What do you do with bad design pcb's? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Fcolor04
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 02:55:10 pm
content: The question is right in the title, I recently ordered two revisions of my second board ever and Im currently waiting for third one, Im in the phase of learning by burning parts so I have 14 bad circuit pcb and I don't know what to do with them, do you keep them as a souvenirs, recycle or just throw them away?

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 03:10:28 pm
content: Quote from: Fcolor04 on March 30, 2023, 02:55:10 pmSoldering practice?Mechanical shims?Heat deflectors when using a hot air gun?

author: Buriedcode
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 03:38:18 pm
content: ... - Drinks coasters- keyrings- glued together to make place mats, lamp shades or folder covers- framed on the wall as a reminder of mistakesI'm sure I've done more but those are just the ones I can see right now.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 04:03:15 pm
content: If you know someone playing with RC boats or cars, give them to those guys. PCBs are great for reinforcement plates, motor mounts etc.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 04:06:42 pm
content: I make soldering and other sorts of jigs out of them. Also use as sacrificial soldering surface.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 05:25:42 pm
content: if they can beeasily patchedto the latest variant, keep themif the design as changed a lot / too much, toss them to do anything with them as previous written messages

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 05:55:24 pm
content: Keep them. Fiberglass is excellent mechanical material for many tasks you find later.I just made a production (hundreds to thousands; not millions) test jig where a finished PCB will be slid in a slot, and some pogo pins / etc. connect to test pins. Made in 30 minutes by gluing (cyanoacrylate) random old bare PCBs together. They are all of the same thickness (with good enough tolerance), and have good straight sides and a lot of 90 degree corners available.

author: barshatriplee
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 09:27:35 pm
content: If they are not functional just throw them away. I had to do the same several times at work when making a PCB of a voice-controlled robot. I think it is better to ask for reviews before sending a PCB for printing. This is a good place for that:https://www.pcbway.com/project/questionpublisheev forum is also good when it comes to circuit and PCB design reviews.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 10:31:05 pm
content: Solder on useless or extra electronic parts, different on each board. Then make an electronic art montage from the boards.

author: aduinstat
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2023, 12:37:35 am
content: They go into the box of stuff that will totally be useful one day.

author: Infraviolet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2023, 08:11:32 pm
content: The related question, ofcourse, is what to do with spare PCBs that do work, but for which you only ever needed one except the fab had a minimum order quantity of 5.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2023, 08:39:35 pm
content: Quote from: Infraviolet on March 31, 2023, 08:11:32 pmI put them in a ziplock bag along with any parts associated with the project and file it away in one of the project boxes on my shelf. Or in a few cases I gave them away to members here for the cost of postage.