Vero strip board layouts

[hw2nw]

Hi all,

I've been researching, and these vero boards look great, especially to avoid etching and cutting my own boards for now for simple projects. Do you have any suggestions on where to pick up good vero strip boards suitable for small-medium sized projects? I did some searching on the forum and couldn't find vendor names...Small Bear and Pedal Parts Plus don't have it.

Thanks for all the help so far keeping a newbie on the right track 

[tcobretti]

Aron sells them from the "STORE" link above.  Support the forum!

[hw2nw]

Aron sells them from the "STORE" link above.  Support the forum!

I'd be glad to! Is the item I want this one?


Stripboard for projects - I got these nice looking strip boards so you can wire up your stripboard/veroboard projects. Approx 3" X 2".- $2.50

That's just the strips, so then I need to buy the perfboard to put underneath, right? I think it's only $1.70 or so.



Just want to make sure I don't forget part of the order.

[fixr1984]

Nope you only need the strip board. the perf board is a totaly seperate board.
If you look in the "layout gallery" link on the top you should be able to see layouts
for both styles.

[hw2nw]

Nope you only need the strip board. the perf board is a totaly seperate board.
If you look in the "layout gallery" link on the top you should be able to see layouts
for both styles.

ok cool, that's what I thought. What's the best way to cut the strip board?

[mattpocket]

Use a sharp knife and a ruler to "score" along a row of holes and then put it over the sharp edge of a table/workbench and just snap it off, it should snap along the scored line.... hopefully! haha

Nah, that method is pretty common. Failing that, use a hacksaw or a dremel with a cutting attachment.

What pedal are you planning to build?

Matt

[calculating_infinity]

ok cool, that's what I thought. What's the best way to cut the strip board?

In this thread, there are various ways of cutting perfboard suggested.  This can apply to vero, pcb, perf and the like. 
- http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=55850.msg430523

[hw2nw]

Thanks for the links.

I'm going to build a Rangemaster first, then going to start browsing the layout galleries for other cool stuff to build.

So I need to solder your components on the non-strip side so the actual vero strips are facing down, and wire from underneath? That makes the most sense to me, just wanted to check. Then I just need to keep the vero board away from other stuff so it doesn't short.

Again, thanks for all the help guys. I'm off to a great start 

[mattpocket]

yeah, slide the component leads through the non-copper side of the board and put a small amount of solder on the lead on the copper side, making sure you dont put too much to block a hole next door (as this can make slotting other components through a lot harder - and hotter too! haha)

Also make sure you dont get bridges of solder between the strips... as this can cause an unwanted connection or short...

Read up on soldering technique too...

Matt

[Hanglow]

I'm going to build a Rangemaster first, then going to start browsing the layout galleries for other cool stuff to build.

Be warned though, once you start looking for cool stuff to build in this place, you are doomed 

I started on here just wanting to build a fuzz. now I'm six or seven pedals down the road with no end in sight.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I strongly advise anyone using stripboard, to have a continuity meter (a DMM that you can set to buzz on short circuits).
Because....... you WILL have shorts via solder bridges, or places where you tried to cut thru the track and didn't quite do so.
Well, I know I always do.

Edited to say, use a stiff wire brush to scrape clean the trace side before soldering. Makes all the difference.

[col]

+1 on the continuity meter. If I've built something that doesnt work I also use a slitting disc in my modellers drill (dremmel type) to ensure that all the tracks are clear even if there's nothing visible. More than 50% of the time that sorts it out. I have also had success with the smallest screwdriver in a jewellers set dragged along the gaps. Depending on how you do your holes you can have tiny strands of copper touching across strips, and make sure you clear away all the ends of resistor/cap/transistor etc. wires off the board after you've cut them as tey can stick in the most awkward places and short parts out.

And always, always, always check you've put all the jumpers in AND soldered both ends properly.

I don't use a brush, I found that the edge of the trace cutter does the same job if you rub it over the board.

[casey]

i always lightly sand the copper side as well.....

[enigmur]

Most circuits require you to make a break in the actual strip at some point (usually shown with a square or dot in a layout diagram) - to make a break in the connection.

Best way to do this is to get a small drill bit which is about the width or the strip, or slightly wider.
And drill a shallow hole, just enough so it will break the connection on that strip totally.

My first attempt I just tried making a break in the strip with a knife and I believe thats where my problem was when that circuit wouldnt work.

I like using the stripboard, but you should have a go a the beginner project too, so you can have a try on perfboard aswell. It is quite a bit harder because you are having to wire connections seperately.
But stripboard must be hard to build onto from a schematic - I just use layout diagrams.

Good luck!

[hw2nw]

Most circuits require you to make a break in the actual strip at some point (usually shown with a square or dot in a layout diagram) - to make a break in the connection.

Best way to do this is to get a small drill bit which is about the width or the strip, or slightly wider.
And drill a shallow hole, just enough so it will break the connection on that strip totally.

My first attempt I just tried making a break in the strip with a knife and I believe thats where my problem was when that circuit wouldnt work.

I like using the stripboard, but you should have a go a the beginner project too, so you can have a try on perfboard aswell. It is quite a bit harder because you are having to wire connections seperately.
But stripboard must be hard to build onto from a schematic - I just use layout diagrams.

Good luck!

Hm, I was going to try and make a break in the board with a sharp knife, not just a cut but maybe a small chunk out of it. I don't have any drilling equipment at this time, but I may have to go pick up a bit and twist by hand a la Aron's instructions. Stripboard appeals to me because I don't have to etch into perfboard, I figured I'd tackle perf layouts next project. For this simple circuit stuff vero strip looks really simple to get started.

I'm also using Aron's one-knob Colorsound guide http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album21 to get me familiar! Doesn't look too bad. I ordered my strip board from the site, once I get it away I go!

Thanks for all the help

[mattpocket]

Stripboard appeals to me because I don't have to etch into perfboard, I figured I'd tackle perf layouts next project. For this simple circuit stuff vero strip looks really simple to get started.

You dont have to etch perfboard... you see the little lines of copper around the holes? You solder your component legs through the hole like you would on vero/stripboard. On perfboard though you have the extra job of making the connections between the little dots of copper, this is done by soldering bare wire across the underneath of the board. Like this:



It resembles the kind of layout you could get with PCBs, but without the etching... It's no more difficult to do, just some things might scare you a bit while you are a new comer... you kind of stick to what you know for your first project, and then when that goes well you can go from there... just spend a lot of time researching, and reading round here, and reading tutorials and guides...

Go to wikipedia.org and type in "veroboard" and "perfboard" the articles should help you understand it more...

Matt

[hw2nw]

ah, thanks for the clarification. I'm mixing up my "boards" terms 

I've been researching like crazy, time to do some more!

[mattpocket]

Research is one of the best bits, finding out how things work, and why its done that way...

The more you learn the moer you can help yourself, and that's always rewarding...

I'm pretty new here too, and I have learnt so much from these guys, it's crazy how clever some of them are...

Just keep researching and anything you cant find: ask here! Someone will know the answer, or at least know where to find it.

Good luck with the rangemaster!

Matt

[nebucanazza]

I am planning to start my first project using veroboard . I was wondering..do veroboards cause extra noise compared to a PCB ? There are a lot of unused copper traces hanging around which might be a nuisance.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I've built some fairly critical circuits on stripboard without problems.
True, if you are building something very critical you might want to do "star grounding" (where all the ground points, or at least the most critical, all go directly to one point). You can still do this with vero, using extra wires.
But I don't think you will have any trouble using the vero layouts by the regulars here.

I did a bad layout once, I had 15V AC feeding a power diode & pulses as it charged the filter cap ran along an inch or so of vero trace - and managed to develop a few millivolts across it - which I managed to amplify after mixing with the input
Bodged up a rough fix by soldering a very fat chunk of copper along the offending trace. But that was a fairly exceptional problem.