, but you can buy ten different sizes of diamond cutters on Amazon. Sounds way better than grinding a drill bit. And cheaper too probably.
They should work great
Hi Alan! After the video I started to use islands on superglue for prototyping. It works best! I like it! Thank you! Your videos have deepest informative level and free of chatter. I like it even more than of Dave Jones. Now you loose him only in quantity :) But we want you to do much more videos! Best regards!
Thanks Alex. The only problem I have is that I have a full time job and I make videos in my limited spare time. Dave's full time job is his blog & channel. About the best I can manage, and still keep the quality up, is about 2-4 videos per month. Thanks for being a loyal viewer, and be sure to let me know what you'd like to see!
***** I only a beginner. I bought first scope one year ago. And each video made me stronger to understand electronics. Your hundred of them made about the same result as Dave's 700. (I like Dave too)
I think you are lucky to have a job like hobby and a hobby like a job... Am I right? Projects to look at... Probably something like walkie-talkie to play with children. Have you something from your RF beginning?
I’m running real low on those vector boards. They are very nice. Mine are blue and gold.
I really enjoyed this
Fantastic.
Very informative and helpful as always. 73. M0OMO
Put together some pretty nice 3-dimensional Op Amp circuits using skywire techniques. The IC socket(s) formed the basic structure and then we tacked on resistors and caps etc as needed.
Some of these "Rats Nests" were better performing than PCB implementations as ground loops could be managed well with some thought.
Nice stuff. Ever do any freeform stuff, like LED cubes?
Not too often. I once built a mic preamp that way.
QRP ME has apparently disappeared from the internet. Any suggestions for a similar alternative? Great Video!
Thanks for the tips on different ways of doing things love the islands .
Nigel
Vk2pha
Very nice.
A dremel and a small engraving bit also works well for making circuit boards if it's simple enough that you don't need to etch it.
That's a good method too. I've even used a dremel and a cutting wheel to cut a grid pattern to create isolated pads.
Cool
Hey everyone, the best success that I have ever had was with the Gregs Electro Blog (i found it on google) without a doubt the most incredible course that I have ever tried.
what are you using to keep your boards from oxidizing???
Love your videos, keep em coming!
Thank you a lot for sharing thing.
thank you mister
When using the solder pads from QRPME, the glue sometimes breaks down under solder temperatures. Can you recommend a glue and a solder temp for 63/37 Pb/Sn solder.
Hi Alan, love your videos, can you explain high speed ground plane? Thanks in advance
Did I spot a Plessey minibox cap on one of those boards?
Great work! :) Cecilia xo
Awesome video!! Tnx!!! 73
Hi, does wiring them all up direct like that not get extremely finicky? With the proto board with holes in? With wires overlapping each other and so much solder? It looks like hell to be honest!
Printing and etching has to be easier?
I love the little PCB island bits though.
Each technique has its advantages and disadvantages. There's really nothing finicky about direct wiring. In fact, you can often create higher performance circuits this way by having better control over parasitics. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - to me, these hand-built prototypes are beautiful.
Could you slide a copper ground plane under the proto type breadboard? That was a thought I just had was possibly sliding a copper board under the breadboard and using it as a ground plane.
You can. It will help a little to lower the ground impedance. This will also increase the capacitance of every node to ground (which usually is a bad thing, but can be advantageous in some circuits). Of course, this won't help reduce the inductance if the interconnects.
I thought you would show some techniques where no traditional PCB is used, and is instead replaced by some piece of plastic or something..
Can you please make an video on how to make PCB shematics?
Hey why u never covered the isolated islands made with a hook knife used in scoring fibresheet also called acrilic sheet cutter hook knife. By far I am successful in creating isolated islands in a clad board.
I never used one of them, but it looks like it would work well.
Hi,I am new to prototyping and wondering how to hold a TP4056 li-ion battery charger module and DC-DC booster alongwith battery together--can these modules be glued/soldered ,how does one put this into a project box?
I was thinking of directly attaching modules to project box wall if possible using glue OR can we attach them to veroboard?
If you're using the modules that I'm thinking of (and why don't they ever seem to have any provisions for mounting?) double-faced tape works well for me. I've got a few LED lights I've put together using a module mounted that way, a 10W LED mounted with a couple of small screws, and a DC input connector glued to a scrap of aluminum.