Can I use corkboard as a platform for temporarily mounting + testing electronics?

[cheapvega]

I have some amp/pre-amp/DSP boards I want to test and interchange but I don't have a case ready yet. Corkboard is the cheapest + best insulated material I can think of. Cardboard can insulate but is too flimsy to move around. Any other ideas?

 

[JMFahey]

What´s wrong with a piece of plywood?

Cork is*flimsy*
And it flexing around allowing parts movement will cause connection problems.

If you want, glue (contact cement) a sheet of cork over a piece of plywood.

 

[cheapvega]

They are all prefabbed boards and power supplies so a little flexibility is OK. But I have a bunch of plywood sheets in the house, so that saves me an order. Thanks

 

[russc]

The most important lesson I learnt (from experience) when testing is to ensure cables are secure so they can't touch, connections are clearly labelled/colour coded/proper sockets fitted.
It is so easy when swapping boards & connections to make a wrong connection & let out the magic smoke.
Image attached with boards & motor screwed down, cables clamped & power cables led to clear red/black posts.

 

[cheapvega]

The most important lesson I learnt (from experience) when testing is to ensure cables are secure so they can't touch, connections are clearly labelled/colour coded/proper sockets fitted.
It is so easy when swapping boards & connections to make a wrong connection & let out the magic smoke.
Image attached with boards & motor screwed down, cables clamped & power cables led to clear red/black posts.

This is how new I am to electronics- what are those plastic circuit board looking things towards the back and how can I use them? Are they basically like solder free PCBs (i.e. put wires in on top and connect them on the bottom?)

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Enzo]

The white plastic things are breadboards. They are rows of something similar to an IC socket. Underneath they are connected together along the rows. You can poke component leads in a row and connect them together that way. As in the example.

Google "electronic breadboard" and see many.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadboard

 

[JMFahey]

Yes. also known as Protoboards.

Very useful for experimenting, but connections are somewhat flimsy, so a clever company
https://www.adafruit.com/product/571offers matching protoboards and exact same layout PCBs, so it´s easy transferring experimental designs to a properly soldered board without extra "thinking" or designing, just transfer parts pin by pin.

Push-in protoboard at right, top and bottom views of solderable PCB at left and center.
Stroke of genius.

They have printed "mapping" letters and numbers to make it easier,.

Great idea.

They also offer 3 board packs so you can keep using that smart idea.
Or need multiple copies of your successful design:

 

[russc]

And the wires are 1/0.6mm Solid Equipment Wire which pushes straight into the proto board.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232901595955?hash=item363a045333:g:aEYAAOSwhOVXfoer
Even better are the ready made jumper cables:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18230785...GOtF3NhMZF01iw%3D%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2047675

 

[Toadroller]

so a clever company

Yep, that's some clever stuff there. Someone must have been sitting there looking at their breadboard and Ding! Light-bulb moment.

Love it.

 

[tvrgeek]

I don't like cardboard as it can hold a pretty good ESD charge. If you have FETS or FET input op amps, consider that.

 

[phase]

I’ve used 6mm plywood, plastic sheet stock, and even cardboard.