Chapter 2. Basic Techniques
The mechanical part of electronic construction is usually quite straightforward. Circuits and their operating controls and connectors need to be mounted in a protective enclosure or housing and the circuits themselves need to be constructed properly. In this chapter, you'll be introduced to the basics of working on enclosures and panels made of sheet metal and plastic.
Soldering is a fundamental skill to the electronic technician. If you've never soldered, now is the time to learn. It's not hard and this chapter will get you started.
Finally, it's hard to work with electronics if you don't know the lingo of schematic diagrams. This chapter introduces the basics of schematics, both reading them and drawing them for others to read.
Basic Metalworking
Metalworking — it sounds so ... so ... industrial! Can't you just see the red-hot metal and sparks and anvils? Well, you don't have to heft a 16-pound blacksmith's hammer to do the kind of metalworking required for electronics. Most of the metal you'll encounter is light sheet metal, easily worked with hand tools no more complicated than a drill. You are actually more likely to work with plastic than metals. The same techniques apply to both materials.
Nearly all of the mechanical building for electronics that you'll do as a beginner will involve mounting components on an enclosure or a panel ...
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