Schematic to reality conversion

[(*steve*)]

No, you can't nail a PCB. You need to get a drill.

0.8mm or so should be fine for almost everything (around 1/32 inch).

Where did you get the PCB from? Or do you have blank PCB material? If so you'll have to etch it which is a pretty big step for a first project.

 

[electronoobz]

what etch? The pattern? Or the drawing? Idk what you call that but is that what you mean? If so then i dont nid it coz i know already how to connect them

 

[(*steve*)]

you say you have a printed circuit board without holes in it.

The only thing that could be (practically) is a piece if unetched copper clad board.

Either that or by PCB you don't mean PCB.

If you do have a piece of copper clad board then you have some options, but they will be either hard or a bit weird.

On the other hand, if you have something else, tell us what it is.

For the life of me I do not understand why you're making life difficult for yourself by failing to follow the construction method and layout that already exists on the page that describes this thing.

 

[electronoobz]

i have a blank pcb. And it's hard for me to upload the pix since im just using a phone. Btw i have a piece of color copper that i think they call pcb, it has no print in it just a blank.

 

[(*steve*)]

OK. the next steps are EITHER

1) design a PCB layout using a free software package
2) get someone here to check that design
3) transfer the design to the board (this can be done using toner transfer or by making a transparent copy and applying a sensitising layer to the board, exposing it, then developing it.
4) Etch the board. This involves getting one of a couple of chemicals whech can eat away at the copper.
5) Inspect the board to make sure there are no etching problems
6) drill holes in the board.
7) remove the resist that was applied in step 3.
8) refer to your original design for placement of components, and construct the board
9) fix any errors in your design (may involve etching a new board (i.e. steps 1 to 8 above)

OR

1) go out and get some matrix board
2) build the device as per the web page.

I fully expect you to ignore this advice since you've completely failed to take any advice that anyone has given to you.

Another thing you can do is gut off small pieces of PCB material and glue them to a larger piece, then do point to point wiring between them. This is all but impossible if you use ICs. edit: maybe it's not!

 

[electronoobz]

atlast! Matrix board! That is what im looking for! Thanks for that!

 

[Rleo6965]

and i almost forgot, still not answering my question. Can i just plywood or cardboard ang i'll just put holes in there and solder things in there? Pls answer.

You can use plywood or cardboard with simple circuit but with low dc supply and low frequency signals.

Take the advice of ( *steve*). Use matrix board.

 

[electronoobz]

yeah,that's what im looking for, thanks to him for that. Anyways i could just use stripboard. But matrix board is the really thing what im looking for.

 

[niftynev]

Ok electronoobz, you still haven't said what type of board you have, or what it's made of!. Is it a board made of the same or similar stuff as the photo in steve's email of 1021 pm, or what? By the way, that photo is the type of board i was talking about before, & is the photo to follow if you're gonna use this type of board, as it is actually the rear view of a rubyamp pcb! - good find steve! Regardless of that, you're gonna have a difficult time if you just make holes with a nail. You risk cracking the the board with all the closely spaced holes you're gonna have to make in it. Always better to drill the holes, but buy a couple of drill bits cause 1mm drill bits are very easy to break.

But truly mate, you're far better off buying the original kit from rubyamp.com for $29.50, or even just the board for $12.50! I do get that you may not have a lot of cash lying around (i'm in that same situation myself) but buying the kit though guarantees that you get all the correct parts, & that they're gonna fit. I've been building electronics kits for more than 25 years (hmm, i'll be an old fart soon!), yet still i find it always better to buy a complete kit. Always!

Being new to this mate, you're gonna complicate things so much for yourself my pursuing the path of making your own board! truly!

I'd hate to find out that you'd given up the project cause you're peed off with it after having probs with the board! That'd be a damn shame!

Even just buying the board mate, you're gonna have these advantages :-

* no drilling with very fine drills that are very easy to break
* you won't have to run the tracks yourself, & possibly make a mistake & blow something up
* you'll know exactly where the parts need to go, cause their location is printed on the top of the board for you
* you'll end up with a much neater & professional looking result, that's gonna last you
* if you have any problems with getting it going, you'll know they won't be caused by connections between the components
* the nice, clean copper solder pads will be easy to solder
* you'll probly save a whole day's work

Well that's all the advantages i can think of at the moment for buying just the board. But if you buy the whole kit, here's some advantages :-

* solder & wire are even included!
* you get everything but the pringles can (lol!), the battery, & the knobs. you'll probly want a little power switch (a suggested switch type pic attached) too.
* you won't have to chase around trying to get all the bits

Steve may have some other good reasons!

& no i don't own shares in the rubyamp company, but i do know the frustrating problems you can have when you're new to this hobby!

I believe you'd truly be better off getting into 'scratchbuilding' later on when you've had more experience.

 

[(*steve*)]

Steve may have some other good reasons!

Availability is the main one.

If there is a PCB available for this project, I'd probably suggest going down that route.

However, the main take-home message is that the step between design and finished product is not a trivial one. For a beginner, it's best to make that step (actually all steps) as straightforward as possible.

If you follow a well trodden route, it's easier to find the missteps.

 

[electronoobz]

hey guys, sorry for giving you hard time for helping me.
Im about to buy matrix board today maybe later or stripboard if they dont have one since those two are easy to use and i already saw the pattern for the stripboard version but im using matrix board, stripboard is just my 2nd opinion.

almost forgot.
We dont have radioshack here in philippines and i cant buy the ruby amp kit.

 

[Rleo6965]

If you live in Metro Manila in Philippines. Try buy 2-Watt Utility Amplifier w/ HC851 from Alexan Commercial.
Here there link. http://www.alexan.com.ph/

Almost all my electronics parts was bought in Alexan Commercial. Raon , Manila.

 

[electronoobz]

too far from here.

 

[(*steve*)]

Good luck finding what you need. Neither should be too hard to get hold of.

 

[electronoobz]

hey steve thanks to you, i didn't know that matrix board is what they call that, hehehe. Goodluck to me.

 

[(*steve*)]

The most common type of matrix board has no copper on either side. In the example I found, a form of protoboard with pads on each hole was used.

I tend to prefer the board with no copper on it because there is no chance (well far less a chance) of shorting stuff out.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Rleo6965]

I hope your not in Basilan.
Already inquired of 6 watts audio amplifier kit in Alexan . Its only P130.00 or almost USD$3. You can send email to Alexan main office and inquire for payment and delivery arrangement.. Hope this help.

 

[alfa88]

You might want to get an Ebay/PayPal account. Lots of stuff from China and Taiwan. You're pretty darn close.

 

[electronoobz]

hey wait, almost getting started but i cant find any mpf 102 transistor here anywhere and i already got my new board and it looks like stripboard but it is not it, anyway, can i use 2n5457 instead? Would there be great changes? And what if there is no 2n5457 either, what to use? And one more thing, what kind of input jack should i use stereo or mono? Im asking the jack from guitar to amp, the female one ok? And based on the schematic where should i put the positive and the negative side of thd 9v? I'll upload the pix and update you as i do it.

 

[alfa88]

Source is usually the positive side and Drain the negative. They can be reversed but what I said is conventional. Both MPF102 and 2N4557 look like general purpose FETs. The MPF may be better for RF. I didn't study the 2N5457 specs that hard. For an audio amp either one is good. All you need is a general purpose JFET..
Whatever is least expensive for you is the answer for the jack. You use the tip for signal and sleeve for ground(I'm assuming you're going to use a standard guitar plug). The center and sleeve connection can always be jumpered on a stereo socket for good measure.