Perforated boards are good for simple circuitries. However, for building a circuitry with more than 40 parts, the jumper wires will become a big mess and make troubleshooting a tough job. Ordering PCB from a factory is good for mass production due to its high setup cost. As an electronic hobbyist, I never do mass production. Home-etching PCBs becomes electronic hobbyists' preference. But, etching PCBs involves using corrosive chemical. It is no good for your health, sometimes, it even endangers your marriage. To strike a balance, I layout a PCB with software and replace the etching step by wiring on a perforated boards. The following project shows how to do it.
1. Make PCB layout with software. I used PCB Wizard from New Wave Concepts Ltd. Not sure if they still have any trial version. You can go to http://www.new-wave-concepts.com to check it out.
2. Print the layout (copper trace) and its mirror image. Cut the perforated board to size.
3. Attach the mirror image printout to the component side of the board. Align the holes with two pins before applying the double-sided tape. Stab holes according to the layout.
4. Populate the board. PCB Wizard has a feature of showing the real thing on screen. It makes the job easy.
5 Solder the parts and wiring according to the mirror image of the layout drawing.
6 Completed.
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End of the project
