How do you build your breadboards?

[Tonefishin]

After studying circuits and reading amp building articles for awhile, I'm ready to start gathering parts to put some circuits together to hear the component part effects. If the goal is to make it easy to swap out components (resistors, caps, etc.), what board and connections work best?

Are there solderless boards that can handle the voltage/current and have good connections, or is it really necessary to solder?

If predominantly soldering is a must, are certain turrets better than others, and better than eyelets?

Have you found tube sockets that are super convenient for breadboarding a design?

What have you found to be the most convenient setup to work out a design by your ear?

Thanks for sharing your wisdom and experiences. :)

[tubeswell]

I'm sure one could make a board out of just about any non-conductive durable heat-resistant material with what ever fittings you like.

I built a 5G9 clone recently with a eyelet board I made myself out of 4mm switchboard from an electrical supplier, that I cut to size and drilled 4mm holes in for mounting some 4mm copper eyelets in that I got from a building supplier. I didn't even have to crimp the eyelets in, because they fit tightly into the holes I drilled (I had to tap them home with a hammer). Total cost was about NZ$2 for parts (well the switchboard was more than that, but I've got a whole sheet of it for my next few builds) plus about an hour-and-a-bits labour. Works fine.

[Enzo]

You might find this series interesting from www.tubesandmore.com

Terminal boards with tube sockets mounted There is a ground plane around the tube socket and rows of turrets
http://www.tubesandmore.com/cemirror/inv/P-TB9-3-2.GIF
http://www.tubesandmore.com/cemirror/inv/P-TB8-2-2.GIF

They come in both octal and 9-pin sockets, and as many as three sockets per board.

Look there under tube accessories, then epoxy boards.

I have a few of them, I think they are cool.

[Rob Mercure]

If you can find vector sockets these make assembly in a sufficiently deep chassis nice. The consist of a tube socket with a center post and another ring of phenolic with terminals situated on the center post about 1.5 inches (or so) "below." This allows you to solder up associated components to the tubes close enough to limit RF pickup, etc., and then trail leads to controls, etc. You'll probably still need a small terminal board or two but these really make subassembly easy as long as the chassis is deep enough.

Rob

[jrfrond]

I have this breadboard monster I made out of plywood with a metal panel to mount pots in, a ground plane, tubes sockets and a power supply. I use stripped wire and Fahnestock clips to hook it all up.

What's that I heard some of you say? Whosi-whatsis clips??? They are called FAHNESTOCK CLIPS and work by spring action. Best thing ever for serious, solderless breadboarding. You fellow "old folk" will remember these. The rest of you, lookie here:

http://www.acmemodel.com/fahnestock.htm

[Enzo]

The very first electronic project I ever did was built on fahnestock clips - that was about 1954. they still sell them also at www.tubesandmore.com - our friends.

Later someone came up with those spring terminals - little tight wound springs sticking up. Pull up on the spring to spread the windings, and you could park resistor leads in them.

[Tonefishin]

I'm sure one could make a board out of just about any non-conductive durable heat-resistant material with what ever fittings you like.

I built a 5G9 clone recently with a eyelet board I made myself out of 4mm switchboard from an electrical supplier, that I cut to size and drilled 4mm holes in for mounting some 4mm copper eyelets in that I got from a building supplier. I didn't even have to crimp the eyelets in, because they fit tightly into the holes I drilled (I had to tap them home with a hammer). Total cost was about NZ$2 for parts (well the switchboard was more than that, but I've got a whole sheet of it for my next few builds) plus about an hour-and-a-bits labour. Works fine.

Cool, thanks!

[Tonefishin]

You might find this series interesting from www.tubesandmore.com

Terminal boards with tube sockets mounted There is a ground plane around the tube socket and rows of turrets
http://www.tubesandmore.com/cemirror/inv/P-TB9-3-2.GIF
http://www.tubesandmore.com/cemirror/inv/P-TB8-2-2.GIF

They come in both octal and 9-pin sockets, and as many as three sockets per board.

Look there under tube accessories, then epoxy boards.

I have a few of them, I think they are cool.

Yeah, I saw those over at Antique Supply. They look pretty handy for the type of experimenting I'm planning...thanks!

[Tonefishin]

If you can find vector sockets these make assembly in a sufficiently deep chassis nice. The consist of a tube socket with a center post and another ring of phenolic with terminals situated on the center post about 1.5 inches (or so) "below." This allows you to solder up associated components to the tubes close enough to limit RF pickup, etc., and then trail leads to controls, etc. You'll probably still need a small terminal board or two but these really make subassembly easy as long as the chassis is deep enough.

Rob

Thanks. I found some over at Vacuum Tubes, Inc. Interesting looking. I could just build a deep box....hmmmmm.

[Tonefishin]

I have this breadboard monster I made out of plywood with a metal panel to mount pots in, a ground plane, tubes sockets and a power supply. I use stripped wire and Fahnestock clips to hook it all up.

What's that I heard some of you say? Whosi-whatsis clips??? They are called FAHNESTOCK CLIPS and work by spring action. Best thing ever for serious, solderless breadboarding. You fellow "old folk" will remember these. The rest of you, lookie here:

http://www.acmemodel.com/fahnestock.htm

Yes, thanks. I was checking those out earlier today at Mouser. They look pretty handy. If I could get by without soldering every connection while changing parts out, that would be very nice.

Are they big enough to fit more than one wire/lead in a clip, or do you screw them together at the mounts?

[defaced]

1/2" plywood and copper nails as standoffs. I build "modules" out of furring strips to help make making the circuit easier and it's easier to physically move things around if needed.

[Tonefishin]

1/2" plywood and copper nails as standoffs. I build "modules" out of furring strips to help make making the circuit easier and it's easier to physically move things around if needed.

Alright!! SOunds Old School....and I like it!!

So instead of soldering you can just pound the nail in, pinching the leads/wires in between the copper nail-head and the wood? Is that the way you work it?

Very Cool!!

[defaced]

I solder to the nails.

I also prototype some circuits that won't be modified extensively on strip board. You can see the dual bias supply and the power tube grid stopper circuits are on strip board.

The power tube board came from the original amp, a Peavey Deuce.

[Loogie]

I solder to the nails...

That's brilliant. I've been thinking about another breadboard after two usable, but not completely satisfactory tries. I'm going with the nails. Thanks!

Where did you get those 9-pin sockets?

[defaced]

You can find those nails at Lowe's in the hardware section. They're in a small package hanging on the wall. I think I paid less than 5 bucks for a package which has been enough to do this entire amp. They're not solid copper, but copper plated.

For this first prototype, I cannibalized an Epiphone Valve Special for some of the initial parts like coupling caps and sockets. I've seen these sockets elsewhere but I wouldn't go out of my way to find them. If I were to do it again, I'd put 9 nails into the plywood and use a socket with solder terminals and solder the socket directly to the nails so the socket doesn't have to be held while changing tubes. Then you can solder wires and components to the nails.

[Enzo]

And for octal sockets, sometimes these are handy

http://www.alliedelec.com/Images/Products/Small/850-2090.jpg

They are relay sockets for octal based relays, and each pin comes out to a screw terminal in the barrier strip. This is from Allied, but others sell them.

[Tonefishin]

And for octal sockets, sometimes these are handy

http://www.alliedelec.com/Images/Products/Small/850-2090.jpg

They are relay sockets for octal based relays, and each pin comes out to a screw terminal in the barrier strip. This is from Allied, but others sell them.

That looks like a really nice setup!!

[Tbone]

Here's my 6021 1 watter project.

I crimp ring terminals (got these from radio shack) to the ends of my resistors, caps, wires, etc.. I then put the circuit together turret board style but instead of turrets and solder I use #6 screws pushed in from the bottom of the board and #6 nuts.

I fasten pots and switches to 2" alum angle fastened to 1/2" mdf board with #8 screws.

The 2 big holes were originally for 9 pin sockets to sit in but now I just let the tubes sockets "float" - after all It's just a prototype.

Last pic is start of new project (marshall/soldano 50 watt). So far the 2 octal sockets for power amp the PI and cathode follower tube sockets have been installed.

All connections are electrically sound and very easy to swap out parts.

I also use a heatkit power supply (adjust b+ up to 400v, adjustable bias voltage up to -50 volts and 4 A of 6.3v heater voltage).

[Steve Conner]

This is a cool thread. It's nice to see that someone rediscovered the wooden board and nails method. I say "rediscovered" because the original prototyping board was just a wooden board, like you'd use for cutting bread on in the kitchen, with brass thumbtacks pushed into it for contacts. That's why they're called breadboards.

Of course, wood is not much use for a finished build (what if it got damp and started to conduct?) but for prototypes it's fine.

[Enzo]

Or just when the circuit is tweaked out the way you want it, and the wife decides to chop onions on it.

[Tonefishin]

Here's my 6021 1 watter project.

I crimp ring terminals (got these from radio shack) to the ends of my resistors, caps, wires, etc.. I then put the circuit together turret board style but instead of turrets and solder I use #6 screws pushed in from the bottom of the board and #6 nuts.

I fasten pots and switches to 2" alum angle fastened to 1/2" mdf board with #8 screws.

The 2 big holes were originally for 9 pin sockets to sit in but now I just let the tubes sockets "float" - after all It's just a prototype.

Last pic is start of new project (marshall/soldano 50 watt). So far the 2 octal sockets for power amp the PI and cathode follower tube sockets have been installed.

All connections are electrically sound and very easy to swap out parts.

I also use a heatkit power supply (adjust b+ up to 400v, adjustable bias voltage up to -50 volts and 4 A of 6.3v heater voltage).

Nice setup!!!