"Breadboard" style prototype PCBs? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 02:29:27 pm
content: I still use old-school 0.1" breadboards and DIP components most of the time. I like the idea of getting a professional PCB made for my projects, and this is very affordable these days, but sometimes you just want to bang out a hard version of a breadboarded design. I often use pad-per-hole PCBs like these:which are very nicely made, nice plated through holes on FR4 board, easy to solder, strong, etc. Really nice, and really cheap all over ebay. I mean, really cheap: You can get several boards shipped for $2 or so. I always have several of these on hand in various sizes.But sometimes I want boards with a connection patttern matching a breadboard, like these:The problem is, these are hard to find, certainly at the kinds of prices that the other boards above can be found at. Most of what I find is cheap phenolic/paper board with punched holes and badly done bare copper traces that oxidize and become hard to solder. Basically, the polar opposite of the pad-per-hole PCBs in terms of quality. Any good quality ones I find are usually $5 to $10 per board plus shipping from some US based retailer (so +$20 to Canada ... nope). And they usually still don't have plated through holes like the pad-per-hole PCBs do.Does anyone else like using 'breadboard' PCBs like these? Do you have any leads to inexpensive, good quality versions?

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 02:49:58 pm
content: For larger projects you could get some of Mike's boards:http://www.whitewing.co.uk/protoboard.htmlNot cheap but not expensive for what they offer. I haven't had a need for one yet but it's on my list of things to get

author: LabSpokane
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 02:56:10 pm
content: Adafruit has by far the nicest ones I've seen. Not cheap, but very high quality PCB a with an ENIG finish.

author: nixfu
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 03:15:11 pm
content: I bought some of these from Deal Extreme... they are made for arduino prototyping but I have used them for other stuff too because the pad layout is pretty useful compared to just the simple through holes on a typical proto board like you said.For the price $1.88 they are a good deal just to use for whatever little circuit you want to prototype, even for non-arduino stuff.http://www.dx.com/p/arduino-prototyping-shield-pcb-board-blue-138294

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 03:27:57 pm
content: Quote from: LabSpokane on March 11, 2015, 02:56:10 pmYes, they look awesome, but at $4 each plus a hefty overseas shipping fee I stick to the ugly standard boards for the time being...

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 03:31:52 pm
content: Quote from: macboy on March 11, 2015, 02:29:27 pmwith the prices for 10 boards made in China just design get you your own made, maybe thrown a foot print for a supply connector, voltage regulator etc. what ever you normally need

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 03:47:28 pm
content: "I want someone else to do the hard work for me, and I want it for $1 shipped".-This thread.

author: JacquesBBB
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 03:53:19 pm
content: You have some possibilities at electrodragon.comThe first one is an arduino shield, (0.8 $)http://www.electrodragon.com/product/arduino-protoshield-pcb/and the second one a breadboard style one.http://www.electrodragon.com/product/2pcs-soldering-prototype-board-breadboard-style/The PCB is quite thin, but it is OK. It has the advantage of being very close to breadboard. (1.8$)I used some cut in two which gives a noce format.You have also this small one (1.6$)http://www.electrodragon.com/product/solderable-mini-breadboard-pcb/PS : Can someone tell me how to include a picture in the text

author: nixfu
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 04:04:22 pm
content: Quote from: 8086 on March 11, 2015, 03:47:28 pmNo, I don't think it is needed to be accusing someone of being lazy here.This thread is more of a "surely someone else has thought the same thing" thread.

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 04:06:24 pm
content: Quote from: nixfu on March 11, 2015, 04:04:22 pmI'm accusing people of being cheap, not lazy.But all the same, don't take it to heart.

author: rqsall
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 04:22:19 pm
content: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400806075420?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIThttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250775574716?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITAlso probably not FR4, but can't find any others either.Haven't bought them myself (yet) but thinking about it.HTH

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 04:46:24 pm
content: I like Surfboards that I then assemble on copper-clad. Higher speed logic and lower frequency RF stuff works nicely that way.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 05:05:47 pm
content: Quote from: 8086 on March 11, 2015, 03:47:28 pmSo you understand exactly. Awesome.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 05:14:31 pm
content: Quote from: rqsall on March 11, 2015, 04:22:19 pmI have some of those exact types, available from many sellers on ebay. They are exactly what I referred to with my comment:QuoteWhat I want - and I don't think I'm alone - is something comparable in quality and price to the very nice pad-per-hole boards I showed in my first post, but with strips of interconnected pads similar to a breadboard. I would buy dozens.Maybe I just need to fire up Eagle and design one and run off a hundred or so. I'm sure they would cost less than $.50 per board, and judging by the prices I see for comparable boards, I could sell off any excess at quite a good profit margin (before accounting for time and effort). The problem might be finding a discount PCB house that wouldn't mind doing boards with 100 plated holes per square inch!

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 06:08:00 pm
content: You could buy a pad cutter and make what you need from a copper-clad.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 07:57:50 pm
content: Quote from: macboy on March 11, 2015, 05:14:31 pmlooking at the designs you can buy fromhttp://dirtypcbs.com/view.phpit looks like that don't have a problem with many holes

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2015, 10:50:07 pm
content: Quote from: langwadt on March 11, 2015, 07:57:50 pm... and judging by the number of custom-designed protoboards (with breadboard style linked pads) up there, I am definitely not alone in wanting such boards. Sigh.

author: gregallenwarner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2015, 01:00:46 am
content: This is where I go to get mine:http://www.proto-advantage.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=200045For a 10 pack, you can't beat the price.

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2015, 03:50:09 am
content: Are you anywhere close to Abra in Montreal?http://abra-electronics.com/boards/printed-circuit-boards/sb400-solderable-pc-breadboards-sb400.html(I live closer to France than some places in Canada...)

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2015, 04:02:38 am
content: Not the best but 910 cents (Canadian) shipped for 10 pcs, less than a buck.http://www.ebay.ca/itm/10Pcs-DIY-Prototype-Paper-PCB-Universal-Matrix-Circuit-Board-8-5x20cm-NIGH-/131156181829?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e8984834510Pcs DIY Prototype Paper PCB Universal Matrix Circuit Board 8.5x20cm

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 12:35:33 pm
content: Quote from: pickle9000 on March 12, 2015, 04:02:38 amOnce again, that is precisely what I meant by "cheap phenolic/paper board with punched holes and badly done bare copper traces that oxidize". Have some, hate them.Quote from: Paul Moir on March 12, 2015, 03:50:09 amDoesn't matter how close I am, shipping costs will still kill. Even at $4.44 (US) it is quite expensive, considering I could get10 of the same size board in the nice FR4, through-hole plated soldermasked & silkscreened pad-per-hole type, for less, including shipping. I just wish I could get those with rows of joined holes. I had thought I wasn't looking in the right place, but I guess that they probably just don't exist at comparable quality and price.

author: gregallenwarner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 01:49:59 pm
content: Quote from: macboy on March 13, 2015, 12:35:33 pmThe ones I listed above are just that--with rows of 5 joined holes, just like a full-length breadboard. They're also FR4, plated thru-holes, solder mask and silk screen, plus gold-plated pads to boot. And at $3.68 per board when you buy the 10 pack, I don't think you can find anything to beat it. I've bought many of these, and they are top quality.

author: paulie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 04:49:58 pm
content: I love the internet and this thread (and 99% of all others) are a perfect example why. It's like most of the "advisors" have not bothered to read even the first post or don't seem to understand what the words mean. Not a language problem either. Replies typically ignore requirements or involve budgets 10x or 100x times more than clearly stated in the OP. They are very free with other peoples money. Maybe one out of 50 posts is there a really economical or helpful solution.Macboy, I also use those FR4 proto boards from the first pic and at about half buck ea for even the biggest one quite a bargain. You will not see plug-board equivalents for anything close to that because there is very little demand. Experienced hobbyists and engineers understand that those white plug-boards can be a huge waste of time and money. They are the ultimate in unreliability. When connections go bad which almost always happens at the most critical time and virtually impossible to diagnose due to intermittent nature and net permutations.ps. The hole only are cheap due to scale of mfg and supply/demand. Something not likely to ever happen with plug-board versions which are pretty much for noobs only.

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2015, 10:06:05 pm
content: QuoteYeah, well I meant have you checked the shops that don't have shipping, like the ones down the road. I don't know that you don't live in Montreal afterall.

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2015, 03:42:52 am
content: Quote from: paulie on March 13, 2015, 04:49:58 pmNoobs and Dave while he's doing videos...But I agree that the regular cheap breadboards are horrible to use, they are almost good for just a few time before they get glitchy connections. Luckily they are as cheap as pcbs today.

author: netdudeuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2015, 08:19:22 am
content: Quote from: rqsall on March 11, 2015, 04:22:19 pmOk, so those first boards ...I was pretty pleased to be ordering some of those from another eBay seller.I've been building retro computers and while those green boards are pretty nice, what I hate doing is building up the buses via single isolated pads. The lack of power tracks across the boards also makes for a messier finish for power and decoupling.However, when they turned up I was disappointed. They are pretty thin, feeling thinner than the green ones at the top of the thread. The finish isn't as good either. They were all curved like a banana. I did find though that I could gradually tease a couple flat and the last time I looked, they were still like that.One snapped during the process but for prototyping, I think that they're probably still a pretty decent buy. Obviously I cannot say if the ones from this seller are also going to be curved.

author: JohnnyBerg
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2015, 08:38:37 am
content: I am willing to sell you one of my own design. Send me a pm if you want one.