A question about breadboarding and caps

[ole jason]

Do you guys have any tips on converting a vero layout into a breadboard layout?  For the most part I can follow the circuit path on the vero but when I run out of room on the breadboard and need to start using jumpers I get confused.  Would it better to just use the schematic instead?

If a circuit calls for a film cap can I use an electro cap?  I know it will probably sound a lot different but will it technically work?  And how do I know which way to orient the cap?

[liddokun]

I find it easier building straight from schematic for any circuit, regardless of what I'm building (breadboard, vero, pcb layout). Others may have a different preference however.
You can use an electro cap, but make sure you verify where the cap is in the schematic and the polarity, because film caps are bipolar, electros are not.

[ole jason]

I actually only have a vero layout so I'm not sure how the polarity is supposed to line up.  Time to find a different project I guess hehe

[Joe Hart]

I actually only have a vero layout so I'm not sure how the polarity is supposed to line up.  Time to find a different project I guess hehe

You could just try it one way, then the other. Or be a little more technical about it and figure which way it should go. If the cap goes to ground and it's negative ground, then the negative of the electro goes to ground (and vice versa for positive ground). If it's in the signal path, then the positive goes towards the input side and the negative heads towards the output (I believe). Hope this helps.
-Joe Hart
P.S. What are you building?

[ole jason]

I actually only have a vero layout so I'm not sure how the polarity is supposed to line up.  Time to find a different project I guess hehe

You could just try it one way, then the other. Or be a little more technical about it and figure which way it should go. If the cap goes to ground and it's negative ground, then the negative of the electro goes to ground (and vice versa for positive ground). If it's in the signal path, then the positive goes towards the input side and the negative heads towards the output (I believe). Hope this helps.
-Joe Hart
P.S. What are you building?

Thanks, that helps a lot.

I'm working from the fuzzy elephant vero layout.  I thought it would be a good one to try first because I have the pedal it's based on so I can compare what's going on in the clone.  Hopefully I'll get a little time this weekend to try and breadboard it from the schematic.  It just gets a little daunting when I sit down and look at everything hehe

[Joe Hart]

Also, most breadboards are labeled with columns and rows. I usually jot down the row and column for each side of each component right on the schematic and also use a highlighter to color in what I've done. If that makes sense?

So it would look something like this (the "MMM" is a resistor):

    A7     B9    B8        F11
-------||---------MMM---------

Or whatever. That way I can trace back without needing to read resistor codes or follow through the whole schematic to find a part.

Hope this helps!!
-Joe Hart