After doing my first non-pad per hole perfboard...

[ExpAnonColin]

Here's my verdict.
Making the PCB would have taken me a lot longer.  This is a pretty small project, 5 knobs and 3 switches, plus 1 IC and about 5 other internal components, then there's the jacks and battery clip...  I did non-pad-per-hole simply because I bought the wrong kind by mistake.  I had to do this layout as I went along.  I put the pots on SMD, (which saved me a LOT of useless wiring, I might add) so there are quite a few jumpers on it.  The pots are going to keep the board up in the air inside of the box.  I'd have to say that doing the design "on the fly" was sort of a pain-but there were 2 advatages: Now I understand the circuit like the back of my hand (no schematic needed), and it worked as soon as I plugged it in, which is partly because there aren't so many parts, but with a PCB that isn't as likely to happen for me.

I've done PCBs, pad-per-holes, and this, and I think they're all about the same, they have their pro's and cons.  I really like being able to mount the pots, though.  I'd mount the switches if I had ones with PCB terminals on the bottom and if I was sure that they would be the same height as the pots.

We'll see how this goes once it's in a box!  That's the next step.

-Colin

[ExpAnonColin]

Oh, and one quick thing...

This is also going to be my first project that I actually spraypaint with enamel and all... is it OK if I bake it in my home toaster oven, and not one specifically only for baking?  And where was that site again that had a nice tutorial...

-Colin

[Paul Marossy]

I've built some stuff with that kind of perfboard. To help with the layout, I mark it up with a fine point Sharpie marker first.

I still think any kind of perfboard is more of a pain than making a PCB. I'll use it for a simple circuit with 5-10 parts, but for the more complicated circuits it's too easy to make mistakes, at least for me...  :oops: