DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx Express => Topic started by: joshuashu on August 27, 2009,
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can anyone recommend a mouser part number for standoffs for the LE boards?
thanks
joshua
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Hi Joshua,
If you are mounting the LE to the recommended case
two options:
1 - cut off the extra bosses
2 - get plastic washers at a hardware store or like home depot type store
Rick R.
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i will be mounting 2 in the recommended enclosures but 3 will be in others that i have already and i need some more stand offs for other projects. i went to radio shack and frys and both didnt have any. the guy at radio shack didnt even know what they were. they have become a shame and should change their name, remember when you could get all kinds of electronics stuff at radio shack? sorry i was ranting, so that is why i am looking for some from mouser.
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You might consider visiting a hardware store and asking for "nylon spacers" -- my local ACE carries them in the same area as its loose nuts, washers and screws.
Also at the hardware store are "light masonry plastic plugs." This box in my hand is from Crown Bolt and they come in a variety of standard screw sizes, i.e., No. 10. I glue them into the bottom of plastic boxes and then use a machine screw to attach the board.
Best o' luck.
\dmc
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I have also used very small diameter flexible plastic tubing such as used for hooking up an icemaker. Lowes or Home Depot or even the local hardware store should have some. In short lengths and a diameter not much bigger than the screw you are using in them seem to be strong enough. Just do not over tighten the screws.
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I used a rotary rasp drill bit to grind off the stand offs that I didn't need. It went pretty quick.
http://www.wolfcraft.us/product_detail1e35.html?id=39
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I needed a lot myself and went to Lowes to price out nylon spacers. It was too much and the supply wasn't good enough. So, I found Pex tubing. It's perfect. It's a plumbing type tubing with a pretty thick wall - just right for this application. A giant 6 or 8 foot piece costs nothing and you'll have enough spacers for about a kazillion controllers. Get you one of those razor-blade cutters too.
p.s. If you happen to try a forstner bit to drill down standoffs, be careful. They bite really hard! A spade bit probably works better.
--Ron
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I needed a lot myself and went to Lowes to price out nylon spacers. It was too much and the supply wasn't good enough. So, I found Pex tubing. It's perfect. It's a plumbing type tubing with a pretty thick wall - just right for this application. A giant 6 or 8 foot piece costs nothing and you'll have enough spacers for about a kazillion controllers. Get you one of those razor-blade cutters too.
p.s. If you happen to try a forstner bit to drill down standoffs, be careful. They bite really hard! A spade bit probably works better.
--Ron
Yeah specially if you modify the spade bit and make it an LE stand off remover bit! Right JJ ;D
RJ
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I used flat faucet washers. They're hard enough to support the board when screws are compressing them, stackable, cheap, and available all over the place. Better hurry, though, since the advent of washerless faucets, they might start getting hard to find in a few decades. They're non-conductive also.
steve
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I like using a step bit it stops are the perfect height.
Bill
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I use the icemaker tubing also - the nice thing is that you can compress it a bit and it helps keep tension on the screw. And yeah - - the price is definitely right!
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I also went with the ice maker tubing. Got it at Lowe's for 16 cents a foot. Bought 2 feet for 32 cents and sliced it into 1/4" slices with a razor blade. 2 feet made more then I needed.
Ron
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If you are in a rush and don't have the tubing handy, you can also use the body of a Bic pen...
/mike
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what is/are standoffs? How is it used?
Thanks!
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http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?jspStoreDir=hdus&catalogId=10053&productId=100338389&navFlow=3&keyword=030699872183&langId=-1&searchRedirect=030699872183&storeId=10051&endecaDataBean=com.homedepot.sa.el.wc.integration.endeca.EndecaDataBean%406d4d7d26&ddkey=Search
The recommended case has 7 or 8 raised boss's that require removal or the use of spacers so the circuit board sits in the case flat. The spacers are used to raise the circuit board away from the case, just remember to use a longer #8 X 3/4 screw instead of the recommended #8 X 1/2 to compensate for the 1/4" thickness of the spacer.
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Thank you very much for the informations! Greatly appreciated.
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Standoffs are spacers. The Lynx Express has 2 nuts holding on the heat sink. When you put the finished pcb in the case it does not set flush. I used 4 - 1/4" slices of tubing to hold the pcb circuit board 1/4" higher. This way the board can set level in the case and the nuts on the bottom side are held slightly higher.
Look at the pictures a few posts above this one.
Ron
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That's all I did. I'm on my phone so I can't see the pic. but following RJ's instruction the express logically fits four of the standoffs perfectly. All others are not needed. Just get a large drill bit and knock down the ones not needed with a drill and that's it!!!
Leon
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That's all I did. I'm on my phone so I can't see the pic. but following RJ's instruction the express logically fits four of the standoffs perfectly. All others are not needed. Just get a large drill bit and knock down the ones not needed with a drill and that's it!!!
Leon
<wd..
RJ
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Try www.halted.com or if you are near sacramento ca they have a store there.
R,
Tony "C"
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Alan, <res.
Not knocking anything you've done and do appreciate the attempt to help. You've been around a while and I respect you. Now that you've already spent the money I totally understand your desire to make it worth your investment. Ultimately, it is yours and so the path that you choose to take that makes you happy is the path you "should" take.
To all others I'll simply say this, The case comes with standoffs. No need to buy anything extra. In reality the only standoffs that need to be drilled are the ones that will get in the way (the ones taller than the ones needed to mount your express) In total there are only appox. 8 or so and they take a total of about 2 min to knock down with a drill. (it's plastic,... like a knife through butter) Plus in the end it will take you more time to use/install those extra standoffs.
Like I said though it's yours and if you like the ones you bought than thats what you should do. Last season I used my dremel to etch the letters on the heat sink. I can't be sure, but I think I was the only one. A lot of time invested? you bet. Was it worth it? Depends on your taste but to me the bare aluminum name really popped against the iodized red of the heatsink. It's all up to you and nobody is wrong. Just different.
Leon
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using a drill or other device "remove" or grind down 30+ of the built in mounting "bosses" or standoffs which could take lets say 20 - 30 minutes per case
You are off by at least a factor of 10. I suspect I could do 10 cases in 20 minutes total. It actually almost takes more time to be sure that you are not taking off the needed bosses than it takes to remove all the unneeded bosses..
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Now Boys.....
To each his own. <pop..
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Does not matter either way. It takes little time to do either way so no matter how you do it, just do it. <wd..
RJ
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My humble apologies. It was not my intent to upset anyone.
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Here is a method that I would not recommend.
I spent 2 minutes grinding off the unneeded bosses using a dremel tool with a grinding bit and an hour cleaning up the static charged plastic dust that stuck to everything. Not one of my best ideas. Luckily I was home alone and there were no witnesses.
John
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Here is a method that I would not recommend.
I spent 2 minutes grinding off the unneeded bosses using a dremel tool with a grinding bit and an hour cleaning up the static charged plastic dust that stuck to everything. Not one of my best ideas. Luckily I was home alone and there were no witnesses.
John
Except now we ALL know.... >:D
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My humble apologies. It was not my intent to upset anyone.
I do not think you upset anyone. People can be passionate about they way of doing thinks but that is a long way from upset. There are many ways to do it. I agree that drilling them down is no biggy but stand offs work great also. To each his own and it is great our members speak up if they think they have a better way.
RJ
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I want to thank Rainlover for his brutal honesty. I enjoyed a good hearty laugh and know what NOT to do... I was considering the dremel, but not anymore...
RM
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My humble apologies. It was not my intent to upset anyone.
Not at all Alan. It was not my intent to make you feel that way either.
I do not think you upset anyone. People can be passionate about they way of doing thinks but that is a long way from upset. There are many ways to do it. I agree that drilling them down is no biggy but stand offs work great also. To each his own and it is great our members speak up if they think they have a better way.
RJ
Thanks RJ (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-happy096.gif) (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
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Keystone electronics (http://www.keyelco.com/products/sprod09.asp?CategoryID=11) has a big selection of metal and nylon spacers available at Digikey and Mouser (http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=2204K-ND)
Good luck
KEN
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Hey
Can u tell me what is standoffs? And how can we use it?
Thanks!
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Standoffs are the raised bumps molded in the bottom of the case that the pcb is mounted to. See the picture below.
They can also be separate metal or plastic spacers that do the same thing.
Hope I made sense.
John
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A standoff is used in electronics to separate two parts from one another. Standoffs can be many shapes and sizes and made of many different materials. Insulating standoffs may keep two parts from touching each other, thereby preventing an electronic short. .
Long Branch Saloon
shoot-outs, gunfights and standoffs often associated with the then-wild cattle town, the most famous of which was the Long Branch Saloon
Falklands Crisis (1770)
The Falklands Crisis of 1770 was a diplomatic standoff between Britain and Spain over possession of the Falkland Islands in the South
Capitulation of Irvine
The Capitulation of Irvine was the first military stand-off of the Wars of Scottish Independence . Event: In 1297, the nobles of Scotland
I think the first one is what is need the others are just ... well they are interesting.
Cheers
Rick R.
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I'm a major cheapskate so I tried drilling down the extra standoffs at first, but it took more time than I cared for and created a huge mess. Though I've used the snippets of nylon tubing for other projects in the past, my first instinct for mounting this board was 1/4" hard rubber faucet washers. They're only a couple of bucks retail at the home stores, or you can find a bag of them at flea markets for next to nothing. I'll attach a pic with a couple of washers sitting on the spare standoffs above the board.
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I am using 4 - 1/4" slices of tubing to hold the pcb circuit board 1/4" higher. This way the board can set level in the case and the nuts on the bottom side are held slightly higher.