mounting veroboard

[lldrew]

How do you mount your veroboard in a hammond enclosure?  I am about to build my first project with veroboard and I am confused on how to mount it.

[Gilles C]

A few ideas there...

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=46056.0

Gilles

[Processaurus]

Heres a couple other random techniques:

My fave is to have the board sit vertically in hammond box, making it big enough to go from one side to the other, and capture it somehow so it isn't attached to anything, but can't move around when the lid is on.  A couple screws in the side of each wall of the box on either side of the board can kind of sandwich it in, or I'll lean it up against the jacks (the enclosed type) and put a screw in the box to hold the side of the board away from the jack.  The only thing to watch out for is shorting traces on the edges of the board.

Another one I like is to solder a big heavy piece of copper wire (or two on either side) to a couple free isolated pads (or ground) and then bend it into a shape that will hold it in place.

Heres a pic of a box that used both techniques.  Theres some electrical tape on the stompswitch so nothing on the bottom of the board shorts on the metal part.

Otherwise drill a hole & mount it on standoffs to the top of the box.  Use countersunk screws and lock washers between the standoff and the box so it will never come undone, then you're free to cover up the screw head on the outside of the box if want the smooth look.

I haven't used the adhesive standoffs, those might be the easiest "pro" solution.  To be honest a lot of times I'll stick foam tape on the bottom of the enclosure and theres so much stuff in there it will hold the board against the tape and nothing will rattle around.

Whatever you do, keep in mind you'll probably want to be able to service it easily in the future.  Your other goals are to have it not rattle around loose, and not to short on metal stuff.  As long as those 3 things happen, there are no real rules to stuffing a circuit into a box.