Board Finishing

[irmcdermott]

So I've been wondering if anyone out there does anything to their boards to protect the traces from shorting on anything? I've been pondering the idea because I'm starting to get more people asking me to build them pedals, and I usually just "float" the boards, and I guess I'm paranoid about something happening in the middle of a gig they are playing.

Sorry if it's a weird question, just curious to know if anyone has any tricks that they use to protect that little board in the box.

[jkokura]

I sometimes use black electricians tape. I also use this 3M foam stuff that's double sided sticky. It's insulating and I had it so I use it. I'm running out though, so I don't know what I'll do in the future...

Jacob

[eniacmike]

I use this stuff.

for a while I was using the rubber feet that people put on the bottom of the pedals on the backs of the pots but they are expensive and the pedal is still floating.

I tried electrical tape before but it sweats and comes off and if you have any sharp solder points they can poke through. the double sided tape is thick enough that the points don't poke through and it gets really hard over time.

3m also makes a SUPER velcro that they sell at radio shack for pcb mounting. I know DAM audio uses that stuff.

[gtr2]

I'd like to avoid "floating" but haven't perfected any method.  Madbean's layouts are so tight (which is great!!!) that I can't find a place to put any mounting holes.

[irmcdermott]

Cool. Thanks! Gives me some options. One other thing I thought of trying is using a piece of scrap transparency that I use for labels, and some 3M Adhesive spray that I have. The 3M spray is non-conductive, I know this because I emailed customer service and they told me, because I'm a nerd like that

[CRBMoA]

I generally float. On my personal builds I have gotten pretty loose with the off board wiring.

I used to heat shrink like crazy, and all my leads were within a 1/4" - 1/2" of short as possible. That's still how I build for customers.

Like stated above, Madbean's boards leave no room for standoff holes to be drilled (Actually, there IS room, on some circuits, but you need to know what you are doing). I will use fat, trimmed leads from polarity diodes (1N400?) on the pots, which makes the connections quite beefy. And lately, hot glue has become a good friend.

[Haberdasher]

I order velcro with adhesive backing from some factory in S Korea on ebay.  You get plenty of it cheap.  I cut out circles of the furry side and stick them to the back of the pots.  The solder points actually kind of "grab" the fuzzies, so it's still floating, but semi-fixed- and still easy to lift the board up for troubleshooting, etc.