Project board: vector board or radio schack etch job?

[tharnicasync]

Howdy,

I was chatting with a transformer guy, and after telling my plans to build a pre, he say "Hey, just get some vector board for that."

I did a googly search, and I can find it for sale, but I can't find any pictures or explanation of exactly what it is.

Anybody used it and have positive/negative things to say?

If it's way easier than the radio shack etch project, I'm sold.

Thanks,

kelly

 

[VacuumVoodoo]

Vero board maybe ?

 

[Manifold]

I believe Vector is the manufacturer. If you go to http://www.mouser.com and type in "Vector" that should bring up what you're looking for. If not go to the prototype section. You can then download to spec sheets and it will show you what it is. From the looks of it, it seems to be perf board and then they have some variations that have trace patterns on them.

 

[dayvel]

You can get them at Radio Shack. They call them PC boards or printed circuit boards or experimenter boards. (Can't make up their minds.)
I use them for just about everything, no problems.

 

[bcarso]

Yes, Vector is the manufacturer. I was going to figure out a gag about scalar boards and tensor boards but you have been spared for the moment. But I may have a quaternion for the worse.

Another outfit I like a lot is Twin Industries. I build lots of stuff on their 0.1" pitch lattice plated-through pad-per-hole with one side ground plane material. Frightfully expensive but really good for low-medium frequency stuff.

They have material with planes on both sides, but it is virtually impossible to avoid shorts on the component lead side. Maybe if my eyes worked better I would use it.

 

[PRR]

 

[CJ]

The rat shack stuff is pretty fragile. For permanent projects, try for some of that blue perf board. More bucks, but a lought tougher. That phenolic type stuff at RS snaps like a dry twig in a stiff desert wind. Not to mention the henious fumes.

 

[PRR]

> The rat shack stuff is pretty fragile

The perf-board in my picture was built in the late 1980s, has those fairly large caps and resistors on it, has been slung around in canvas gig-bags, still un-busted.

 

[Guest]

I have been doing this for only six months - but I can;t seem to get on with veroboard or matrix board..
For relay boards (where I need small lines between ICs) - I use Seno Dry Transfers
For PSUs I etch with a Dalo etch resistant pen (it took me a while to figure out I have to press down to get the ink running - duh!)- but for the molex connector and regulators I use the Seno stuff ('cos they have nice preprinted patterns for ICs and connectors)
Etch in a small tupperwear container with ferric chloride
And get rid of the etching pen/transfers with a dremel tool with a felt buffer thing attached (much better than scrubbing with wire wool or nail polish remover)
When finished I spray the whole thing with some PCB plastic sealant stuff

 

[Family Hoof]

Kelly,

Is this the pre you're going to build?

It's a BA283AV with the external components already added. The input transformer is a JLM 1:4 which will get a 5k pot strapped across. I built two of them on perfboard from RatShack.

You just do the layout with usual principles in mind and then start soldering component leads together on the bottom. Since there are no pads or traces, I connected the collector of the 3055 (the TO-3 case) by soldering a lead to one of the mounting bolt washers.

It will be much neater and more compact next time but you get the idea. Simple circuits like this do not merit the trouble of making a PCB, especially one-offs. I asked the same question as you a while ago and received great help. Check out the thread here.

 

[tharnicasync]

Wow, thanks so much to everybody. Hoof, I'm making a couple of api-style pres, one with transformer out, one w/o. Basically, I'm just salvaging parts from botched projects and going for it. I've got a week off coming up and I figured why not.

It sounds like the easiest thing to do is just do the ratshack thing. Which is fine, 'cause there's at least a rat shack in my town.

Thanks to everybody. I can't wait for the parts so I can get down to business...

kelly

 

[Family Hoof]

Kelly,

This phoenolic is almost too easy to drill. When I didn't have the right size drill bits I used a screw driver to enlarge of one of the holes. When I did use a drill to make the larger holes however, some of the edges would start flaking. Be careful about this!

 

[bcarso]

Regarding making the holes larger: if you can get a very small tapered reamer these work well. Also, if using drill bits try to get the "fly-cutter" variety.

 

[Guest]

[quote author="Family Hoof"]Kelly,

This phoenolic is almost too easy to drill. When I didn't have the right size drill bits I used a screw driver to enlarge of one of the holes. When I did use a drill to make the larger holes however, some of the edges would start flaking. Be careful about this![/quote]


Thanks for the heads up, Hoof.

I've got some really small bits for the dremel, and I may try those. We'll see.

Thanks,

kelly

 

[Mark Burnley]

Veroboard is great for working out designs and getting stuff up and running quickly. As shown by Familyhoof! Good stuff.

Here's a related thread with some more tips:

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=5322

Mark