The Alpha Geek – Geeking Out

#01 – AcceleroSynth

SparkFun – Break Away Headers – Straight

SparkFun PRT-00116 Mk01

SparkFun PRT-00116 Mk02

SparkFun PRT-00116 Mk03

SparkFun: PRT-00116

Description: A row of headers – break to fit. 40 pins that can be cut to any size. Used with custom PCBs or general custom headers.

Features:

  • Pin Style: Square
  • Number of Pins: 40
  • Pin Spacing: 0.1″ (2.54 mm)
  • Pin Length: 11.5 mm

Don Luc

SparkFun – ProtoBoard – Wombat (PTH)

SparkFun PRT-08619 Mk01

SparkFun PRT-08619 Mk02

SparkFun: PRT-08619

Description: An empty canvas for electrical enthusiasts! Designed to fit the SFE project enclosures this project board gives you 8x10cm (3.15×3.94″) of building space for through-hole components with 2.54mm (100mil) spaced holes. This is not your normal perf board! This board is much higher quality with plated-through holes and annular rings that will not lift off the PCB under normal soldering conditions.

The marsupial naming convention is what happens when you let Engineers into a Marketing meeting. They looked so happy, we just couldn’t tell them no. Wombat is the board with nothing but PTH prototyping pads.

Dimensions: 8x10cm (3.15×3.94″)

Don Luc

SparkFun – Female Headers

SparkFun PRT-00115 Mk01

SparkFun PRT-00115 Mk02

SparkFun PRT-00115 Mk03

SparkFun: PRT-00115

Description: Single row of 40-holes, female header. Can be cut to size with a pair of wire-cutters. Standard .1″ spacing. We use them extensively in the Olimex development boards. They mate very well with break away male headers.

Please Note: You will probably lose one pin with each cut.

Features:

  • Receptacle Style: Square
  • Number of Pins: 40
  • Pin Spacing: 0.1″ (2.54 mm)
  • Receptacle Depth: 6 mm

Don Luc

Adafruit – Perma-Proto Quarter-sized Breadboard PCB

Adafruit 1608 Mk01

Adafruit 1608 Mk02

Adafruit 1608 Mk03

Adafruit: 1608

Description

Customers have asked us to carry basic perf-board, but we never liked the look of most basic perf: its always crummy quality, with pads that flake off and no labeling. Then we thought about how people actually prototype – usually starting with a solderless breadboard and then transferring the parts to a more permanent PCB. That’s when we realized what people would really like is a proto board that makes it easy!

This proto-board is the PCB you always wish you had, but never realized it! We took the basic layout of a quarter-sized breadboard (basically, a ‘tiny’ breadboard plus power rails) and turned that into a beautiful PCB. The top side has a white silkscreen, and the same markings you’re familiar with, to make transferring components easy. The bottom has the 5-hole pad design that matches a classic breadboard, with 4 power bus lines on the sides, and no mask so you can easily cut traces when necessary. We used 1.2mm diameter drill holes so even parts with big leads will fit. All holes are thru-plated for strength – these wont peel off with rework. The finish is a gold plate – you won’t get oxidation like with bare copper perf! There are also two mounting holes so you can attach the PCB to your project box.

Once you use a Perma-Proto board, you’ll never go back!

Technical Details

  • 15 rows of double 5-hole rows
  • 4 power rails with positive/negative markings
  • 1.7″ x 2.0″ (44mm x 55mm), 0.063″ thick FR4
  • 1.2mm / 0.047″ drill holes
  • 2 x 0.125″ or 3.2mm mounting holes 1.4″ apart
  • Weight: 6g

Don Luc

SparkFun – Spring Terminals – PCB Mount (6-Pin)

SparkFun PRT-08077 Mk01

SparkFun PRT-08077 Mk02

SparkFun PRT-08077 Mk03

SparkFun PRT-08077 Mk04

SparkFun PRT-08077 Mk05

SparkFun: PRT-08077

Description: These are small spring terminals. Open the aperature with the small arm, insert the wire, release the arm and the wire is held firmly in place. This is a good quick way to to interface to bare wires. Capable of higher current and more resilient than breadboard or female header type connections.

Terminals with 0.1″ standard spacing. Inserts directly into perf and proto board. Comes in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 positions. Rated up to 150V @ 2A. Terminal can accept 26 to 20AWG wire.

Don Luc

Steward-MacDonald – Orange Drop Caps

Steward-MacDonald 1281 Mk01

Steward-MacDonald 1281 Mk02

Steward-MacDonald 1281 Mk03

Steward-MacDonald 1281 Mk04

Steward-MacDonald: 1281

Upgrade to the quality caps used in Fender and Gibson guitars.

Made of durable high grade polyester, and favorites for vintage restorations or new builds.

Capacitors are energy-storage devices that filter the high frequencies. A cap lets the tone control roll off the treble response, progressively warming the tone. The higher the value, the more bass output from the tone control at its “zero” setting.

A cap wired to a potentiometer creates a standard tone control, as explained in this Article: How a tone control works.

100V. Sold individually.

  • .022uF 223K Humbucker Tone

Don Luc

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