Tips and tricks

[Demon]

If you don't want to solder your 7-segment LEDs to prototyping boards, use headers.

I use sockets for my ICs, but I don't have a format that can support 7-segment LEDs. I don't even know if they exist.



EDIT: I have 7-segment LEDs in multiple formats: single, 2-bit, 3-bit and even 4-bit, in varying sizes and colours: .28", .36" and .56". They have varying pinout styles.

Robert


EDIT SOME MORE: Well, what do you know, the .28" LEDs fit nicely in 14 pin sockets. Too bad I don't have 12 pin sockets, I'd have less driling to do.

[Demon]

MeLabs USB programmer header; costs $5.88cad at JLCPCB for 20.




So now I don't even worry about moving my cumbersome DIY programming header around.




And the pins are labelled so I don't have to keep digging up the specs to know what-goes-where. I could have made the pads a big bigger though.

I also made a 2x7 pin version for the 44780 LCD at the left. Those LCDs come in handy for debugging.

[Ioannis]

I think JLCPCB has saved our (engineering) life many times!!!

Ioannis

[Demon]

I think JLCPCB has saved our (engineering) life many times!!!

Ioannis

I'm addicted now.

Modular circuits; a CD jack on the right with a 7805 voltage regulator. I bought a bunch of breadboards over on amazon, so I just leave them on the breadboard and can quickly test something related with "power". Just make sure your pins are spaced like on your breadboards (2.54mm usually).




Tip #1: I sacrificed my worst breadboard and use it to solder my modules. That way the header pins are always perfectly straight.

Tip #2: Instead of using double-pins cause singles are annoying to hold (like on my DC jack module), use a full-length header but remove the unneeded pins (7805 module):




Tip#3: you can determine where JLCPCB puts their order # on your PCB, just add JLCJLCJLCJLC wherever you want (see bottom of 7805 module above).

[Demon]

Need drawer separators and are fed up with crappy cardboard?

1mm plexi from amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09XV459GR?th=1


And get a cutter for plexi and a steel ruler; don't try with an exacto, they tend to wander a bit more.

Now I wished I had fabricated a small cutting table last summer.



The front one is an original.

I use 100grit sandpaper to round out the bottom corners.

[Demon]

Just be warned, the sheet isn't exactly 8x10in.






I didn't measure first and started cutting. I could have gotten at least 31 separators of 1x2in, but I only got 27 cause I wasn't paying attention to cutting that last slice in the other direction.




There's 1/6in plexi available to simulate the real separators, but it's a bit thicker to cut and I don't think it's worth it.

1mm plexi only takes 3 good slices, bend and you get a clean break, then pass an exacto in the bend to slice off the other layer of protective film. At worse, take 4 slices if you don't want to press hard.