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Hoffman Amps Forum image Author Topic: paperclips soldered to turrets for quick change component prototyping?  (Read 2611 times)

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Offline stephenjbassett

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I've searched the forum and the web high and low for a solution to quickly changing components on a turret board before committing to direct soldering to the turret.  I first thought about soldering alligator clips standing upright onto the turrets for components I'll optimize, but clips are relatively expensive and a bit unwieldy to pinch at typical turret spacing. 

It occurred to me (EE, after all) that soldering paperclips standing up to the top of the turret and in line with the opposing turret would allow me to slide component leads down and up on the turret as I swap values, including paralleling components for custom values.  When I've dialed in my components, I can simply desolder the clip and solder the component to the turret.

I realize a paperclip might act as a bit of an antenna for noise, but it's an unshielded, open chassis protoboard anyway.  I gotta believe this use case of temporary component swapping without soldering and unsoldering components has been solved by such an imaginative audience.

Any ideas or direction to solutions?

Offline Willabe

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Just 'tack' solder the part in. Just a very small amount of solder, a small dot. 

Offline HotBluePlates

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...  I first thought about soldering alligator clips ...

... soldering paperclips standing up to the top of the turret and in line with the opposing turret would allow me to slide component leads down and up on the turret as I swap values ...

Any ideas or direction to solutions?

Paperclip works if that appeals to you.

Keystone make clamp terminals & flea clips that hold parts in a non-soldered and/or non-permanent manner.  Those might cost more than paperclips (or need to be ordered in a quantity that's unpalatable).

Tack-soldering as Willabe mentions also works.

Offline Platefire

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Be sure to get a paperclip rated at 600VDC :l2:
On the right track now<><

Offline shooter

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many of us went the Breadboard route after many a solder/ unsolder builds
(not mine)

Went Class C for efficiency

Offline Brownie

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I always use a magnet to make sure any of my conductors aren't steel. But I know there are some which have steel stalks. I would take a snipping off the stalk of a large old CC resistor for a temporary rail in there

Offline uki

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What about gator clips soldered back to back , like:
 
Theory is when everyone knows everything but nothing works, practice is when stuff works but nobody knows why !!!
https://soundcloud.com/ukiuki
http://tribonow.wixsite.com/tribonow

 


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