Who's got a perf brand they love?

[bigjonny]

Well, if you read my other post which mentions perf, you might think I hate it.  Not true; not true.  I just like things tidy, and PCBs are tidy.

However, we are stuck w/ perf in some cases, due to the economic/hassle factor(s).  I mean, who's gonna buy/make a PCB for a booster or fuzz, when the circuits are so simple?

That said, I have had a horrible experience w/ Radio Shack's perf:  the pads seem to pop off with great ease, and I am using a 12W iron (I have been soldering since 1987).

Anybody got a robust perf brand they love?

[jimbob]

I like the Rs ones. Im just real carefull. ONce i have the perfing done i get a dremmel out and drill away the padding anyway to keep things from toughing each other. That esp. with the more complicated perf projects where there are curves  ect..

[Greg Moss]

I've just been using the RS perf.  Pad per hole works well(and I love the Smallbear stuff for that) but I tend to prototype stuff on perf, and I usually wind up losing the pad when I am wrangling with a cap value or something.  This should really be a lesson to me to use sockets more often...  But then of course the sockets I like (the mill-max ones) are too large to fit into the standard perf holes, so I wind up having to drill those out (along with the pad surrounding it... sigh).  

plus sometimes you can squeeze a lead into a little space that would have shorted to a pad if there were one....

Since I  can't imagine that non-padded perf varies that much between manufacturers, I figure the RS stuff is good enough, and reasonably priced....

-Greg

[jimbob]

Ive had just as many problems with the cool looking stuff Steve at Smallbear sells.

[bwanasonic]

I don't want to imply I know what I'm doing, but I have never lost a pad with either the RS stuff or the much preferred smallbear plated-thru-hole stuff. I have only built about ten circuits on perf, but even after several resolderings I find both types hold up. I use the SIP sockets steve sells, and while they do not sit flush (the plastic base sits about 1/16" above the board) they work well, and you can even run insulated wire wrap wire between the posts for jumpers if you want to. I don't know much about soldering, but is it possible a 12W iron is too low a wattage, requiring you to keep the iron on a joint for too long? I use a 4 second count, and if it takes longer than that I turn up the iron a bit. Anyhow, I use the smallbear stuff whenever I have it, but I always have some of the RS stuff on hand. When soldering, get in and get out quick and you shouldn't have a problem.

Kerry M

[cd]

I've just been using the RS perf.  Pad per hole works well(and I love the Smallbear stuff for that) but I tend to prototype stuff on perf, and I usually wind up losing the pad when I am wrangling with a cap value or something.  This should really be a lesson to me to use sockets more often...  

If you're just prototyping stuff, you NEED to get a breadboard