Types of expansion connectors, and best way to store ICs?

[ioncannon]

Is there a list I can pull up of various connectors? Trying to search Wikipedia but mostly find bus architectures, not what the actual slot/socket is called. I am building a simple expansion interface into my 6502 based computer so I can mess around with other circuits/devices, without breaking the main computer. Looking for something that can be right-angled, and soldered onto a perf board.

Also, my collection of old ICs is growing, but I need a better place to store them. What is the best way to store ICs? My father once had a tackle box filled with Styrofoam iirc, but sadly threw it away clearing the basement (he hasn't done digital circuitry in ages).

[GARTHWILSON]

For the connector, how many pins do you want? Pin strip headers & sockets, especially dual-row, are good for perfboards, as they are inexpensive and have .1" pin spacing. You can get them in wire-wrap types too. Other ones like the DB-25 and DB-37 are a pain because the pins don't line up with the ones in the board.

For storing ICs, I like iTOI (pronounced "eye to eye") books for holding several of each type of IC, then I keep the extras in tubes. If I have scores of a particular IC, it is not economical or necessary to keep so many duplicates in these books on the shelf over the workbench. I have 7 of these books up there now.

[PaulF]

I store my ICs in old 2oz tobbaco tins. They stack neatly, are labeled for ease of finding chips and, being metal, I don't need to worry about static precautions since an electrostatic field cannot penetrate a conductive enclosure.

[BitWise]

I found a company in the UK selling conductive foam sheets a few years ago. I bought two sheets (about 4 square metres) and cut it up to fit inside aluminium storage boxes.

[GARTHWILSON]

Quote:

I store my ICs in old 2oz tobbaco tins. They stack neatly, are labeled for ease of finding chips and, being metal, I don't need to worry about static precautions since an electrostatic field cannot penetrate a conductive enclosure.

Be careful. In the mid-1980's I worked at a company that made VHF and UHF power transistors. I was initially hired to help get the new CMOS line into production which they had acquired from another company. The managers thought they were going to be really tough on the matter of handling to avoid damage from static and minimize losses, and were real sticklers for everyone using the anti-static lab coats, anti-static mats or the work benches, the wrist straps, finger cots, etc. etc., but there were still a lot of losses. Here's why.

These RF transistors looked like little satellites with the wide, flat leads looking like solar panels coming out the sides, and they were carried from the die-attach stations to the wire-bond stations to DC test to RF test to capping to gross leak and fine leak and so on, going between buildings, all on aluminum trays, and usually some of the transistors' leads which stuck out the sides would touch the side of the tray. The workers would pick up the tray with no intention of touching the parts right then, so they weren't grounded, and they'd zap a few parts because their ESD would go through the tray and into the parts.

Fortunately the CMOS logic ICs have protection diodes so they're a lot tougher than the RF transistors above. These diodes are extremely small though in order to hold the capacitance down; so if the ESD is bad enough, it can still blow them and destroy the part. If a PC board or IC sits on the bottom of your metal can and only signal pins and not ground or power-supply pins are touching the can and you reach for the can when you're well charged up on a dry day, the only way for the IC or PC board to come to the same static voltage level as the can is through a signal pin, and you can still blow it.

[PaulF]

You could well be right. AllI can say is I've never had any problems.

[ChuckT]

I kind of remember a small package of silica gel in the box of my Commodore 64 computer that I received for Christmas. I think they use this to absorb humidity. I'm sure it degrades over time.

Airtight containers are probably the best solution to store equipment in.