Perfboard tutorials

[Matt]

Hi.

I am curious to know how one goes about wiring connections between components on plain old perfboard with only the individualized copper-clad holes. I have used board with busses and rows (or whatever those short segments are called), but never just the single-holed kind (with pieces of "jumper" wire, I assume).

Is there a site tutorial or a book that could help me?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[erix]

I LOVE perfboard building.

Right now I'm quite fond of some pad-per-hole FR4.

Working with "PPH" is much easier, to me anyway, than the bussed kind because it frees you to do any layout.

Sonically, I think it is better than PCB's because only the leads are touching each other. Think: You spend $ on good resistors with shiny gold leads (or whatever) and then you stick 'em in a hole and clip off the ends. Now there is nothing between your shiny gold leads except a thin trace of 1 oz copper..

This is my method, FWIW:

1. Mount all the sockets first but only solder the power supply pins.

2. Mount the resistors, one at a time. Stick 'em in the hole and bend the lead over till it is touching the next part. Add a bit of "pre-bend" so it *wants* to touch the other part. Apply a bit o' heat+solder at that joint and to the pad. Trim off the remaining lead. If another component is going to touch the other end of the resistor, don't solder it - wait till you get that part in.

3. Repeat step 2 for all the resistors, then do the caps. You are working with progressively taller components.

4. I use a pre-tinned stranded wire to make bogus traces - mostly the ground and supply lines. I'll make a little hook around one end, put it on a pin/lead/whatever, and route it where I need to. Whenever there is a bend I stick it to the board with a dab o' solder.

These may help. Or not.

A Cmoy-style amp

An Apheared 47 amp

A buffered opamp-type amp (note: not the fashionable multi-loop)

Here's a stompbox tutorial...

Not really a tutorial but a good pair of photos. Again, a stompbox..

ok,
erix

 

[wallijonn]

do they make perf board where the first row has 1 hole, the second row is two holes connected, the third row has three triangle holes connected, then repeat the pattern? (1, 2, 3)

I've read where the PCB will not likely sound sonically better than point to point wiring.

how would I start? I'd measure the leads and see if any two components can be joined within a certain distance. I would try not to use hook up wire. for a common ground I'd just use a nice piece of thick wire (just as I would for the voltage rails) and then loop a component lead around it to secure it before soldering. (think tiny hooks). If using pcb short lead capacitors, I'd put them through and hook a resistor lead around it, and would crimp it with needle nose pliers to make a tight connection. I would also put two wraps of the resistor wire. all parts would be crimped/tightened, then cut, before soldering everything. and of course there would be a checklist of all the parts. and a final check of all polarities. diodes would have a pen marking on the pcb showing polarity (cathode or triangle point to cathode, "K") before inserting the diode, and + marks for caps before insertting. In other words I would lay a schematic on the pcb.

 

[Matt]

Quote:

Originally posted by erix 1. Mount all the sockets first but only solder the power supply pins.

When you say "sockets" you are talking about IC sockets or tube sockets and stuff like that?



- Matt

 

[erix]

Yeah, the IC sockets (if used). I always start with the smallest components and work my way up to the largest. I put the IC sockets in first 'cause so many other parts attach directly to them.

Heh - "stuff"...

ok,
erix

 

[Matt]

...first off, why is "stuff" funny?

OK, now that that's out of the way, I guess what I am really unclear about is the soldering and connecting.

For instance, say I have a resistor and I want to connect it to a wire that is running across the board:


Quote:

where I am effectively going to have a three-way junction. How do I get the two wires (the right length and left length) AND that resistor lead in one hole?

I think I have more questions, but I am just very confused.

Thank you for your help so far.

Regards,
Matt

 

[KTpG]

Great... I read this NOW... I just went out and bought copper-clad boards and etching solvent so I could make my board... and now I hear it isn't as good as point-to-point. Well, I suppose the difference wouldn't really show in my case since I was going to use the RadioShack 150 style board anyway. And this would have busses linked with jumpers, so it really doesn't matter anyway. My first amp was point to pointed, and my second as well... they sucked though, so it really didn't matter.

 

[Arzela]

Matt:

I take an exacto knife and widen the hole
as needed. It doesn't matter if you
drill the copper pad out in the process.
You can cut the leads and place a bit of solder on top.

 

[Matt]

...wouldn't it be awkward to have three leads to have to manage to solder together, though, big hole or not?

- Matt

 

[erix]

Quote:

Originally posted by Matt ...first off, why is "stuff" funny?

'Cause when I first read your post I could've sworn it said "****". When I replied and looked at the reply it had changed to "stuff". Least that's how I remembered it. I'm old.

Quote:

For instance, say I have a resistor and I want to connect it to a wire that is running across the board: Quote: where I am effectively going to have a three-way junction. How do I get the two wires (the right length and left length) AND that resistor lead in one hole?

Well, you only want one lead in a hole. If you enlarge the hole there'll be no copper to solder to. In the above scenario I would plop the resistor in so that the lead nearest the wire was poking straight up from the board. Next wrap the wire around it (or just 'pre-bend' it so it will stay in contact with the lead) and put a dab 'o solder on the joint. Clip off the excess lead and you are done with that connection.

I'm buliding a new amp right now. I'll try to take some pics of the method this week.

ok,
erix

 

[Arzela]

Puting more than one lead in a hole has
never beem akward for me. At least
with tinned leads, it's easy to solder
two or three together. Cut them flush first...

I've never had problems doing this; and
it immensely increases my freedom when chosing
the layout.

But then, I'm a noob also...Perhaps you
shouldn't listen too me...

 

[Matt]

Quote:

Originally posted by erix 'Cause when I first read your post I could've sworn it said "****". When I replied and looked at the reply it had changed to "stuff". Least that's how I remembered it. I'm old.

Your memory is just fine: it did, in fact, say that, but I decided I should display a bit more class from now on and stop using such words.

I look forward to your pictures. I think I've pretty much gotten it, but am not perfectly sure. As they say, pictures are worth a thousand words.

Thanks again.

Regards,
Matt

 

[erix]

I started working on this this morning and when I went to find the camera - it was gone. Wife took it. Dang! So I nearly finished it.

Anyway, here's the topside with the crappy Work Cam (tm):

The pics of the bottom are quite ugly..

Can you see how to take a lead and bend it around til it touches the parts you want it to touch and then solder it? Without the drawing you really can't see what's going on so I'll get the drawing of the circuit up tomorrow.

ok,
erix

 

[erix]

This is the top side:

And this is the bottom:

The color code is:
Green = ground
Blue = V+
Yellow = V-
Red = Right Channel Signal
Black = Left Channel Signal

Only the ground (green) is made from wire, the rest of the lines are the leads of components bent over to touch (firmly) the other components. Does this drawing help?

What this is: A multi-loop amp, as described by Walt Jung and introduced to this forum by ppl, using a pair of AD843 opamps driving a pair of EL2008 buffers. I am using Linear Systems LS842 dual JFETs (in a 8-pin DIP) as a cascode current source, again, described by ppl, on each opamp to bias it into class A. The layout is such that the JFETs can be removed and the amp will function normally. This layout will also operate with OPA627's, OPA637's and any other single opamp.

Should be a keeper.

ok,
erix

 

[Arzela]

Erix,

Very nice!

If you don't mind, I have a few, possibly dumb, questions:

1) Are those caps for power decoupling?

2) How are the buffers getting power?
From the caps next to them I presume?

3) How do you think your CCS compares with using two 2n5485'S? Where can one
purchase the LS842's?


Wow! Those 2008's must get HOT!