How can I make temporary no-solder pcb connections?

[joegagan]

yeah, there are times when this is a cool solution. kind of like when the inlaws pull up in the airstream trailer. they are not in the house, but the sewage still goes down the same pipe.

[Pyr0]

yeah, there are times when this is a cool solution. kind of like when the inlaws pull up in the airstream trailer. they are not in the house, but the sewage still goes down the same pipe.

rofl this made me spill my morning coffee 

[markeebee]

Nixie pins?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=nixie+pins

You can squish the top of pin together with pliers or whatever so that they accomodate thin component leads.  They'll add a bit of height, though.

[digi2t]

Sorry, couldn't help myself. 

Carry on.

[R.G.]

The only good way I can think of that doesn't involve some kind of pin-and-socket contact is environmentally incorrect. 

Back when IBM researchers were messing with Josephson junction logic, they had to cool it to at least liquid nitrogen, maybe liquid helium to get the things to work properly. They used socket contacts filled with mercury. Liquid at room temp, pop ICs and whatever in and out with no damage, and the mercury turns solid when it's cooled to operating temperature.

IF one were to fill holes or small pots with mercury, and mercury-wet the pins, you could simply drop stuff into place.

There's that ugly business about the EPA and your state environmental people wanting to make examples of someone, like they did with the lady who called the state enviro boys over a broken fluorescent tube, but hey, one could just be careful. 

[pappasmurfsharem]

The only good way I can think of that doesn't involve some kind of pin-and-socket contact is environmentally incorrect. 

Back when IBM researchers were messing with Josephson junction logic, they had to cool it to at least liquid nitrogen, maybe liquid helium to get the things to work properly. They used socket contacts filled with mercury. Liquid at room temp, pop ICs and whatever in and out with no damage, and the mercury turns solid when it's cooled to operating temperature.

IF one were to fill holes or small pots with mercury, and mercury-wet the pins, you could simply drop stuff into place.

There's that ugly business about the EPA and your state environmental people wanting to make examples of someone, like they did with the lady who called the state enviro boys over a broken fluorescent tube, but hey, one could just be careful. 

Surely there is some mojo to be had in mercury 

[joegagan]

rg, great story.
i recall dozens of old thermostats with the merc bubble in trash bins on jobsites. i should have harvested them, i could have sold the mercury to mexican women as facial creme ( true story, look it up), or left the merc in the bubble & made some weird mercury wahwah pedals.

[R.G.]

And it makes the "Mad Hatter Overdrive" a real, solid fact. 

[digi2t]

How about a "Lighthouse Fuzz"?

Great bit of history R.G.. Thanks.

[DeepBlueC]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. Thanks especially R.G. for your input. So in the absence of a ready supply of mercury, would a little vat of enriched uranium do the same thing?

 

[Jdansti]

I wonder if the SnF₂ in toothpaste would make it conductive enough.