Given a matrix board with soldering pads but no traces, how would you connect adjacent components (including the ends of the jumpers for longer stretches)?
Some possibilities I've come up with:
- Solder the individual leads as usual, then bridge the pads with solder.
- For each connection wrap one of the leads around the adjacent component's lead before soldering the two pads (ensuring there's more than just solder joining the two components).
I started with the former before I came up with the latter (which seems like at least an improvement), but I'm wondering if there's some even better solution I haven't come up with yet.
Best Answer
Here's another interesting method of perfboarding, this guy does it with SMD components and really tiny wires. He made a special little wiring pen for laying down the wires:
Progressive Wiring Techniques
(source: davr.org)
Personally I make solder bridges for pins that are in adjacent holes, for things further away I use thin wires (though not as thin as the ones above) in adjacent holes to the things I want to connect.
Top of my board:
Bottom of my board:
And no, I didn't just wire those pins all on the fly, I had drawn up a detailed schematic in advance. There's no way I could keep track of so many wires just in my head.