Getting started: What to buy?

Using Arduino General Electronics
1

I have worked with embedded kits before and in college I have made stuff with microcontrollers but it has been a long time.
I am wanting to make an electronic harness tester which will likely have around thirty 16-channel analogue multiplexers (a 24 pin IC) connected to an Arduino board and any other necessary electronics.

I figure I should get these things:

  • Breadboard and general electronics to experiment and do testing without needing to solder.
  • Stripboards for the final circuits.
  • Oscilloscope. Some people have suggested analog Oscs. and I like them as well. They feel natural and fluid. I may not need an OSC but I like it so I should try to find one, hopefully cheap.
  • Logic probe for quickly detecting 0's and 1's
  • I already have soldering tools (just a soldering iron and wire so its basic; nothing advanced or extra-convenient)
  • I have a dremel type tool which is not high quality like a real Dremel but it will do for now.

Anything else I should get to get ready for testing and making this project?

I had some questions:

  • 30 guage wire? Is that too big for wiring IC's on stripboards/perfboards with lots of wires going around or should I get something smaller like 32 AWG?
  • Are perf boards better than strip boards? The terms are used interchangeably. I'm refering to the boards which have holes in them and no connecting strips.

For working with 30 24-pin ICs what kind of board should I get to make wiring easier?

Thats all I have for now. Thanks all.

2

For wire i use http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDrillDownView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&search_type=jamecoall&freeText=wire-wrap
I find these helpful in order:
Logic probe
Logic analyser
Oscilloscope

I make my own PCBs
For cabling i use these Custom Cables & Guide to Crimping Dupont PCB Interconnect Cables - YouTube

I have used these:
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_21435_-1

3

Get a copy of Eagle. The 'light' license is free. Then use it to create your schematic. Use this with a breadboard to test the initial concept with one or two of the big ICs.

Then use Eagle to design a PCB. Use the 'tNames' layer to add lots of labels to the pins, and 'bNames' to put the labels on the bottom side of the board too. Send it out to one of the services that creates PCBs. I use OSH Park but there are a lot of other similar services out there. A small board might cost $3 and a big one might be $30.

Thirty 16-pin multiplexers? That's a lot of pins. You definitely need a PCB, probably several daisy-chained. If you find that you are running into problems with the maximum size of the PCB in Eagle then that is an indication that your design is too complex for a hobby project and you either need to simplify the individual PCBs or charge your customer more money.

30AWG is really tiny. That is difficult to work with. Most of my hookup wire for prototyping is 24AWG. 28AWG is normal ribbon cable.

4

Thanks all. I did some shopping now. I'll look into that Eagle software.