freestompboxes.org

Wasn't sure if this should go here or not.

I am looking into getting a breadboard. I've never purchased one and I would like some help on picking. I don't really know what to look for to know how big it will be.

Would this one be a good start?

http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDet ... MUFIZWs%3d

Or should I look into something else.

Thanks for your time,
Travis

I've never used that particular one but I have a Wish 204-3 and I like it a lot. It's the one that Smallbear carries, if you'll be placing an order with them soon. There are other larger models available here:

http://www.abra-electronics.com/product ... c-217.html

I like the one I have because it's mounted to the aluminum plate and has rubber feet on the bottom, so it can't be pulled off a table or bench easily if you get a few pieces of stubborn solid core wire caught on something. I had plenty of room for the 741 style distortions and other dual IC things that I've put on it. I have 1/3 to 1/2 the board free most times, and that's not trying to be ultra-compact. There's my two cents...hope it helps,

Steve

I don't know what brand mine is, but it looks exactly like the 630 hole one you posted. I got it at a local electronics place. It's plenty big for most distortions and stuff, I even bought one half that size one for fuzz face size circuits and it's still plenty big.

I'm sure that would be fine for your first breadboard. It's large enough for just about any overdrive circuit, and even some more complex stuff if you are careful.

The only thing I'll add is that some breadboards come mounted to a metal plate. This can be really helpful if your circuit has either a lot of gain, or any kind of free running oscillator involved. You can run a wire from the ground on your breadboard to the metal plate and you have a ground plane.... of course you could probably find an old cookie sheet or something


I think circuit specialists has those breadboards for a little cheaper. I bought like 8 of them a couple years ago, and i think i have about 15 different ones all of which have varying degrees of projects I have yet to finish on them.

Well, Thanks for the help everyone. I pulled the plug and bought this one today:

http://www.abra-electronics.com/product ... -2571.html

I got it with a jumper wire kit.

My question now is what are the posts for? I've seen Va and Vb listed on diagrams and schematics, but I didn't know what they are. I know the third is for ground. Just unsure on the others.

Thanks again for your time,
Travis

travsbluz wrote:My question now is what are the posts for? I've seen Va and Vb listed on diagrams and schematics, but I didn't know what they are. I know the third is for ground. Just unsure on the others.

It's for whatever supply voltage you need.
If you power your design from 9V DC, you can hook the + of the battery to Va and the - to GND. And leave Vb alone.
If you use some bipolar supply (like +12 V / -12V), Vb comes handy. You can use banana plugs to connect a lab power supply.
I don't know if they are wired internally to the supply rails on the breadboard, you can easily check with your multimeter. If not, just unscrew the post a bit, stick a wire connected to a supply rail under it and screw it tight.

Thanks for the info. It will probably "click" in my head when I actually use it. But I'm pretty sure I've got it.

Thanks again,
Travis

SpencerPedals wrote:I've never used that particular one but I have a Wish 204-3 and I like it a lot. It's the one that Smallbear carries, if you'll be placing an order with them soon. There are other larger models available here:

http://www.abra-electronics.com/product ... c-217.html

I like the one I have because it's mounted to the aluminum plate and has rubber feet on the bottom, so it can't be pulled off a table or bench easily if you get a few pieces of stubborn solid core wire caught on something. I had plenty of room for the 741 style distortions and other dual IC things that I've put on it. I have 1/3 to 1/2 the board free most times, and that's not trying to be ultra-compact. There's my two cents...hope it helps,

Steve

yeah this is a big help to me , i wish i could have the Wish 204-3

_________________
aluminum plate

I've no idea how to use input and output sockets so that their wires stay in holes. Can anyone put up a picture?

separanets wrote:I've no idea how to use input and output sockets so that their wires stay in holes. Can anyone put up a picture?

You need some kind of bracket, with holes to hold pots, switches and jacks.
Some breadboards have it built-in :
http://blog.makezine.com/bbb_breadboard1.jpg
http://gsmserver.com/newshop/images/lar ... X_4135.jpg

But you can always add it yourself, it's DIY isn't it ?
http://www.geofex.com/FX_images/protofx6.gif
https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=5822
https://www.diystompboxes.com/pedals/ja ... dboard.htm

you can get right angle bracket at home depot that actually already has the holes drilled in it. there are a few different sizes that fit jacks, pots, and switches. i just got a piece of board, cut the backet, and mounted it to the board with heavy dity double stick tape. then i can just switch out my breadboards whenever i need them and i've got jacks and switching all set up on the bracket for checking the bypass signal as well as wires coming off of the pots mounted to the brackets. i also used terminal blocks to run the wires from the pots to, and then you can screw in the wires from the blocks to the board, but that isn't really necessary.

So easy. Thank you all. i have a lot of broken computer power blocks; so i can use their metallic boxes as brackets and i have a lot of wooden boards to screw the bracked against.