IC sockets on Manhattan style PCB projects? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Chris Wilson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 11:07:57 am
content: I know there are plenty of fellow home buildershere. I have built a few projects Manhattan style on single or doublesided PCB. When using IC's I have mounted them upside down, theirgrounded legs helping support them. This works fine, but changing afailed one is a PITA. Has anyone devised a neat way of using them onground plane PCB, but in sockets, the correct way up? Flat or turnedpin sockets have short legs, I am musing on how to extend the groundedpins neatly. A commercially made male / female turned pin "extender"would be ideal. Making something like that in quantity is morewatchmaker or jeweler than automotive engineerIn a similar vein, what means has anyone used to mount terminalsockets on ground plane? I have lots of the tow and three pin PCBmount screw sockets for conventional through hoe PCB's, but a means ofusing them neatly on ground plane board is welcome! Or an alternative.I am inspired by the clinically clean W1VD work, but am some way awayfrom achieving anything remotely as elegant!http://www.w1vd.com/137-500Phasingexciter.html

author: sunnyhighway
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 11:46:30 am
content: For The ICs I would use two IC sockets (with flat legs) per IC, stacked on top each other.Bottom socket:- remove ungrounded pins from the bottom socket where clearance with the top socket becomes an issue.- bend remaining legs outward and solder to ground plane.Top socket:- bend used legs outward and solder to circuit.- optionally, remove unused pins for easier IC insertion/extraction.IC:- bend (or cut) unused legs.

author: Chris Wilson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 11:56:30 am
content: That's a good concept, I also considered using a socket that was longer than required (excess pins) and using the end ones to anchor it to the ground plane, as well as using those that were needed as an IC ground. Then mount the IC in the middle of the socket. That would limit me to flat pin sockets, and maybe introduce some unwanted capacitance effects from the proximity of component pins to the ground plane? Thanks "sunnyhighway"

author: sync
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 12:07:57 pm
content: I bend the pins of an IC socket. Solder it SMD like on a small piece of perfboard. Then these can be mounted/soldered on the main PCB. Works well and they can be easily removed too.Sorry for the crappy picture.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 12:56:15 pm
content: It goes a little against the Manhattan style, but the other thing you can do is mount the ICs or sockets THROUGH the board.Just drill 1mm holes for the legs using a bit of clamped matrix board as a guide and countersink the holes for the non-grounded pins on the copper side. Then do Manhattan style wiring on the copper side as normal.There should be enough grounded and decoupled supply pins to hold the IC or socket in place. Even without sockets it's much easier to remove an IC without messing up the wiring.

author: Chris Wilson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2015, 10:39:40 am
content: Some neat ideas here, thanks gentlemen! Appreciated.

author: SaabFAN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2015, 11:03:25 pm
content: Quote from: sync on August 22, 2015, 12:07:57 pmThat looks pretty nice, I'm going to try that with my Pulse-Generator.

author: richfiles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 01:05:34 am
content: https://aa7ee.wordpress.com/tag/manhattan-construction/Found this address. Apparently there is actually a product that exists specifically for this purpose called MePads and MeSquares. The dude in the link above used them for his project. Regardless, if you get a single sided proto board, you could just bend the leads of a socket out and surface mount the socket (or get a SMT socket) to solder to the proto board, and then just glue it down.Another option that involves NON-precise drilling, would be to drill out one or two LARGE holes, basically, enough to encompass the entire IC. Glue a perfboard down, and solder/wire wrap the socket so the chip points out the bottom. You don't have to sit there and worry about tiny precision aligned holes. Big honking' drill... Buzz through once, twice, trice, if need be... Waggle that bit to open the hose up. Boom, done. Glue down the perfboard.

author: bills
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 02:27:41 am
content: Very cool I just bought some of those to try out.

author: Chris Wilson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 11:24:32 am
content: More good ideas! Thanks.I have just ordered some wire wrap long legged IC sockets from Farnell here in the UK. Idea is the outermost legs on 4 pin longer than needed sockets can anchor the sockets to the ground plane, plus any other pins that are actually used and need grounding. That should make for a solidly mounted socket. the other pins, being longer, and when bent outwards, allow easier soldering of multiple components. I'll see how they work out! The little PCB MePads look nice, too, and the dual socket idea is something I must try. All very stimulating ideas, Manhattan lives!

author: MyElectronsFellOut
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 02:15:23 pm
content: This is the first time I've come across this method of prototyping, I might have to give this a go.

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 02:26:59 pm
content: Quote from: MyElectronsFellOut on August 28, 2015, 02:15:23 pmIt's pretty popular in Ham Radio DIY world. One can get very good RF performance on the cheap.

author: w2aew
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 02:40:58 pm
content: Quote from: retrolefty on August 28, 2015, 02:26:59 pmUsing things like MePads is one of several prototype construction techniques I show in this video:

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 02:54:39 pm
content: I cut little strips of PCboard, and using a fine saw I remove material to make pads that match the IC socket pin spacing. Glue the strips to the main groundplane with superglue, bend the socket legs out horizontally, and solder the socket to the strip pads. Actually, I usually do the socket soldering first, then glue the pad strips w/socket down to the groundplane.

author: Chris Wilson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 02:59:56 pm
content: Isn't an MePad a rather good capacitor though?

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 03:01:36 pm
content: Quote from: Chris Wilson on August 28, 2015, 02:59:56 pmsmall plate area + large plate separation = tiny capacitance... ?

author: Kalvin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 03:11:47 pm
content: Quote from: Chris Wilson on August 28, 2015, 02:59:56 pm5mmx5mm pad on 1.6mm FR4 gives approx. 0.6pF.10mmx10mm pad on 1.6mm FR4 gives approx. 2.3pF.5mmx5mm pad on 0.8mm FR4 gives approx. 1.2pF.10mmx10mm pad on 0.8mm FR4 gives approx. 4.7pF.Used this:http://www.daycounter.com/Calculators/Plate-Capacitor-Calculator.phtml

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 07:15:27 pm
content: QuoteQuoteCome on guys what are you, mice or Macho masters of Manhattan architecture???It's so easy to clip a strip of veroboard (perfboard) to the back of the board with a pair of spring clamps and use it as a template to drill a few 1mm holes (ink in a few footprints to help keep track of holes). The best tool is a little hand (fingers) held Archimedes drill, nothing electric. 1mm hole size gives you plenty of slack for alignment errors (as easy as inserting into stripboard in fact!) and makes it easy to unsolder groundplane connected pins with a sucker. It takes me about 2 mins to do a small dip pkg and countersink the unconnected holes with a vero track cutter or twist drill. No need for sockets, especially expensive wirewrap ones and quicker than bending all those legs to the right length. I've even done it on my knee (not recommended though). It's so easy to remove ICs if you need to.Equally space 3 or 4 ICs and you can even use them as feet!Edit: It's also the lowest capacitance and inductance solution.