# Stripboard convention? **URL:** \ **Category:** DIY STUFF\ **Created:** [June 29, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335 "2020-06-29T18:15:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Farabide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Farabide](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Farabide)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/1 "2020-06-29T18:15:06Z")
I’ve been slowly working my way through an old pile of stripboards and I’m thinking I’ll stock up. But everywhere I look vendors sell by physical dimensions in cm (or in that old imperial system we Scots invented and gave to the colonies before we and the world went metric) What I cannot judge is how many strip rows to how many columns. So, my DAQ\* is are the strip rows always running on the longest edge? The first listed measurements? Hidden in some code? If I need a big stripboard with say 50 strip rows and 60 holes per strip what do I ask or search for? Any and all input appreciated. Best to all. (\*Dumb.Ass.Question) ---
**Author:** ![analogoutput](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/analogoutput/32/29663_2.png) [@analogoutput](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/analogoutput)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/2 "2020-06-29T18:30:05Z")
Well, the hole spacing is 0.1 Scottish inch, so 50 holes by 60 holes is 5 by 6 inches (17 hectares). As for which direction the strips run? If you have to guess, guess they’re parallel to the long edge, but no promises from me. ---
**Author:** ![Farabide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Farabide](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Farabide)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/3 "2020-06-29T18:50:39Z")
Aye and there’s the rub. How do you tell which way the rows go? ---
**Author:** ![fredrik](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/fredrik/32/682_2.png) [@fredrik](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/fredrik)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/4 "2020-06-29T18:52:30Z")
I just checked Tayda, and the first two there had the rows in different directions, so pretty sure the answer is “by looking at them” 😀 ---
**Author:** ![Farabide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Farabide](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Farabide)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/5 "2020-06-29T18:56:08Z")
Ah the empirical scientific method! Sorted! Now if we could just get vendors to stop using the same image for every size they stock! ---
**Author:** ![analogoutput](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/analogoutput/32/29663_2.png) [@analogoutput](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/analogoutput)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:56pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/6 "2020-06-29T18:56:48Z")
You could just make it your policy only to buy square stripboards. ---
**Author:** ![Farabide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Farabide](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Farabide)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/7 "2020-06-29T18:58:45Z")
Knowing my luck I’ll order a square and the rows will be diagonal! ---
**Author:** ![Jos](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/jos/32/151_2.png) [@Jos](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Jos)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/8 "2020-06-29T19:47:01Z")
There are alternatives that can be very handy like this one: ![](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1xeDsQwHqK1RjSZFkq6x.WFXaX.jpg) or bigger ones: ![](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/H6f364b4a013e4871b641391df0f80b33V.jpg) I’ve been using this for a while and find it very convenient to use because of the many long copper lanes suitable for GND and Vcc and Vdd etc.: ![](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB11TWJRXXXXXbUXFXXq6xXFXXXg.jpg) Obviously you cut them to the size needed. ---
**Author:** ![Maxhirez](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/maxhirez/32/42_2.png) [@Maxhirez](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Maxhirez)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/9 "2020-06-29T19:47:14Z")
Let’s put it this way-if any of us had ever seen them running the short way we’d probably pipe up. I will say that I have seen perma-proto boards (the ones that have roughly the same layout as a breadboard) called “strip board” on occasion. ---
**Author:** ![analogoutput](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/analogoutput/32/29663_2.png) [@analogoutput](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/analogoutput)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/10 "2020-06-29T20:44:54Z")
![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/lookmumnocomputer/original/2X/b/b3fd7ff69a49722ef4177fa702de7626b1b513f2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Maxhirez](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/maxhirez/32/42_2.png) [@Maxhirez](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Maxhirez)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/11 "2020-06-29T20:53:52Z")
Okay maybe I should have been piping up because Well duh… I even have some of those. I tried to build the 3340 oscillator on it. ---
**Author:** ![Farabide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Farabide](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Farabide)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 9:18pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/12 "2020-06-29T21:18:55Z")
Ooh! Is it wrong I think that’s too square? 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Farabide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Farabide](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Farabide)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 9:22pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/13 "2020-06-29T21:22:39Z")
I like the 5x10. May get some like that for my lunetta case. Perfect for cmos. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Caustic](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/caustic/32/15588_2.png) [@Caustic](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Caustic)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/14 "2020-06-29T22:05:37Z")
These are my goto from tayda. usually big enough. made 3 3340 OSC on em, adequate space for those. ---
**Author:** ![Bitnik](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/bitnik/32/274_2.png) [@Bitnik](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Bitnik)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/15 "2020-06-29T22:10:02Z")
Everybody should stock a few different sizes and shapes of stripboard/veroboard. It’s amazingly easy to use. And yes, if you set up a circuit on a breadboard it makes sense to use a stripboard design that reflects the design of the breadboard. Translating between different layouts is a major source of error. ---
**Author:** ![ChristianBloch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/christianbloch/32/56_2.png) [@ChristianBloch](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/ChristianBloch)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 1:21am UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/16 "2020-06-30T01:21:48Z")
Or, design your own and have them manufactured: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/lookmumnocomputer/original/2X/6/6274cc07bb89a55009b6eb70969ad1e76b1335a3.jpeg) Might actually even be cheaper in some cases. And I know it looks like protoboard, but I assure you there are strips. ---
**Author:** ![Caustic](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/caustic/32/15588_2.png) [@Caustic](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Caustic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/17 "2020-06-30T01:41:24Z")
I have considered this. They look lovely. and are likely less janky. Curious how cutting strips fairs with this method however. ---
**Author:** ![Farabide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@Farabide](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Farabide)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/18 "2020-06-30T02:08:27Z")
Janky? Don’t know the word. Do you mean the fact projects look meh on stripboard? I was pleasantly surprised when sam started spray painting his stripboard. ---
**Author:** ![Caustic](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/caustic/32/15588_2.png) [@Caustic](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/Caustic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 2:38am UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/19 "2020-06-30T02:38:33Z")
![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/lookmumnocomputer/original/2X/7/7a2891ead13c82337ef6271085d1d176b6cec28c.png) I use a lot of stripboard so no hate for it, but it can be a bit unreliable. ---
**Author:** ![ChristianBloch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/christianbloch/32/56_2.png) [@ChristianBloch](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/u/ChristianBloch)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335/20 "2020-06-30T03:40:17Z")
> [@Caustic](#): > > Curious how cutting strips fairs with this method however. It’s surprisingly easy. There are only strips on the bottom side, but the the holes have proper eyelets. If you scrape/drill out the eyelet on the bottom, it cuts the connection. You have to be a little more careful with connections far apart, though, since you could accidentally make connections on the component side as well. [Next page](https://lookmumnocomputer.discourse.group/t/stripboard-convention/1335.md?page=2)