Making your own button PCBs with copper tape and protoboard!

[AnotherUsername]

I see a lot of people asking about how to create a button PCB using copper tape, but not a lot of guides on how to do so. I wouldn't call this a guide, so much as what I did that worked for me.

First, I picked up some 1.5" x 1.25" protoboard from a local shop. I got ones where none of the pads are connected by default:

SpoilerShow

Next, I laid the conductive pad on it and traced around it.

SpoilerShow

https://imgur.com/qecaLD8

Then cut the board along your traces. Make sure to leave a little room on all sides for gluing it on later. Put your conductive pad back on the side WITHOUT the pads, and flip the whole thing over. Using a sharpie, mark a spot in between 4 pads like so:

0 - copper pad
* - Sharpie mark

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 *0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 *0 0 0 0
0* 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0
0* 0 0 0 0 0 0* 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 *0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 *0 0 0 0



Now we can add the copper tape. You can use whatever pattern works for you, but I like the one I've come up with. It uses a common ground wire for all the buttons reducing my wire count. You're going to want to make sure there is a small gap between your pieces of tape so as not to bridge any connections.

PatternShow

https://imgur.com/gzzmhBo

Taped BoardShow

https://imgur.com/XOIqWFE

Once you're done, it's time to solder! Strip your wires and put them up through a hole not covered by tape, but close to the piece to solder onto.

SpoilerShow

https://imgur.com/HdUJaf6

Good luck and happy building!!

[Eccho]

This is so nice! Simple and straight forward!

[Gree1021]

Could you take a photo of the inside of the raspberry pi so I can see where to attach the screen and raspberry pi to the mintypi.

[Gree1021]

Could you also post a picture of the bottom of the proto board when it is all finished.

[ICMF]

Could you take a photo of the inside of the raspberry pi

It's an open board. There is no inside.

As for your question, you need to research.

https://sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=3455

[Justarandompineapple]

How do you connect it to a raspberry pi

[rodocop]

How do you connect it to a raspberry pi

Solder the wires direct to the pi's gpios and use adafruits retrogame script to map them.

[Derpatello_]

Could someone make a schematic of where the wires should go through?