Mounting PCB's

[Hayman]

Hi,

How do you mount your boards inside the chassis?

I can see that there are a few different spacers and stuff that one can buy. I was just wondering what you guys prefer?


Thanks

Richard

 

[Kev]

M3 screws and 6mm 8mm or 10mm brass based stand-offs
... contersunk on the bottom plate

A staple part of my diet from Farnell and Jaycar.

 

[dripelectronics]

my favorite are the 20mm tall metal standoffs from radio shack.

 

[MikoKensington]

[quote author="dripelectronics"]my favorite are the 20mm tall metal standoffs from radio shack.

[/quote]

I'm with you there. The Shack also has some good heatsinks, LED's and LED holders.

 

[peterc]

These are my favourites:

No enlarging of holes cos' you're 1/2 a mm out in the drilling.....

RS have them, 220-771, 609-281 are the RS numbers.

Peter

 

[Viitalahde]

[quote author="peterc"]

[/quote]

Do they stick well to the chassis and hold there?

 

[peterc]

Do they stick well to the chassis and hold there?

Like **** to a wool blanket :grin:

I have had some in my projects for 10 years & they are still good.

Peter

 

[Viitalahde]

[quote author="peterc"]I have had some in my projects for 10 years & they are still good.[/quote]

:grin: That's good, you'd imagine the sticky stuff went bad in 10 years but apparently not. Thanks!

 

[fucanay]

[quote author="peterc"]

Do they stick well to the chassis and hold there?

Like **** to a wool blanket :grin:

I have had some in my projects for 10 years & they are still good.

Peter[/quote]


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, man that's classic.

I'll pick some of those up next time I'm near the RatShack.

Matt

 

[dripelectronics]

[quote author="peterc"]

[/quote]

thats dirty

 

[Eurocide]

[quote author="dripelectronics"][quote author="peterc"]

[/quote]

thats dirty [/quote]
No, we WON'T think about it...

 

[Brian Roth]

I've always used Keystone threaded aluminum standoffs...6-32 threads.

Bri

 

[peranders]

[quote author="Kev"]M3 screws and 6mm 8mm or 10mm brass based stand-offs
[/quote]
... or stand-offs of nylon with M3, very practical and also safe if you use two screws, one at each end. M3x 6 screw is fine.

 

[kato]

Here's a newbie question:

How do you countersink your standoffs into the bottom of the unit?

I've used a countersink for wood. But what kind of tool do you use to countersink into metal. I imagine you have to be pretty precise to avoid drilling right through the metal.

Any links to tools or parts would be appreciated.

 

[Kev]

[quote author="kato"]I imagine you have to be pretty precise to avoid drilling right through the metal.[/quote]correct
:grin:
careful use of the end stop on the vertical drill
and then use feel and presure and perhaps a sheet of paper or cardboard under the base plate
I work in aluminuin 99% of the time

 

[kato]

Thanks Kev.

so you just use a regular drill bit?
and a drill press.
and caution!

 

[Kev]

NO

a regular drill bit can work and I do use it for a short pre-touch
BUT
it can be very unforgiving into bottom plate
and disaster is never far away

sorry
forgot to say that I have a selection of counter-sink bits just to suit my M3 screws

... and I hate it when the supply changes
cos I have to rework my feel and touch and couter-sink selection

my metal work is always very touchy feely
that's why I'd never make any money trying to be a manufacturer or service provider
and why I work for someone else ... ie the day job
:green:

 

[kato]

A websearch for M3 countersink bit is just sending me in circles.
Any suggestions?

 

[Kev]

:shock:
I probably just added to the end of one of my orders to Farnell
or
picked it up over the counter at Jaycar

I know I've got all of Jaycar's and Farnell's stepped drills and the counter-sinks probably were sourced around the same time.

..... :roll:
brand name ... HALL ??

 

[kato]

Yeah sorry about the newbie-ness my questions; I have never even heard of M3 type screws before. I assume this refers to a "size" of screw.

I found them at digikey:
http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?Ref=242124&Row=133439&Site=US