Creating layouts

[aron]

I'm thinking that I will start a thread re: creating layouts. Unfortunately for myself, it will have to be limited to Stripboard and Perfboard layout examples. Anyone else here want to handle the PCB part?

What I am thinking is that we start with really simple circuits, and then have people contribute to the thread with their own examples of layouts. This is of course geared toward beginners so that they can get the knowledge to create their own layouts.

I will be starting this in the members only section. So yes, you have to be logged in to do this. We will use the DIY layout creator software, so you Macintosh guys will have to figure out a way to run it. (Parallels, old Virtual PC)

[stopstopsmile]

Aron,

I am wondering did you make any headway on this thread idea? I found this thread searching for layout tutorials.

I finally understand how to read a schematic at least 90% of the time I can understand it

I have been doing like you did in the gus boost and trying to convert schematics into layouts.  I am getting some ok results but I see things you did in your conversions that just baffle me.  Mine looks really chaotic and messy and I am lucky if they work, yours were neat and well thought out and work

I am wondering did you make any headway on this thread idea? I found this thread searching for layout tutorials.

I would love to be able to take a simple schematic and make a layout in perf and vero that makes sense, is tight and compact, and works. 

[jlullo]

i will definitely help with this.  what exactly is it you want me to do?

[aron]

COOL, we will start next week. I am slammed with work this week!

[Dragonfly]

COOL, we will start next week. I am slammed with work this week!

I hope you enjoyed your vacation !

[96ecss]

I will participate too. I have lots of layouts done but I don't want to post them until I have a chance to build and verify them.

Dave

[Baktown]

Aron,

This is a really great idea!  Newbies like myself get frustrated trying to figure out how to create layouts, but most of us are afraid to ask for help.  I have been practicing small circuits like boosters to learn how to properly make a layout, but sometimes I get so confused I just give up!  This is why you're El Jefe in my book!

Rock on!

Axl Bundy

[aron]

>I hope you enjoyed your vacation !

I did and then all hell broke loose as soon as I returned :-(

[R.G.]

I don't say this so much in the way of advertising as in saving myself from typing a lot of stuff over again.

I wrote the book on this. It is hard to say much LESS than I did in "PCB Layout for Musical Effects". If you're a beginner and want to get started, I don't know of a more concise, simple way. You will spend a lot of time asking questions that the book just tells you the answer to.

It's at Small Bear. I don't mind answering questions at all, as those of you who have seen the history know. But you're not likely to pick up layout quickly from a forum.

[jlullo]

I don't say this so much in the way of advertising as in saving myself from typing a lot of stuff over again.

I wrote the book on this. It is hard to say much LESS than I did in "PCB Layout for Musical Effects". If you're a beginner and want to get started, I don't know of a more concise, simple way. You will spend a lot of time asking questions that the book just tells you the answer to.

It's at Small Bear. I don't mind answering questions at all, as those of you who have seen the history know. But you're not likely to pick up layout quickly from a forum.

rg, not to go OT, but are you still willing to autograph? 

[R.G.]

The ones currently in stock at Small Bear are autographed.

[96ecss]

I don't say this so much in the way of advertising as in saving myself from typing a lot of stuff over again.

I wrote the book on this. It is hard to say much LESS than I did in "PCB Layout for Musical Effects". If you're a beginner and want to get started, I don't know of a more concise, simple way. You will spend a lot of time asking questions that the book just tells you the answer to.

It's at Small Bear. I don't mind answering questions at all, as those of you who have seen the history know. But you're not likely to pick up layout quickly from a forum.

I know I've said this before but, just buy this book. R.G. is right, it answers just about every question you could have on doing layouts.

Dave

[Pushtone]

I saw this thread on Sunday and thought it would be good for me to finally start doing layouts.

I download the DIYLC program, picked a schem from Aron's pedal pages, the Booster 2.5, and got to work.
Schem link.

In just four hours I had this...



Branislav has done such a good job with the program, I mean come on, four hours to a layout!

So please tell me, hows it look? I'm feeling very confident now that I did this one.
But maybe its wrought with newb mistakes, I don't know.

If so, please don't spare the criticism.
It's the only thing that will make me buy RG's book.

Otherwise I'm feeling pretty good about it.
But that's also how I felt the first time I lit a Coleman camping stove and that didn't turn out so well.
Though my eyebrows did grow back.

[burnt fingers]

I've got a few layouts in my gallery.

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/v/Burnt-Fingers-stuff/Layouts-and-schematics/

I have a few more that aren't finished or verified I just don't have a lot of time to work on them.  I'll post more when I can.

Scott

[jlullo]

aron, we should have it so we create a system where we can "buddy" up and check each others' layouts.  there are a lot of us new guys starting them now, and i'm sure we could all benefit from verifying for each other

[nordine]

So please tell me, hows it look? I'm feeling very confident now that I did this one.
But maybe its wrought with newb mistakes, I don't know.

well it looks good, very clean and organised... don't know about schem/PCB inaccuracies, but, space could'be saved much better, i think you can place the same components in 1/3 the space, try doing that (because it definitely won't fit in some of the smaller boxes)

cheers

[aron]

What I intend the thread to be is to simply show people how to layout simple circuits. This is no substitute for a comprehensive book. Just a way to prod people into simply.... starting.

[R.G.]

So please tell me, hows it look? I'm feeling very confident now that I did this one.
But maybe its wrought with newb mistakes, I don't know.
...
If so, please don't spare the criticism.

Well, first, congratulations on having the gumption to go dig in and do some kind of layout. The old "journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." thing is true.

You did a couple of things right - the first thing the book says is "get a layout program, any one will do." You did that, and the DIY layout one is an OK place to start. The book also says to put the I/O pins on one side, not all around the board or coming out the middle. I suspect that came from seeing out layouts that did that properly. Putting input on one end and output on the other, also in the book and explained, is good. So is the U shaped ground and mid-board power distribution. That stuff is all approached directly, and the reasons why it's good explained.

There are some things that you would have done differently had you read PCBLFME first.

1. The board would have been about half or less the size. Why and how is explained.
2. The board would have been seriously easier to populate for three different reasons.
3. The board would have been easier to manufacture; not a biggie to someone who makes only one, but you might as well start your own "MegaFX" business, everyone else is. The manufacturing issues would be important then.
4. There's no way to mount the board other than leaving it flapping loose in the box - what to do, why to do it, and WHEN to do it is explained in detail. This is in fact, kind of step one.

Your eyebrows are in good shape. But there are some straightforward things to do that could get you much better layouts, and would save you a LOT of trial and error learning. And the book even explains what "better" means in that context.

Reading PCBLFME is absolutely not necessary. Shoot, I learned to lay out effects with no such help. It only took me a few years to get the ideas worked out. 8-)

[John Lyons]

Dave/pushtone

Your layout looks fine. It's your first one...sheesh...Looks better than my first.
After you do a few and have to build on them you will see what works and how to improve.
There is room to down size the board you made... but you'll get there. Just work it like a puzzle or Tetris and you will see how to save some space. Off to a good start.


John

[aron]

Dave,

You should go check out my first stripboard layout. I took a lot of time and made it. Then someone came and fit it in about 1/3 the size. I couldn't believe it.