Soldering PCB Mount components

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Troubleshooting
1

I need to incorporate a joystick switch (not potentiometer) into my design.

I saw this product: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=EG4357CT-ND

However, its PCB mount. I would love to attach this to a breadboard to do some prototyping, but don't really know how. Also if I was to design a circuit board for this, how would I solder it anyway? Its not like an SMT components with the leads outwards

Any tutorials, links to breakout board, or any information that would help what so evee, would be greatly appreciated.

2

This looks just like the joystick on NUelectronics' LCD & Joystick shield. It has four directional switches, plus push down on the stick for a fifth switch. http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1223055237

Commonly, you apply a solder paste to the board, use tweezers to place the part, then put the board in a solder oven (I've seen some people use a griddle hot plate) to melt the solder paste of all such parts at the same time. Sounds like a messy affair, I have so far avoided it.

See if you can find a breakout board for any part that has the same footprint.

3

That switch looks like it's a "surface mount" part (not "PCB mount"). Parts are typically either "through hole" or "surface mount", but through hole parts are usually easier to fit onto a solderless breadboard. You will have to make (or buy) a small PCB to connect to the switch and then attach pins to it to fit the breadboard.

4

I've looked into those style of joystick button/switches before. It appears they are also available as through-hole components.

Seeedstudio did have them in stock at one time but it appears no longer. Maybe contact him and see if he will re-stock.

--Phil.

5

oh man the through hole version would be awesome!! I had my hopes up so high but I can't find a distributor anywhere...

was the seeedstudio one a surface mount or a through hole? anybody remember?

6

It's not exactly the same, but Sparkfun has this pot-style joystock. It uses pots instead of switches, and it's a lot bigger, but it is through-hole.

Oops, looks like they're still out of stock.

-j

7

I currently have a pot style switch and that will not work for what i need. I need to have a contact switch in place.

I could possibly modify my code to make the pot style switch into a contact style switch, but that would be a more code in my already limited code space.

8

I believe they were through-hole.

--Phil.