What is so great about 3M breadboards?

[LukeW]

BTW, here's a pretty good price on the 3M jumper wire kit.  Well worth it, IMHO.

Funny you mention jumper wires because as I was shopping around for 3M breadboard, I stumbled upon a 3M jumper wire kit in digikey:

http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?mpart=923351-I&vendor=19

That particular kit retails for $46 so I must admit I had a mini heart attack when I saw that price. Are 3M wires really that better? I can find what look like similar kits for $10! What makes the 3M wires so special?

Thanks.

Personally I really like those [ or "staple" shaped color-coded jumper wires in pre-formed 0.1" increments for neat breadboard work.
I don't think there's anything special about 3M wire, though - you should be able to find (and can find) cheap generic equivalents.
22 AWG is good for breadboard use, though - it's a bit more reliable than the thinner wires.
(24 AWG Cat5 or telephone wire etc is OK, it's usable, but 22AWG makes things a little more solid.)

Do you really want to use a 15cm wire with DuPont-style crimp pins when you need a 0.4" breadboard jumper? No thanks.
Those DuPont-style crimp wires are often valuable though, eg. for off-board connections to the breadboard.

Digikey stocks the 3M 923345xxx, 200-packs in each size.

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/923345-04-C/923345-04-ND/12170

I *could* buy one pack of each size, and have enough breadboard jumpers to last a lifetime, but I can't really justify $250 worth of breadboard jumpers.

Very tempting. Is there anywhere (say the Chinese e-commerce sector) where bulk quantities of these jumper wires can be had cheaper?

I don't really care about the plastic case... I've already got one that can be topped up, they seem to have a lot of spare room in them relative to the number of wires supplied.

In my experience with the plastic tray kits (eg. 3M or generic equivalent) the long ones (eg. 2" or 3") never get used, (use a flexible wire with DuPont pins if you need that), so it's also pointless buying the tray kits when half the wire in the kit goes unused and it's the small ones that are heavily used.

[ez24]

I've had good luck with these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEKTRUM-EXTERNALLY-POWERED-SOLDERLESS-3220-TIE-POINTS-BREADBOARD-W-JUMPER-WIRES-/271822825429?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f49e727d5

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/tradebus-No-Welding-Solderless-Breadboard-Plate-3220-Tie-points-Test-Circuit-Board-ZY-208-24-hours/2003340373.html


I.e. http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_20812_-1


all look the same to me, I ordered the middle one because it was the easiest and cheapest

[nanofrog]

I've had good luck with these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEKTRUM-EXTERNALLY-POWERED-SOLDERLESS-3220-TIE-POINTS-BREADBOARD-W-JUMPER-WIRES-/271822825429?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f49e727d5

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/tradebus-No-Welding-Solderless-Breadboard-Plate-3220-Tie-points-Test-Circuit-Board-ZY-208-24-hours/2003340373.html


I.e. http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_20812_-1


all look the same to me, I ordered the middle one because it was the easiest and cheapest

The last one is definitely a Wisher (check the datasheet). 

[vk6zgo]

All breadboards suck---some just suck less than others!

[oldway]

I never use breadboard.
I make my own single sided testboards instead.
All the components and wirings are soldered on the copper side of the board, so bad contacts never occurs.
I use the components with long wires and I can reuse them after desoldering.

[GreyWoolfe]

Neat boards.  You should sell them.  Maybe even do a kickstarter 

[commie]

I got some 3m boards from Digikey, a couple of years ago, however I found them very difficult to use, what I mean is stripped back solid core wire just crunches up when you try and push the wire into a hole on the board. If you can get your jumper wire in then a very good connection is made granted.I found it just too difficult to use so I settled for an alternative make (Twin Industries), cheaper and dead easy to connect jumper wires, if anything a bit too easy. I've worn out a couple of boards from past use, but they are only about £6 each from Mouser. and they do last a couple of years and with that I'm happy

[dadler]

I got some 3m boards from Digikey, a couple of years ago, however I found them very difficult to use, what I mean is stripped back solid core wire just crunches up when you try and push the wire into a hole on the board. If you can get your jumper wire in then a very good connection is made granted.I found it just too difficult to use so I settled for an alternative make (Twin Industries), cheaper and dead easy to connect jumper wires, if anything a bit too easy. I've worn out a couple of boards from past use, but they are only about £6 each from Mouser. and they do last a couple of years and with that I'm happy

You have to break the 3M boards in. I go through and insert a jumper wire in each of the holes before first use, and from then on they are perfect. I prefer this over the cheapies that have too-weak contacts inside.

I just bought a couple more from this eBay seller and received them yesterday:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200668490915

[rsjsouza]

BTW, here's a pretty good price on the 3M jumper wire kit.  Well worth it, IMHO.

Funny you mention jumper wires because as I was shopping around for 3M breadboard, I stumbled upon a 3M jumper wire kit in digikey:

http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?mpart=923351-I&vendor=19

That particular kit retails for $46 so I must admit I had a mini heart attack when I saw that price. Are 3M wires really that better? I can find what look like similar kits for $10! What makes the 3M wires so special?

I don't blame you for having a heart attack. Despite I have old CAT5 cables and eventually cut wires to size, I found out that wire kits speed up the prototyping. I have been using the wire kit below for years without problems.
http://www.frys.com/product/4612398

I also have two of the breadboards below and I haven't yet had a problem.
http://www.frys.com/product/3849287

Obviously that I solder thin wires when I need to slap the occasional TO-220, TO-236 or TO-3, but the 1N4000-series diodes and their somewhat thicker leads did not yet cause trouble to the contacts. Same as beefier electrolytic capacitors and 10W power resistors.

[rolycat]

Obviously that I solder thin wires when I need to slap the occasional TO-220, TO-236 or TO-3 ...

You can use many TO-220 and similar packages directly in breadboards by turning the leads axially through 90 degrees with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Since the contact wipers normally run parallel to the 5-pin strips this puts much less stress on the springs. It typically reduces the effective width from around 0.9 mm to 0.5 mm.

[Ian.M]

+1 for twisting the legs.

[alank2]

If you want a happy middle ground, I still have my original Jameco breadboards since I got into electronics 17 years ago. They're pretty good for quality, not 3M exceptional but also not 3M price.

I.e. http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_20812_-1

Yes.  The Jameco ones are rebranded "wish" or "wisher" brand.  These things are great.  I've got a whole bunch and use them a ton, no problems at all.

I've never had a 3M breadboard, they are just way too pricy.

[rsjsouza]

Obviously that I solder thin wires when I need to slap the occasional TO-220, TO-236 or TO-3 ...

You can use many TO-220 and similar packages directly in breadboards by turning the leads axially through 90 degrees with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Since the contact wipers normally run parallel to the 5-pin strips this puts much less stress on the springs. It typically reduces the effective width from around 0.9 mm to 0.5 mm.

Hehe... Yeah, I know. I just like to keep my TO-220s tidy...  O0

[edavid]

I usually stick the TO-220s etc. into Vector T-49 clips.

[nanofrog]

Has anyone done a comparison teardown of "good" breadboards and "cheap" breadboards. Without solid comparative evidence I am still struggling to avoid lumping this discussion in with the urban myth lot. Please, someone convince me that the hole into which a pin must fit hasn't been sized appropriately for the spring contacts. I can believe the cheaper ones may use thinner or less flexible (more prone to fatigue) metal. But, do they?

If they sold them at IKEA maybe we would have a pin insertion machine to do longevity testing like they do with chairs.

If I had a small single 3M on the cheap, I'd be willing (do have an unused cheap Chinese board I can sacrifice).  Unfortunately, the cheapest one I found on digikey is the 212R distribution strip @ $16.13, and I'm certainly not going to destroy one of the strips on my ACE 127 (now the 327).

$5 or less for a 3M, and I'd be game (yes, I'm a cheapskate for stuff I plan to ruin/destroy ). 

[GreyWoolfe]

BTW, here's a pretty good price on the 3M jumper wire kit.  Well worth it, IMHO.

Funny you mention jumper wires because as I was shopping around for 3M breadboard, I stumbled upon a 3M jumper wire kit in digikey:

http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?mpart=923351-I&vendor=19

That particular kit retails for $46 so I must admit I had a mini heart attack when I saw that price. Are 3M wires really that better? I can find what look like similar kits for $10! What makes the 3M wires so special?

I don't blame you for having a heart attack. Despite I have old CAT5 cables and eventually cut wires to size, I found out that wire kits speed up the prototyping. I have been using the wire kit below for years without problems.
http://www.frys.com/product/4612398

I also have two of the breadboards below and I haven't yet had a problem.
http://www.frys.com/product/3849287

Obviously that I solder thin wires when I need to slap the occasional TO-220, TO-236 or TO-3, but the 1N4000-series diodes and their somewhat thicker leads did not yet cause trouble to the contacts. Same as beefier electrolytic capacitors and 10W power resistors.

I still have my wire kit from my ITT days.  It is probably from Elenco also.  I ended up getting a second kit because we built rather large projects and I was paranoid about running out.  They work just fine.  I also have the plastic coated tip wires and prefer the old school wires.  I would not have the patience to make up that many wires from cat 5 cable, though I do have enough of it around that I could make plenty from.

[Fungus]

You can use many TO-220 and similar packages directly in breadboards by turning the leads axially through 90 degrees with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

No need to twist them, just squeeze them hard.

...or just bend the outer legs in opposite directions and put it in diagonally.

[GlowingGhoul]

3M ACE 336 boards half off at Farnell (US).

10.25"x7.25" 3648 Tie Points $85

http://www.newark.com/3m/922336/breadboard-back-plate-terminal/dp/92F1464

[nanofrog]

3M ACE 336 boards half off at Farnell (US).

10.25"x7.25" 3648 Tie Points $85

http://www.newark.com/3m/922336/breadboard-back-plate-terminal/dp/92F1464

You might want to create a thread in the Buy/Sell/Wanted section (expect more people would see it).