"Let's get down to brass tacks"

[Victorman222]

Here's some of the methods i used:

1. Dedicated proto boards[1, 2]: expensive, and the ones with plated through holes aren't very prototype friendly, since desoldering becomes a pain. On the other hand rugged. I like the ones where power tracks go under ICs so power connections can be made by just bending a pin. For me it's better to have a bigger board and cut out chunks that are the right size for your project using metal cutting scissors.

2. Cutting slots in FR4 laminated stock[3]. Its the method i go to for simple stuff where i can plan out the cuts in advance. I do it the way RoGeorge described with a sharp "tooth" and a utility knife. This method is smd compatible.

3. Building above a FR4 ground plane[4, 5]: this works better for more complex stuff where i can build it block by block, debugging along the way. I put ICs up in the air by connecting them with a thick ground wire, use capacitors or resistors to ground as spacers. Looks flimsy, but the project i shown fell from my table about 5 times and it still worked (survivorship bias ).

4. Board with pins [6]: not as nice as the other methods but works. The one i have is plastic, but i seen some made out of FR4.

5. Board with pre cut slots [7]: better than the pins board, definitely usable. Maybe if there were power planes below and they came out at designated spots it would be nice. Also may be smd compatible.

[RoGeorge]

Nice close up pics! 

Another way I've seen once is this method using tailor rivets made for leather or textiles, which are stapled into cardboard. 



You may say this won't scale up, but here he built an entire processor made out of LEDs and photo resistor, no transistors:

LLTP - Light Logic Transistorless Processor
by Dr. Cockroach

https://hackaday.io/project/172413-lltp-light-logic-transistorless-processor
https://hackaday.io/wa4jat

Original project and very creative prototyping method.

[tggzzz]

Agreed,  I was only making the comment as a caution to someone fresh to the technique.

I have though made it a policy not to use thin stock for the pads if it's for use in tuned circuits, a "few pF" is significant at 100Mhz for instance, not a show stopper but it has to be worked around, just as one has to with parasitic inductance.

Regards.
X

A common trick is to use 1M through-hole resistors as standoffs - one end to the ground plane, the other end is used as a solder point for the signal connections. Then you are away from the ground plane so the capacitance is insignificant and the resistor won't impact the circuit.

With a standoff, a higher value resistor,  or just "airbridged", it also reduces  DC leakage.