Why perfboards rule - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 07:08:34 am
content: I don't offer pc boards for kits. Well, I plan to - but not always. Why? Three reasons:PC boards make it difficult to modify a circuitPC Boards limit our creative processPC boards have to be designed, and right now I just don't have the timeDon't get me wrong: pc boards require a hearty up front investment, but they can serve a community and earn a good profit at the same time. Right now, I'm strapped with just trying to bring my website up, manage my ebay sales, and plan the next big project (trust me: you'll dig it).And so....

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 09:09:31 am
content: Completely agree with all your objections to printed circuit boards. Haven't etched a board for about 20 years. But then I'm not in the kit business.But putting on my marketing hat, you may find higher kit sales with PC boards.Why?Greater beginner confidence for one. If there's only one place for a part to fit in the board that's simpler than lots of places. And having the component types and values printed on aids confidence as well.An etched PC board with a kit also gives a kind of professionalism, exclusivity and fast construction that you don't get with other methods. A supplied PC board makes it more likely I'd buy a kit; if it was on perfboard I'd just build my own version from scratch rather than buy a kit and it would look no worse than a perfboard based kit.I used to use perfboard for all my projects but now mainly use it for those with ICs. If space isn't limited why use it at all? Why not dead-bug which is quicker? It's also better for VHF RF anyway and requires less component lead bending. Which aids prototyping which mostly ends up being the final project. Because if you build the final in a nice box, with nice board etc it seldom works as well as the rough prototype, so you don't!Another method is just sawing the copper of a PC board into a grid of 5mm squares. Looks better than dead-bug, may be mechanically better but probably slightly inferior for VHF or complex connections. Both method's main disadvantage is for ICs with sockets but these could be put on perfboard.

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 09:19:00 am
content: Those are all points I plan to hit on in the near future. I'm not completely against them, my next project will use a pc board and it will be preassembled by myself (at least at first) so there will be no soldering or anything else needed. But one thing I offer on ebay and has proven pretty popular (I've shipped kits to europe, canada and australia) is a collection of parts that would otherwise cost much more and/or involve a long wait. I sell a collection of parts including perfboards which one can use to build pretty much whatever one wants and modify it to suit. PC boards cannot allow that, especially to a beginner. You'll learn a lot more assembling something on perfboard.I'm planning on getting my ham license here in the next few weeks. Didn't study for the tests but I've been involved in radio so long a lot of it "I just know." Of course my kit isn't just for radio, in fact it's geared more toward general purpose and advanced arduino stuff (the boards are the requisite size, there are pins and connectors and solderless breadboard jumper leads) but I really like this radio circuit I concocted a week ago and thought it might make a good shakedown video. I'm just getting my whiteboard capabilities up to speed, I need a mic so I don't have to shout, but it's coming along as quickly as I can make it happen. I'm happy to report there just aren't enough hours in the day...

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 09:44:02 am
content: I didn't know about the twisted wire caps; you realize you'll have me twisting different bits of wire to past midnight now! ;-)

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 09:50:34 am
content: Quote from: jucole on November 07, 2012, 09:44:02 amIt's just a gimmick - it'll never work

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 10:15:06 am
content: Some twisted wire caps used in an old Fender AB764 Vibrochamp - hehe, amazing!http://akavalve.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/thats-not-capacitor-thats-just-two.html

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2012, 02:48:55 pm
content: Off topic, took a peek at your other video about immigrant thingy, very well said Brad.

author: poptones
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2012, 07:55:07 pm
content: I think learning electronics from stuff like LTSpice is like learning to fly by watching Top Gun. LTSpice is a tool for those who already understand electronics and want to become more efficient engineers, not a tool for learning how to make cool shit.Of course there's space for all that. But when your goal is to learn and appreciate electronics, sitting at a simulator for hours on end is just another videogame. My whole objective is to get peopleawayfrom the videogames and to start building their own cool new shit.