Techniques and Strategies for Building Electronic Circuits

Take a deep-dive into smart strategies and methods for building circuit prototypes faster and easier, including a method for making instant surface-mount boards.
Facebook: / leos.bag.of.tricks

[@PhillipRhodes]

This video is an absolute gold-mine. Every aspiring or current electronics hobbyist should watch this, probably multiple times. There's a large number of wildly useful ideas and techniques here!

[@robindebreuil]

I wish I could like this video as many times as I've watched it. Not just the tips, but to get you in the right mental state for prototyping. I need to become more like this.

[@rocketpig1914]

Did you succeed?

[@badbradcannon]

Yeah, what happen? You better be careful what you wish for. I'm afraid he become more like his prototype, whatever the hell that was. His brain done spun out into some sort of Hoover Vacuum Cleaner or something. Or maybe got banned for spamming the like button.

[@oasntet]

This video is tragically under-viewed. Not only did it open my eyes to a bunch of soldering strategies I hadn't considered and made them look possible even for my hacky soldering skills, you introduced me to QRPme, and that tipped me over the edge into finally getting my Technician's license...

[@elliotwilliams2376]

Everything in this video is gold! I do about 2/3 of this myself, and I'm going to try to work the rest in now. Bare wire + teflon tube is genius. I can't tell you how much time I waste just stripping wires in these point-to-point projects. (So much that I usually just make a PCB.) I also really like your cutter. I have an acrylic-scoring blade that I bought for mat knives that's essentially the same thing, but if I didn't, I'd be making one of yours.

[@BrightBlueJim]

I have that same blade, but I think I'll make one like his anyway - the acrylic scoring blade makes too narrow a cut, while the chisel tip makes a nice wide gap that won't attract so many copper hairs.

[@paulwomack5866]

@@BrightBlueJim Yeah - it's not a "cut" it's a groove with an actual width.

[@leosbagoftricks3732]

@@paulwomack5866 exactly, you need a clearance gap

[@clockworkvanhellsing372]

Just use enameled copper wire and use the soldernto burn of the insulation. Works perfect with a hot iron.

[@BrightBlueJim]

@@clockworkvanhellsing372 Word of warning: the insulation on magnet wire is very thin, and you can get significant crosstalk between wires running in parallel, even over a few inches. I like kynar-insulated wire-wrapping wire better.

[@dt9327]

Why is this channel only get 14K subs ? , this should be more popular . This would save me a lot of time if I watched it during Uni. Amazing content.

[@vk2zay]

I love your xacto knife modification for expedient PCBs! I've been doing the two parallel cut and scrape method by gluing two blades together, the ground blade tool removes the scrape step. I've never used teflon tube, must try that. I use magnet wire with the insulation that tins easily from the ends (but less so in the middle) for interconnects and kapton tape for insulation where required. Definitely into copper tape for bus and ground, drill track breaking on veroboard and isolation on clad matrix board. CA glue can be handy for larger components that need mechanical support beyond their leads, but sometimes I just tie them down with tinned wire soldered to the plane. Cosmetic nail glue is cheap and comes in disposable project-sized tubes so you never have the open tube solidified by the next project. It can be annoying when it fumes as you solder, but soldering heat also cures it rapidly when you glue a fragment of board to another and then tin it. I don't like the wicking solder under double-sided island method, but it can work too.

[@justin.campbell]

I have never seen better tips in any other video. This was absolutely perfect and I love how it included a wide variety of methods that are all easily done. Thank you so much!

[@DEtchells]

Wow, *SUPER* useful, thanks! The scratch-n-sniff SMT adapters were a revelation, as well as the recommendation for fine, bare wire + tiny Teflon tubing. I also liked the suggestion to use adhesive copper tape for laying down power and ground planes. Pure gold, thanks again!

[@michaeld9682]

Well, pure copper

[@amithreddy6741]

I've learn so much from your video. I spent 16 months at an internship and didn't learn even 1/10th of what you taught me in this video. Thank you Leo.

[@emgab]

most precious collection of tricks and tips i‘ve ever seen - back in my days as HW designer i used quite a few tricks myself and found similarities to some of your tricks, but never used to work with smd‘s in that time, we could stick with THT parts and used wire wrap and solder sockets the most, but the tricks with solder boards scratched connections are absolutely golden - never thought this works so well - Leo. your collection is one of the biggest gem‘s one can find in YT - thanks for sharing them with us - stay safe and healthy - you got a new fan, kind regards from Mannheim, Germany

[@maxdelaserna9540]

This is video is pure gold. Probably purer than a Rolex.

[@RobertLenior]

That's a lot years of experience concentrated in less than a quarter of an hour, thank you!

[@edgarmrueda]

This is gold, thanks for sharing your experience, hope more people are like you in this world, it would be a better place!

[@mukundamodell]

This is the best electronics prototyping video I've ever seen. So much great information, really! Thank you.

[@DavidMullins1]

Thanks for reminding me what I did when I was a kid and forgetting it all. Back to basics again and so recycled SMDs are not a problem anymore.

[@simoncroft9792]

Some great techniques there Leo! Like the copper tape idea.. I have been trying the nickel plated steel strip ( for battery packs) soldered to the cheap breadboards with 0.1” isolated PTH grid pads for high current prototypes. With tinning they worked great. Can even work them double sided if the PTH via is drilled out at the crossovers

[@matthiasfreiburghaus4202]

I was looking for precisely this video for (literal) years. Awesome.

[@IvanStepaniuk]

Great channel! If these videos keep coming it's going to get big. Thanks!

[@hullinstruments]

Your channel is incredible. Your knowledge and teaching methods are top notch. As a professional who runs my own repair lab… It’s wonderful to come across channels like yours. I stream KZbin in my lab all day because it gets lonely… and all the metrology/ recalibration crap makes me want to jump out of a window. Too bad I’m on the bottom floor.😁🔫 But channels like yours are a breath of fresh air! Truly in the top 1%

[@zulusenclobos2442]

Leo, this video completely changed my workflow!! I've totally converted over to this technique, and crossed with Manhattan style islands glued to the board too. Thank for posting this video, it's a great one!!

[@hhkk6155]

Epic guide!!! So much info in a small video! Definitely will be rewatching!

[@evilspawn311]

Wow. Never have I been more impressed by a random video that played after something I was watching on KZbin. Subscribed

[@benjaminscherrey1124]

Lots of great advice! Gonna have to go back and take notes.

[@m3chanist]

Really great video. Loved every bit of it and I've been doing proto for 40 years.

[@greg77389]

Always good to get advice from an older guy in the field

[@GingerNingerGames]

That method for fast prototyping surface mount gear is the best thing I've ever seen, and I will be trying it on for my current project when I rebuild it. Glad I found this video

[@queens.dee.223]

There are SO MANY good tips here. As a hobbyist, I think it's great that you're includes process tips as well as tips on materials and techniques. Thank you!

[@CarlMarvin]

Wow! This is great!! This channel is amazing...can't wait to see what else you come up with!

[@amirb715]

one of the best videos on circuit prototyping. excellent job

[@JoshuaNorton]

Wow, these tips are really neat! Never heard of any of these since I did my apprenticeship 10 years ago. Due to the antiquated methods I was taught, I still stick to THT components on perfboard. Can't wait to try out your xacto blade idea and design technique. Thank you so much!

[@HMPirates]

I LOVE this video. The Teflon tube trick is gold!! While cutting the PC board, I either use a silicone mat or just some fine sandpaper so that it does not slip..

[@cranegantry868]

I've done lots of this stuff, but learned more here too, thanks Leo.

[@christophborowski725]

Really good video! Finally a good explanation of how to work with SMD parts at home.

[@JimMedcraft]

In middle of designing my first prototype board, KZbin just suggested this video (probably because of all the googling I have been doing) but there were a lot of helpful tips on this video. The biggest thing is making adaptor boards, that was super helpful, thank you for posting this video.

[@JKTCGMV13]

amazing uses for so many things I had dismissed. I will absolutely be using these tips.

[@Paul_VK3HN]

Extremely good advice , I learned most of this myself over 20 years of experimenting and building, (even though I dont always do it!), thanks for packing all this into a single video.

[@kk2ak14]

Great job, now you give me a good reason to use more often my milling machine in the boards.

[@CyberSpace100011]

This is great stuff... common sense items that every developer should consider and reconsider. If you are prototyping, this is your go-to video! Thanks for your hard work Leo

[@u2bist]

Fantastic video. I learned a ton this first time through and am sure I will rewatch. The straight-cut prototyping technique is dynamite.

[@blaketurner9389]

Thank you very very much. Damn - such simple but amazingly helpful tips and suggestions. Been doing this on and off the last 30 years and still so many new tricks and ideas.

[@anandawijesinghe6298]

Fabulous! All the time saving survival tips in one place!

[@jenkatan7113]

your close up shots are super useful

[@FerniFF]

Half way through and I'm hooked. These are very cool ideas!

[@electron7373]

Excellent prototyping tips and tricks. Thanks Leo!

[@Professzore]

Genius. One of the greatest set of tricks for SMT. Thank you very much!

[@ewanyork]

Absolutely brilliant. There are SO many golden tips in here. I’m going to re-watch many times, I think…

[@UpLateGeek]

I love this technique, would've saved me a lot of headache fiddling with a breadboard then a non-equivalent through-hole op amp on my current project. And that's a great tip using thinner copper clad, I'll have to pick up some for my next project.

[@tissuepaper9962]

Dude, the technique with using the plain copper clad FR4 and cutting it into "islands" just opened up a whole new world for me. I will never use a breadboard again.

[@bensolomon1872]

Great vid. This 50+years experienced tech picked up some very common-sense and valuable ideas that I'll be using to improve my next R&D project. Thanks a ton!

[@paulwomack5866]

I'm pretty sure that most $$ chasing youtubers would have made a separate video (complete with click baity "save hours and dollars with this one cool trick" headlines) from each of the dozens of tips in this video. Absolute gold. Thank you.

[@niallmartin4098]

I wish I could have watched this video 10 years ago when I started a job requiring just this sort of fast cheap prototyping. Instead I had to teach myself through trial and error, and although I did some of these things, I didn't' come to half these excellent solutions. I haven't done that job for 5 years now, but I still really appreciate the brilliance.

[@N4HAY]

Excellent! I have built many prototypes but always room to learn!

[@dd884e5d8a]

Awesome stuff! Thanks for sharing these techniques

[@jamesmann7411]

Great video. I'm about to build my first prototype having finished the breadboard version. I found this video at just the right time.

[@chrisalexthomas]

I'm new to this kind of stuff and I find watching these things helps with building up my mental model of how I can approach my own projects. It's really cool to see how experts think about their problems, so I can try to copy that line of thinking. Thanks for the video!

[@Mainbusfail]

There are channels you subscribe to for the heck of it. Then there are the few that if you didn't your really not using all of the available grey matter. This is one of those gems. I really really wish this guy was my instructor when I was in the Avionics Electronics Program back in 1989. I would have been further ahead with my skill sets by a remarkable degree and I would have enjoyed my work so much more. This guy and those few like him just weren't around for guys like me back in the day.

[@VioletGiraffe]

My grandpa was doing simple boards this exact way 40 years ago, mostly with through-hole components. But I never learned to do this, seemed super tedious, I couldn't bear the process - I always wanted to get the result immediately. Your video is very informative, is full of tricks, and makes the process look more feasible for a normal person. Thank you!

[@TomParish]

Now and again you just find a GOLDEN video. This is one. Thank you. Very helpful to me at this point in my project building.

[@richiebri]

Thank you for sharing your tricks! This is pure gold. I found this very useful and will be applying them :)

[@ezequiel9055]

You know this video is superb when you have Elliot Williams commenting it :) and as he says is pure gold. Its sad KZbin doesnt have a "bigger thumb up". Im an instant subscriber. Great channel.

[@paulcohen1555]

The Xacto cutting tool is the grandson of the Formica cutter I made ~55 years ago from a 1" wide broken power hacksaw blade. (Zero cost from the factory my father worked at). Very nice video and ideas.

[@gozharry7404]

Great video ! First time on this channel but this guy speaks so much common sense. Years of experience condensed into watchable, educational, practical video format. I am a fan. Goz

[@TheJay6621]

This is pure Gold.. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@copper4842]

Been looking through YT videos all day for just a good general 'how to prototype circuits' explanation. This video has been by far the best.

[@leosbagoftricks3732]

Thanks -it's one of my most-viewed videos.

[@robindebreuil]

This was all very amazing, so much good advice, thank you!

[@dffabryr]

Thank you very much Leo!!! Wonderful triks and tips

[@tgirard123]

Wow, I just found this video and I can't like it enough. Such great advice. I'm already starting to organize and looking for an old knife that I can grind into that tool. Thank you so much. Just subscribed

[@keckus]

You dear Sir are a genius. I never thought of doing it like this myself. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@RedlabsTV]

Thanks for your advice! If I had seen this earlier, I would have saved myself quite a lot of time!

[@Moosetraks21]

What a great batch of tricks. Thanks for sharing.

[@CobaltArcher]

Holy buckets. All I can say is "thank you." What an amazing treasure trove of sage wisdom!

[@hopelessnerd6677]

I love your ideas. I have developed a reliable method of making my own PCB's at home very fast, and I've pretty much given up breadboarding, but this is a great method which I want to try.

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

After browsing prototype tips and trick videos for years. YT finally recommends a diamond mine. This ones going into my modular cookbook. Thanks for your hard work God Bless.

[@artysanmobile]

So many great ideas here. Thank you.

[@paulmanhart4481]

Excellent advice and video. Thanks for sharing.

[@gizmibob]

That is just amazing !!! Thank you so much !!!!! I learned so much so quick...

[@hydroautomation183]

Thanks Leo For giving the best tricks and tips

[@mathematicalmachinery7934]

This is exactly what I was hoping for when I clicked this video. Thank you for your advice!

[@FredMiller]

This video should be mandatory for EVERY want to be Engineer! Thanks for sharing...

[@leosbagoftricks3732]

Glad it was helpful!

[@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE]

Great advice, really well presented. I'm just starting out and will use your advice well. Thank-you!

[@mariodistefano2973]

Fantastic ideas! Thanks for sharing *VERY VERY* useful hints!

[@emil8367]

Awesome ! Thank you for great hints !

[@chrisegonmusic]

Man I watched this video several times. Great stuff.

[@AndreasAn]

Really interesting video. I am close to finishing my B. Sc. in Mechatronic Engineering and I am starting building some simple projects at home. Therefore it is extremely helpful to see, how an experienced circuit designer(?) works to get projects done. For now, I will stay with my breadboards. Bus as things get more complex, I will review this video and may adopt some of your techniques. Thanks and nice shirt! Andreas

[@ollie-d]

I think this should be mandatory watching, great stuff

[@chuckthebull]

I have an x carve machine but you still give me invaluable tips ..and the squirrel eating a nut cracked me up...cheers

[@bdhaliwal24]

Fantastic video, thank you for providing so many helpful tips.

[@derekbrn]

This is great - thanks Leo!

[@MoxxMix]

Good advices. I have to say that I made some electronics for remote two doors opening, and it has been working on a breadboard for 3 years now. I've used thicker wires for breadboard connections.

[@Paul-rs4gd]

I love this video. I have realised that I spend hours of stress doing the manual part of projects - like soldering. I now try to use connectors, ribbon cable and dupont connectors wherever possible. I make a 3d printed mount for all the breakout boards that need to be held together. It's far easier to change the CAD, and let the printer do the work whenever there is a change.

[@ConsultingjoeOnline]

Great vide. Lots of good tips and trick. Thanks

[@na5b]

Thank you for this great work.

[@ElectricalElectronicSoftware]

Thank you, Mr. Leo, you shared valuable tips.

[@rfdave3980]

Really like the Blade cutter tool. Neat idea. Thank you.

[@Lance_MadCat]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

[@robertamerson3141]

Im a retired repair technician. I hated having to dive off into SMT but as it was a professional necessity, I did. But I always hated them. Now that I am several years into my retirement and I spend many an hour riding motorcycles I have found myself with a fresh need of new more efficient methodologies of dealing with SMT. Ive recently decided to take ab personal safety device I have been running on my bike as a POC on towards a DIY product consisting of a few individual modular-mounted boxes designed to enable a typical DIY rider an option of a quick plug and play style installation on his or her motorcycle . Space available makes SMT components an absolute must. Leo's practical approach to some problem areas I'm dealing with is quite insightful and a blessing for an old dog like me. Thanks for sharing Leo. Reply to Jan Verschueren: I guess we types are a very niche section of the atypical audience here on KZbin. Like David Luther stated below SMT hasn't lent itself to me easily either but with some of these new methods to master, maybe soon!

[@edgeeffect]

This is solid gold! Thanks.

[@Greebstreebling]

Very rarely you can strike gold on KZbin and this is it. Thanks so much for sharing in such a comprehensive and thoughtful way, much appreciated. I'm a hobbyist and an amateur astronomer. I built my own dome observatory and designed and built all the electronics and programming of AVRs and computers. All my AVR circuits are on breadboards. The wiring is tough and it really needs professionalising, so now I can get started - thanks again. :) :)

[@BackMacSci]

Excellent video! Thank you for the tips!

[@DonQuichotteLiberia]

Thank you for sharing, your channel is an amazing source of information.