CHAPTER 22 ■ SOLDERING AND CONNECTINGAssuming you are going to mount the power switch inside of a plastic sandwich container instead of
soldering it to a board, be sure to purchase a panel mount switch that has threads and a nut (see Figure 22-28).
All of the switches in Tables 22-3 and 22-4 meet those criteria. Avoid a “snap in” style switch, as they are designed
for a rigid structure (usually metal) of a specific thickness.
Figure 22-28. Rocker switch (left) and paddle switch (center) with threads and nut. Avoid “snap in” style
switches (right) for Sandwich
Table 22-4. Attractive Power Switches for Sandwich
Supplier Part Number Price Description
Mouser 612-RR3130A $2.46 SPST Rocker Switch Black
Digi-Key EG1889 $2.47 SPST Rocker Switch Black w/Markings
Mouser 612-RR3402A $2.19 SPST Paddle Switch Black
Digi-Key EG1892 $2.19 SPST Paddle Switch Black
Soldering Experience
Review Figure 22-1 (presented at the beginning of this chapter). Make sure that you’ve finished each item
and that your finished parts look similar to those in the photograph.
Hopefully, learning to solder has been a positive experience for you. Soldering is a powerful skill with
which you can create a whole new class of robot circuits. With practice, not only will you produce better
joints, but also you’ll gain an intuitive sense for when a joint isn’t quite right.
Including connectors in your arsenal of robot parts complements soldered connections. The time spent
in crimping pays off tenfold in serviceability. As your robots grow in complexity, connectors lend themselves
to modularity. You’ll begin designing parts that you can swap between robots.
The main circuit board awaits you as your next soldering challenge. After all, you need something to
connect to all of those parts.