Small Steps/better late than never

[Strategy]

Well after 5+ years of obsession with this and "biting off more than I can chew" with gigantic projects like JH Tau Phaser, Maestro Ring Modulator, Loveclones, etc. I sat down last nite and...

DID MY FIRST EVER PERF BOARD PROJECT 

Wanted to try the Tim Escobedo "LoFoMoFo" but didn't want to fuss with a PCB...basically mimicked the GGG layout using the component legs. how does one get the trace side looking cleaner??? (FrequencyCentral!!!!)

Better late than never!
I think I might be able to plow through the rest of my Tim Escobedo back log list a little quicker doing them on perf...! LoFoMoFo is pretty killer sounding for being such a weird idea. the bass rolloff is pretty funky/rhythm guitar sounding.

I actually did perf once before...just to make a bipolar power supply for the Maestro...not a full pedal on perf, so doesn't count 

STRATEGY

[GibsonGM]

 

Good deal!  I love how little dependence on outside *stuff* is required to use perf.  After a while, you get used to it, and maybe even come to prefer it (I do, etching is too much work for me).   Have fun with Tim's stuff, there are some nice little gems on his site!! 

[wavley]

Most of the time I'm building one or maybe two things so I don't really bother with etching.  There are so many great projects that folks have already made pcb's for that I just drop the $6-$20 that pcb's usually cost and help out somebody that's doing more for the community for me.  I mean there is a huge amount of really awesome stuff out there for me to build standing on the shoulders of DIY giants.

My point is, I'm lazy, so I buy a board or I perf if I'm problem solving (like buffers, splitters, and such) or if it's something relatively simple.  I really love perf, a lot of the time I just lay things out on the board from the schematic or I follow another board layout but make adjustments in spacing to accommodate whatever components I have on hand.  Plus perf is kind of an instant gratification thing.  I can etch, but often times there just isn't much point of it for me.

[Strategy]

I have no etching capabilities and a lot of the projects I'm interested in are PnP. I'm probably only good for perfing the smaller ones, like the LoFoMoFO. I'm also always happy to buy pcb's (including having someone from the forums etch ones for me) but this was INSTANT gratification.

that said, I did have to go back the bench a few times after the initial plug-in test...there were some connections I forgot to solder etc. Some trial and error.

Now back to the Gallery to see what other smaller circuits I could drum up this way! Thinking Jinx, Psychtar, Wobbletron, Bronx Cheer for starters

Strategy

[thom]

I find perf board soldering oddly relaxing, especially as I'm normally pretty impatient.
I do agree, it is very gratifying when it does eventually work.

I also tend to use DIYLC to draw perf board layouts for more complex projects.

[aron]

YES. Perfboard can be very relaxing. It's how I made almost all of my projects.

[mth5044]

@#$%. Perf. That is all.

[Strategy]

Lots of fun options here. I think I have 90% of the needed parts to do Rick Holt's version of Clari(Not) "Cubed" as a perf. Hmm....
THERE GOES MY WEEKEND... 

[duck_arse]

@#$%. Perf Vero. That is all.

I'm yet to try perf. I already hate vero.

[mth5044]

If you hate vero, you're going to dislike perf even more.

[Luke51411]

Being somewhat new to the hobby I find that I learn different things through different mediums, they are all valuable. I recently built a way huge red llamma on a radioshack perfboard designed around the IC. I find that enjoyable for builds with fewer parts and if space is not a concern. I like that it was simpler than perf but I still had to decide where to put the parts and where to cut links, almost like a cross between perf and vero.

[duck_arse]

I dunno about hating perf (yet). it looks less frustrating because you can run "tracks" at right angles when you want.

[Strategy]

I've tried veroboard projects a couple of times and never any luck. I was worried perf would be a similar experience for me but so far so good. I pulled a set of diagrams to try as perf, looks like the final selection for now -

Harmonic Jerkulator
Wobbletron
Jinx
Gargletron
Too Many Knobs
Black Cat OD
Psychtar

[blackieNYC]

I just perfed an uglyface.  I'm new at this, but I find the pcb's I buy are always larger than I expect. With perf, and some Teflon sleeving, I can pack a lot of stuff in a small board. Maybe snap off the edges. I have a fuzz face pcb that is as big as my perfed 3 channel splitter/mixer/blender/booster/feedback looper/phase inverter with three op amps. 

[mth5044]

There are PCB's that are large, specifically ones aimed at either a) simple, beginner circuits or b) circuits that have mojo parts. Or both. Fuzz Faces, boosters, etc are easy for beginners as they are small and simple to debug. Beginners are likely to not be great at soldering, so the PCB's are big and spaced out to make it easier. Fuzz Faces also tend to have those giant-ass caps for some reason, making the layouts so big.

Laying out a PCB for your parts is my favorite. Followed by vero, then perf. Making all the bends, and all the flipping of the board, trying to pay attention to which lead goes where while you're flipping it. At least with vero you just deal with twisting a bit to make holes.

[Strategy]

As it happens I am spring cleaning and have 6 pieces of big-ish vero-board, unused. I will post pics and specs to the Buy/Sell/Trade section this evening. Not concerned about making tons of $ off these, mainly just downsizing the workshop/studio accumulation.

Strategy

[rutabaga bob]

@Strategy - I perf everything...love doing layouts, too...Is this weird? 
Larry

[Strategy]

Larry, don't think it's weird at all! I found perf strangely satisfying even if my results were not aesthetically appealing. I have a Harmonic Jerkulator almost done now and about to do a Too Many Knobs. But i ran out of perf board!!! ;-)

You like doing layouts eh!! Don't say that too loud around this crowd next thing you know...Hey bud willya do a layout for me??? 

[Thecomedian]

The fun part of perf is that it's basically a puzzle: How can I fit these piece onto the smallest space possible with proper electrical approach?

If you don't a little extra lead bending work, you can produce a perf that has an identical layout to any PCB.

If you hate vero, you're going to dislike perf even more.

Not really. The problem of Vero is tracing the layout and making sure the buses are cut at proper intervals, and it can be a little bit bigger in finished product unless you've done plenty of version revisions.

Perf is more flexible and you don't have to worry about cutting the bus strips.

[garcho]

Bus board! Looks a lot like a breadboard, solders like perf, no cuts or drilling needed like vero, makes quick builds for gigs and laughs, easy to transfer from the breadboard.