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[on:]

Is anybody familiar with the board in the upper picture?

I am considering putting a Sainsmart 3.2" screen on a Mega 2560, which obliges me to put a new full-size proto board in between. There don''t appear
to be many cheapo options on eBay, but I found this and almost bought it, until I suddenly realised I didn't understand it. The holes for the headers don't appear to have duplicates for the wiring. The boards I have used have duplicate holes for the wiring immediately adjacent and labelled. This is such a bleeding obvious way of doing it that it never occurred to me that there might be another way.  

So, is there something secret here, but more apparent on the back of the board? Or does the wiring have to be soldered directly to the header pins?  This is the upper picture.

I guess I'm now more likely to use the second choice, lower picture. I was apprehensive about the surface mount pads, but I now realise I don't have to use them.

 

[Reply #1 on:]

The $4.83 Arduino Mega ProtoShield V3 from FastTech.com might be a good choice:

http://www.fasttech.com/products/1009/10001547/1115501

They're in Hong Kong but I ordered from them recently and my order arrived in Massachusetts in 10 days.

[Reply #2 on:]

Thanks for your comment.

As I saw the picture I thought "Gawd, I've jumped the gun and I should have bought that", but I now see that the 36pins at the end are not stackable. This is the whole point of the exercise and I would have to remove what they provide. The second picture I show is the same PCB and I have bought that. 

Are you using the surface mount area at the other end? If I can sort out my bluetooth problems I might put a bare bluetooth module there. I assume it is made for one of those and I was thinking I might drill the pads for the four connections.

Now to find the 2x18 stackable header.

[Reply #3 on:]

You can use a 2 each 8-pin and 10-pin female header, both available at dipmicro.com and used here

[Reply #4 on:]

Thanks. I see that is what is used on a mass-produced board, which is a pretty strong signal.........

[Reply #5 on:]

4ucon makes them
http://www.4uconnector.com/online/object/4udrawing/13425.pdf

http://www.4uconnector.com/online/itemagrid.asp?seriesdesp=2%2E0+FEMALE+HEADER+PLUS+ONE+BASE%28SPACER+TYPE%29+DIP+STRAIGHT+HEIGHT%3D8%2E35MM&seriesno=0178&GroupNo=01&groupdesp=Pin%2CFemale+Header&itemnum=872&sample=&seriesnum=35&

I haven't figured out how to order directly from them yet tho. My registration did not seem to go thru.

[Reply #6 on:]

Oops - that's a 2mm pitch part.
Heres a 2.54mm pitch part
http://www.4uconnector.com/online/object/4udrawing/15377.pdf
http://www.4uconnector.com/online/object/4udrawing/15415.pdf
http://www.4uconnector.com/online/object/4udrawing/15453.pdf

Would want one described as:
" 2.54 FEMALE HEADER PLUS ONE BASE DIP STRAIGHT HEIGHT=11.05MM
2X18PIN"
without the "plus one base" part, which I can't seem to find.

Not sure what length to look at, have to measure some to confirm.

The "MOQ=1000PC" (minimum order quantity) would drive me away anyway.

[Reply #7 on:]

I haven't figured out how to order directly from them yet tho. My registration did not seem to go thru.

I guess whoever made that shield hasn't worked it out either.

I see a slightly better deal than dipmicro here

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Arduino-R3-Stackable-Shield-Header-Set-w-ICSP-US-Tall-Headers-Kit-6-8-10-Pin-/160794942110?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2570201a9e

They must have their act together, its better than Hong Kong too.  I don't understand why Megas are so ill-catered. The local developer makes good boards and is competitive for Uno, but leaves you high and dry with their Mega stuff. 

[Reply #8 on:]

This collection of parts:

1x 6 Pin Single Row Female 
2x 8 Pin Single Row Female 
1x 10 Pin Single Row Female
1x 6 Pin Double Row Female

is no help for the mega screw shield.
Ordering lots of 8 and 10 pin female headers to support 3x10pin and 7x8pin per shield works out much better.  I have parts for 14 kits on hand right, 2 of them going out tomorrow....
http://www.crossroadsfencing.com/BobuinoRev17/

[Reply #9 on:]

This collection of parts:
1x 6 Pin Single Row Female 
2x 8 Pin Single Row Female 
1x 10 Pin Single Row Female
1x 6 Pin Double Row Female
is no help for the mega screw shield.

I'm not sure what you are saying here.
I've ordered two kits from the USA. This gives me the 36pin, just like the picture you show, plus a 6 and an 8. The left-overs will probably get used eventually.

Thanks

[Reply #10 on:]

Your prior post didn't indicate you were ordering 2 kits to make a partial set of headers for a mega.
I was looking at it from the point of view of if being a partial kit, when I know it takes 3 10-pin headers and 7 8-pin pin headers to populate a mega.

And 3 6-pin headers won't fill the 18-pin header because the overall width of the 6-pins stacks up & causes fit interference.  An 10-pin and a 8-pin do alslo, but  isn't too bad.

[Reply #11 on:]

OK. If the 10+8 fits on that green board, I guess that's good enough for me. Nothing that a bit of 240 wet-and-dry can't fix........

You would reckon whoever makes the non-stacking 36pin for Mega would also make the stackables. Maybe they simply are not popular enough - yet.

[Reply #12 on:]

4Ucon does make stackable connectors - just no one in the US is carrying them yet.
I'm certainly not going to order 1000 of them

[Reply #13 on:]

how do I get 4 of those mega screw shields in England ?

[Reply #14 on:]

Send ($35 * 4) +$17  for shipping via paypal to cardinalflyer @ comcast dot net and I'll have them shipped via USPS the next day.
I need e-mail & phone number for US export forms, you can e-mail those to the same address.