I've been looking around for perfboard lately and thought I would ask what folks around here use. By "perfboard" I mean PCB drilled at 0.1" spacing, with copper clad donut holes or similar, ie. not just naked holes. I do not mean stripboard.

First up is Radio Shack. The local store has a number of choices and I could likely find something that will do the job. But like everything else there, I assume it's overpriced and on the low end of the quality scale.

The last board I used came from Parts Express. Worked fine, nothing fancy. The 4 mounting holes at the corners came in handy.

I looked at Mouser but they don't show good pictures and they don't have really cheap options.

The E-bay store Virtuabotix products from Colorado Springs look pretty good.

There are a lot of options on Amazon, although most are in bulk packs. Example.

Any favorites?

 

As long as its the typical FR4 board construction its going to be fine.. (like the virtuabotix/amazon links)

I stay away from the old phenolic FR2 (brown/tan looking without solder mask) crap like what radio shack/parts express linked boards typically are.. That stuff is just too brittle/smells/no masking,etc.. IMO

 

My favourite by far is tripad board...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/search?text=tripad&x=0&y=0

Seems to be a closely guarded secret though. Have not seen it anywhere else but at Maplin.

Does me for 95% of through-hole hobby projects and perfect for micro-controllers.

 

My source is usually FuturLec, I believe they ship to almost anywhere.
Strip Board my favorite in particular.
Prototyping Boards
Max.

 

Search for "prototype board" on ebay and you will see a huge selection at great prices.

 

My favorites these days come thru EBay from China. Here's one example: 20 pcs/10 bucks.

I also have some similar boards in 8x12 and 9x15 sizes. Very good quality green fiberglass with plated thru holes (which resist lifting from excessive heating), solder coated (plated?) to resist tarnishing too. Lots of odd sizes to cover many uses.

I buy multiples and stock them in advance of need, as the free shipping can take 2-3 weeks before delivery.

That said, before I found these I put the Radio Shack boards to very good use. You do need to be careful as the pads lift easily, and they always need a scrubbing to remove tarish before they accept solder (use fine steel wool or a Brillo pad in a pinch). I especially liked the board in the pattern of a solderless breadboard, but the “sea of holes” is also very good.

Lastly, the Vector company makes first rate boards too, some even have gold plated connector pads. On the expensive side but if you need the connector well worth it. Find them at every major distributor (Digi, Mouser, Newark,…).

 

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Vktech boards I found on Amazon, this one. At $4.99 delivered for 5 boards, it's not much of a commitment. They've got to be better than what I'd find at the Shack. Up to 28 days for delivery, though.

My favorites these days come thru EBay from China. Here's one example: 20 pcs/10 bucks.

That's a good deal. Thanks.

 

Why not go for stripboard?

It's much faster to work with and gives a cleaner looking result with less solder joints (so is probably more reliable long term).

 

Why not go for stripboard?

Seconded!
Max

 

One simple reason; it would be a new trick for an old dog. I've never used it. Maybe next time.

 

I've never used it. Maybe next time.

Once you try it you never go back.

Max.

 

That's good to know. I'll switch when I can. I took up LTspice for the first time this week, so surely I can learn to use stripboard.

Not knowing anything about it, it looked like a pain to cut the traces without damaging nearby strips. It must be easy, so what do people use to make the cuts? I've heard knife or Dremel or drill.

 

They used to sell a special countersink drill, but a 1/8" drill bit or slightly smaller in a dremel or even in a hand chuck is a breeze to clear a trace, what I do after everything is soldered, is run a box cutter blade down the insulated division between all traces just to ensure no 'whiskers' are left causing shorts.
A magnifying lamp also helps to spot any uncut traces.
For One-offs I would not use anything else.
Max.

 

Syntax brand, imported from Taiwan by Circuit Specialists has a broad variety of sizes and types, double sided with very good through hole plating. Similar quality to Vector brand but more variety and better prices.

Here's one example:

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/pc403.html

 

I am quite poor. I use 20-cent matrix boards from China. Buy 100 pcs and pay only USD 17 (last time I checked)

 

I am quite poor. I use 20-cent matrix boards from China. Buy 100 pcs and pay only USD 17 (last time I checked)

I use them too, also larger ones.

They have advantages:

-components can be removed more easily
-they can be broken into smaller pieces easily
-holes can be made bigger if need be

Two large Stacks of them now, never to run out of proto PCB again.

The green ones are quite bad, you never get out components again.

Hard to believe what prices I paid 10 years ago in Retail shops.

 

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Vktech boards I found on Amazon, this one. At $4.99 delivered for 5 boards, it's not much of a commitment. They've got to be better than what I'd find at the Shack. Up to 28 days for delivery, though.

The part number on the board matches what I have here in hand, those are the same boards I use and you should like them hands down over the Shack ones.

But why did you pay so much for them? EBay has the same ones for $2.97: 5pcs 6x8cm Double-Side Prototype PCB Universal Printed Circuit Board

 

I am quite poor. I use 20-cent matrix boards from China. Buy 100 pcs and pay only USD 17 (last time I checked)

I see those now on E-bay. Wow, that really is cheap. Thanks.

 

But why did you pay so much for them?

Nuts, didn't see that in time.
Stupid Amazon.

 

I see those now on E-bay. Wow, that really is cheap. Thanks.

Scary how they do it so cheap. The price includes shipping too.