Standard Mounting Standoffs from the Hardware Store

[MarkHaysHarris777]

   

In the pic above we're looking at a standard machine bolt 3Mx30.

... these bolts are readily available from any local hardware carrier , and are especially handy as desk stand-offs ( without enclosure ) or they may also be used to 'hang' the board from the top case bezel of an ABS plastic box like the Radio Shack enclosure discussed earlier this week.

These are 3M machine bolts; which means they just fit the holes in the Pine board. I have chosen 30mm posts here, with washers and nuts, so that when my testing is complete I can use the same stand-offs to hang the board from its ABS enclosure top bezel. One of the advantages here is that the height of the board, or the hang off-set, may be adjusted easily with the nuts and washers provided. 

Standard 'stand-offs' may be purchased via electronics whole-salers and retailers, but these bolts are generally less expensive , may be obtained locally , and don't require shipping costs. This is just another option for mounting.

[pfeerick]

In the pic above we're looking at a standard machine bolt 3Mx30.

A simple and effective solution... Just one word of caution though! The bolts are conductive, and the through-hole plating on the PCB is connected to GND, so effectively all four bolts are electrically connected. If you have a workbench like mine... that is a sure-fire way to blow something up... as one leg will inevitably touch one thing, and the other something else...  and there will be a bang and a smokin' hot pine64! 

Hence why I prefer plastic standoffs, and sometimes even plastic screws... especially in the case of the Arduino boards, where they didn't think to ensure there was enough clearance for the screw heads for two of the holes... meaning the screw head was 'machined' with a pair of sidecutters!   In the pine64's case, I printed out this back-plate, which protects all of the underside of the pine64 from touching any nasty metal or conductive stuff. Might also explain why I like prints like this one, and this one.

[MarkHaysHarris777]

In the pic above we're looking at a standard machine bolt 3Mx30.

A simple and effective solution... Just one word of caution though! The bolts are conductive, and the through-hole plating on the PCB is connected to GND, so effectively all four bolts are electrically connected. If you have a workbench like mine... that is a sure-fire way to blow something up... as one leg will inevitably touch one thing, and the other something else...  and there will be a bang and a smokin' hot pine64! 

Hence why I prefer plastic standoffs, and sometimes even plastic screws... especially in the case of the Arduino boards, where they didn't think to ensure there was enough clearance for the screw heads for two of the holes... meaning the screw head was 'machined' with a pair of sidecutters!   In the pine64's case, I printed out this back-plate, which protects all of the underside of the pine64 from touching any nasty metal or conductive stuff. Might also explain why I like prints like this one, and this one.

yup, all of my work surfaces are anti-static ESD protective surfaces, so not a problem.  Also, the cool thing about the Radio Shack ABS enclosure, is that it has the optional metal base (or top) plate, but also has a very nice optional base (or top) ABS plate.  My boxes are 'completely' ABS, so again, no problema. 

However, the metal posts 'bleed' any static charge to the ESD surfaces protecting everything.  You can also use ESD mats on other surfaces too; orderable on-line.