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Acrylic Arduino Prototyping Stand

by talk2bruce on January 20, 2012

Table of Contents

Acrylic Arduino Prototyping Stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Acrylic Arduino Prototyping Stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 2: Cut out the stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 3: Assemble the stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/
Intro: Acrylic Arduino Prototyping Stand
I do a lot of projects with Arduino's and breadboards. Often as I work on a messy workbench, the Arduino or breadboard get jostled and the wires pop out of the headers
or the breadboard. To solve this problem, I decided to make a simple acrylic stand for mounting an Arduino and a breadboard that would prevent them from moving
around.

I used a laser cutter to cut the acrylic to size, to cut the holes for mounting the Arduino and to engrave a rectangle on the base to help align the breadboard. Don't despair
if you don't have access to a laser cutter: you could use a saw to cut the acrylic and a drill press to drill the holes.

There are two versions of the stands: one for the Arduino Duemilanove and Diecimila and one for the Arduino Uno.

The photos show two views of an Uno stand made out of clear acrylic and a Duemilanova stand made out of blue acrylic

I made this at TechShop in Menlo Park.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Arduino Uno prototyping stand 1. Completed Arduino Uno prototyping stand
2. Completed Arduino Uno prototyping stand

Image Notes
1. Completed Arduino Duemilanove prototyping stand

http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/
Step 1: Parts
You will need the following materials for the Arduino prototyping stands:

One 1/4" acrylic sheet (color of your choice) at least 4.5" x 6.5" (the stand when cut out is 3.8" x 5.7")
Four 19mm vinyl bumpers (available at any hardware store)
One mini breadboard (approx 3.3" x 2.2") (Radio Shack 276-003 or Jameco #20601 or similar)

For an Arduino Diecimila or Duemilanove prototyping stand you will also need:

Three 1/4" #6 nylon spacers

One M2 x 20 machine screw
One M2 hex nut
One M2 washer
Two M3 x 20 machine screws (you can substitute #4-40 x 3/4" machine screws)
Two M3 hex nuts (or #4-40 hex nut if you use the the #4-40 screw)
Two M3 or M4 washers (or #4-40 washer if you use the #4-40 screw)

For an Arduino Uno prototyping stand you will also need:

Three or four 1/4" #6 nylon spacers

Three or four M3 x 20 machine screws (you can substitute #4-40 x 3/4" machine screws)
Three or four M3 hex nuts (or #4-40 hex nut if you use the the #4-40 screw)
Three or four M3 or M4 washers (or #4-40 washer if you use the #4-40 screw)

One of the holes on the Uno circuit board is very close to a connector. Depending on the size of the machine screw head you use, you may not be able to use the fourth
hole to mount the board. Don't worry if that's the case, the Uno is securely held with only three screws.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Mini breadboard 1. Mini breadboard
2. 19mm vinyl bumpers 2. M3x20 machine screws
3. M3x20 Machine screws 3. 1/4" #6 Nylon spacers
4. M2x20 machine screw 4. M3 or M4 washers (these are M4 washers)
5. 1/4" #6 round nylon spacers 5. M3 hex nuts
6. M3 washers 6. 19mm vinyl bumpers
7. M2 washer 7. Arduino Uno
8. Arduino Duemilanove
9. M20 washer
10. M20 hex nut

http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Note: small mounting hole on Duemilanove and Diecimila requires a M20 1. Mini breadboard with self adhesive tape on back
machine screw

Step 2: Cut out the stand

If you are using a laser cutter, you can use the attached CorelDraw files to cut the acrylic to the precise dimensions, cut out the holes for the machine screws and
engrave the guide lines for mounting the breadboard. The cut pieces with the protective paper left on will look the first and second photos. The third photo shows the
paper removed. The first is for an Arduino Uno and the second and third are for an Arduino Diecimila or Duemilanove.

I used a 45 watt Epilog Helix laser cutter and used the following settings for the laser. You may need to use different settings depending on what model laser cutter you
use.

1/4" acrylic:
Raster: Speed 50, Power 80
Vector: Speed 6, Power 90, Frequency 5000

If you don't have a laser cutter, you can print out the CorelDraw files and use them as a template for cutting and drilling the acrylic.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Cut acrylic for Arduino Uno with protective paper left on 1. Cut acrylic for Arduino Duemilanove or Diecimila with protective paper left
on

http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/
 Image Notes
1. Cut arcylic for Arduino Duemilanove or Diecimila with protective paper
removed

File Downloads

arduino duemilanove.cdr (388 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'arduino duemilanove.cdr']

arduino uno.cdr (389 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'arduino uno.cdr']
Step 3: Assemble the stand
The stands are very easy to assemble.

1. Assemble each of the machine screws as shown in the first diagram. For Arduino Duemilanove's and Diecimila's use the M2 screw for the smaller hole. Don't over
tighten the screws.
2. Remove the self adhesive from the back of the mini breadboard and use the engraved lines as a guide to adhere to the acrylic stand. If your breadboard doesn't
have self adhesive on the back you can use double faced tape to mount it. Using the engraved lines will ensure you get the board on straight.
3. Turn the stand over and stick the vinyl bumpers on the back as shown in the second and third photos. If you use clear acrylic, like I did for the Uno, make sure to
place the bumpers under the Arduino circuit board and under where the breadboard goes so you don't see the bumpers from the top of the stand.

The finished stands are shown in the fourth through ninth photos.

Voila! You now have a sturdy prototyping stand for your Arduino projects.
Go forth and make cool stuff!

Image Notes
1. Vinyl bumper adhered to the bottom
2. Vinyl bumper adhered to the bottom
3. Vinyl bumper adhered to the bottom
4. Vinyl bumper adhered to bottom. Don't worry that this one is not quite in the
http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/
 corner, it will still be very stable.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Vinyl bumper adhered to the bottom. Note placement under the 1. Completed Arduino Duemilanove prototyping stand
breadboard.
2. Vinyl bumper adhered to the bottom. Note placement under the
breadboard.
3. Vinyl bumper adhered to the bottom. Note placement under the Arduino.
4. Vinyl bumper adhered to the bottom. Note placement under the Arduino.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Completed Arduino Duemilanove prototyping stand 1. Completed Arduino Duemilanove prototyping stand

http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Completed Arduino Uno prototyping stand 1. Arduino Uno prototyping stand
2. Completed Arduino Uno prototyping stand

Image Notes
1. Completed Arduino Uno prototyping stand

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/
Comments
1 comments Add Comment

dosadi says: Jan 22, 2012. 4:24 PM REPLY

I prefer to use an Arduino Nano that plugs straight into the breadboard.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Arduino-Prototyping-Stand/