Project assembly guides

[wireman]

Are there any good guides to the practicalities of assembling and encasing an electronics project. By this I mean such topics as:

• Choosing enclosures
• Mounting components
• Mounting circuit boards
• Aligning circuit boards with ports in the enclosure (for example LEDs, pots, sockets etc.)
• Choosing and installing sockets/knobs/switches etc.
• Making holes in enclosures
• Enclosure markings (text/labels)
• Enclosure lids and fixings
• Project power option tradeoffs and installation advice, battery power, USB/DC, Mains
• Mains powering safety

[TonyDuell]

Probably not a lot of help, but there was a book titled 'Project Planning and Building' published by Newnes over 40 years ago which covers much of that sort of thing.

I have no idea where you'd find it now (my bookshelf doesn't count )

[Dekatron]

Try Abebooks.co.uk

[Ed_Dinning]

You might find that one of the modern CAD packages could do all the drawing and dimensioning for you, it is then down to your own metalbashing skills

Good luck, Ed

[Cruisin Marine]

I always did/still do the basics with graph paper taped to the chassis and front panel. Layout the components/ transformers etc and keep moving them about until the feel of the placing is right and best for the overall design.
Mark up with PENCIL on the graph paper.
When you first start, make the chassis oversized until you master this.
The more expensive the aluminium/boxes etc. the quicker you will get there!

Although I can use it, CAD never feels quite right or natural to me, as I like to see it all develop in three dimensions in front of my eyes.
It will be fine for refining for production though, But hey, I may be a old Dino.
A set square is always your best friend of course.

[wireman]

Thanks for the pointer, I'll check out that book.

I have never been successful with CAD (in any field), there is too much choice and the free applications (like Doublecad XT) miss important things like dimensions not updating when objects are moved, you only find this out after investing some time.

[retailer]

I use graphics software to position parts and components and to draw up wiring diagrams - I find the wiring diagrams are easier to follow in the workshop once I get to that stage. I keep all of the printed wiring/component layouts etc, so if in the future I need to modify or repair it is a great help to have that paperwork in front of me.
You don't need cad software with sub millimeter precision for the diagram/wiring layouts, I have an old copy of Autocad (Acad 2011) that I use for precision metal work on the lathe and mill but for electronics I use Inkscape, (freeware) this is more drawing/graphics rather than cad - it can dimension and you can draw full size - no need to scale - you can even print a section at a time on A4 paper and then join/tape the pages together into one large sheet. You can also use it for front panels - draw the artwork, print and then glue it onto a front panel, a few thin coats of spray varnish protects it.

There is a lot of internet support for Inkscape, so if you are stuck on how to do a certain operation, an internet search will quickly find a solution, it is well worth a look.

[Diabolical Artificer]

Most of it's common sense, to a point.
1) you get all your bits, lay it out on a surface bearing in mind things like EMF interference with high gain parts of a circuit, heat etc. I usually do a rough sketch on scrap paper.
2) Don't mount electrolytics next to big dropping resistors, we've all seen this done on commercial PCB's
3) In my case mounting stuff is dictated by what I have and/or can make.*
4) a good pair of calipers, scraps of paper and the jobs a good un.*
5) If you go on DIYaudio and search on this there are loads of threads on the subject, but mostly fettling metal etc is down to experience and getting your hands mucky, you learn by doing and making mistakes.
6) & 7) & * ... there are pro enclosure, panel fabricators here in the UK and in the EU that has relatively easy to use software, see - https://www.metcase.co.uk/en & https://www.quickpanel.sk/en/gallery...e-front-panels as well as https://www.penn-elcom.com/

Hope that helps a little other not answering your question, Andy.

[Radio Wrangler]

Ah! CAD Cardboard-Aided Design

David

[Diabolical Artificer]

Ah! CAD Cardboard-Aided Design

Indeed, no learning curve, no extensive drop down memories with abstruse headings etc etc. They built boats, cathedrals and castles years ago by drawing on the floor, "lofting" is still done when building wooden boats.

Andy.

[kellys_eye]

I've started to adopt a more commercial approach to construction by reusing standardised enclosures and modules (19-inch rack stuff) with Eurocards and slotted backplanes.

It's remarkably easy to get used equipment that can be stripped down for the hardware and the plethora of Eurocard-type PCBs and edge connectors makes it easier still.

PCB material is still sold in Eurocard sizes (160mm x 100mm) if you want to go it alone but pre-drilled matrix cards are now my go-to.

[kalee20]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

Ah! CAD Cardboard-Aided Design

David

Definitely!

I've plotted computer designs full-size, pasted onto cardboard, and cut out - can't be beaten for checking that it's put-togetherable even though nothing appears to clash when assembled!

[G6Tanuki]

I don't tend to bother with PCBs, they are fine for production applications but in my case I tend to make lots of modifications to circuits as the project evolves.

I like the little etched boards that have islands of copper on a standard 0.1 inch pitch, some islands being groups of three or five holes linked. Wire-wrap pins or DIL sockets soldered to this, then wire-wrap for the interconnecting 'traces' allows for easy modification. Works OK up to around 30MHz for logic circuits using TTL.

My other technique is to cut small squares of single-sided FR4 and glue them to the copper-side of a bigger chunk of copperclad as a groundplane, then wire components to these squares/the groundplane. You can do things like using a long strip rather than a square to produce power-rails, and holes drilled in the groundplane to take feedthrough insulators/capacitors as needed.

For small-valve stuff [B7/B8/B9 glass valves and up to the smaller Octals] I use double-sided FR4, cutting the holes with one of the stepped conical drills, and solder the metal lugs of the valve-socket directly to the board; this saves the hassle of drilling holes and fiddling around with 6BA tags/nuts/bolts/washers. Again you've got a good groundplane to solder the earthy ends of components to.

[retailer]

Here's a link to a scratch-built amp construction project walk-thru - if you are unsure how or where to start (a common issue), check out the link, it is worth a look.

https://www.aggh.net/discussion/index.php?topic=14767.0

[Wendymott]

Hi peeps. About 9 differing replies.. all using different techniques. I am "bucking the trend"... Unless its a very unknown circuit, I start with a pcb... with the Toner method its quick and easy, and if it is not right.. It NEVER is, modify and go again. I like CAD because a minor change or even a major change is easy. My 2M/6M transceiver is at about ver 8 for the PA module, In my view the "dead bug" method is not for me, and with modern IC's nearly impossible anyway. When the modules are finished I scratch build a case, with a good idea of knowing what I want to start with.