PCB Prototyping Boards

[StuartJPP]

I use a fair amount of PCB matrix pad prototyping board for knocking up one-off dev boards and have done so for many, many years. The boards I usually use nowadays are from Roth Electronik RE200-LFDS which is a double-sided matrix pad board that is NOT through-hole plated. I emphasise the NOT in the through-hole plating as I can't see the reason for having plated-through holes, perhaps I am just missing something? Surely it also costs more to manufacture because it has to go through the plating process.

This is the board that I use, top and bottom side is identical and NOT through-hole plated (I do actually prefer square pads, but they seem to be elusive as well). However these boards are no longer cheap, in fact they are pretty expensive these days for what they are.

 

Similar boards of various sizes that ARE plated-through, can be found for practically pennies, just search eBay, BangGood, AliExpress, the sites are flooded with them. However try finding none plated-through and you will find it is either impossible, or practically impossible.

 

Anyway, here's an example of a board I am busy constructing and is a work-in-progress. It isn't complicated by any means but the space is quite confined. The thing is though, I can interconnect the top and bottom layers as and when necessary, which is usually not often I may add, by soldering a link between the top and bottom layer and creating my own through-hole. I can route "tracks" as if it were a custom double sided PCB, crossing over the top or the bottom of the board at will without the fear of shorting the top and bottom layers. The "tracks" are just tinned wire and the soldering iron run over them with some solder, very quick and easy to do once you have the knack.

Here's some tracking showing some of the through-holes:

There would be no way that I could do that with plated-through holes as the top layer is shorted to the bottom layer. The top layer at this point is basically still free to use, it will be populated once my driver chips arrive.

 

So am I missing something? Every time I even contemplate using some of the through-hole plated boards that I do have, I just give up, unless it is a very simple design. I just don't find it very good for prototyping at all, in my opinion.

Oh and yes, I could have a custom PCB made for cheap, but I can knock this out in less time that it takes me to fire up a copy of Proteus, okay maybe not quite. I could also make a PCB myself as I have still got my super strength ferric chloride in the garage and bubble etching tank, but again by the time I have laid out the PCB I would have lost interest.

 

Show me your methods or better ways.