PCB Rulers Guide

Overview

*Listing is for individual rulers so be sure to pick the one you want!  If you want both rulers then add both of them to your cart.

For the Love of SOD! PCB Ruler:

This PCB ruler has AAAALLLLL the diode packages! Plus typical resistor and capacitor sizes.

This ruler's got everything. It has every diode footprint from a big honkin SMC down to an insanity-sized SOD-962, including every name imaginable for each footprint. It's got inches in fractions AND tenths. It's got metric. It's got a diode symbol. It's also a freakin' beautiful lime green color and is gold-plated.

Sure the SOD names make a little bit of sense, but who can keep track of the difference between a DO-215AA and a DO-215BA? And where the heck do the MELFs fit in?  Is a Micro-MELF more like an 0805 or an 0603?  Instead of shaking your fists and screaming "FOR THE LOVE OF SOD!!!!!", grab this handy PCB ruler. Easily see at a glance alternate names for each package, and how big each footprint is in real life.

​Other PCB rulers have a few diode patterns with maybe one or two common names, but this has every single darned one I could dig up. It is the ultimate diode reference, every PCB designer or hobbyist who lays out circuit boards needs one!

What the SOT?! PCB Ruler:

This ruler's got everything. It has every transistor footprint from a big honkin D3Pak down to an insanity-sized SOT-883, including every name imaginable for each footprint. It's got inches in fractions AND tenths. It's got metric. It's got BJT and FET symbols. It's also a freakin' beautiful teal color and is gold-plated.

Who the heck can keep transistor package names straight? Sure the SOT names make a little bit of sense, but who can keep track of the difference between an SC-88 and an SC-88A? And wait is one of those also an SC-70-6? And what the heck are the TO sizes all about? I've been designing PCBs for almost 20 years and it's infuriating! Instead of shaking your fists and screaming "WHAT THE SOOOOOOOT???!?!?", grab this handy PCB ruler. Easily see at a glance alternate names for each package, and how big each footprint is in real life.

Other PCB rulers have a few transistor patterns with maybe one or two common names, but this has every single darned one I could dig up. It is the ultimate transistor reference, every PCB designer or hobbyist who lays out circuit boards needs one!

$
8.95
 
$

No assembly Required!

These rulers come ready to go!  Be sure to check out How to Use!
Look at the sizes of patterns to see what you think you can hand solder. Or look at the names of the components to find other compatible packages. Inches are denoted in both fractions and 10ths and there's also metric on the back. The SOT has transistor symbols and the SOD has diode symbols.

Additional Uses!

Want a more in depth look at how to use these rulers to identify alternate parts? Check out our tutorial!

Backstory

What the SOT?!
  • Why did you make it?
    Who the heck can keep transistor package names straight? Sure the SOT names make a little bit of sense, but who can keep track of the difference between an SC-88 and an SC-88A? And wait is one of those also an SC-70-6? And what the heck are the TO sizes all about? I've been designing PCBs for almost 20 years and it's infuriating! Instead of shaking your fists and screaming "WHAT THE SOOOOOOOT???!?!?", grab this handy PCB ruler. Easily see at a glance alternate names for each package, and how big each footprint is in real life.
  • What makes it special?
Other PCB rulers have a few transistor patterns with maybe one or two common names, but this has every single darned one I could dig up. It is the ultimate transistor reference, every PCB designer or hobbyist who lays out circuit boards needs one!


For the Love of SOD!
  • Why did you make it?
    OK, so you have the What the SOT?! PCB ruler and can now keep your transistors straight, but now you've got to place some diodes. Sure the SOD names make a little bit of sense, but who can keep track of the difference between a DO-215AA and a DO-215BA? And where the heck do the MELFs fit in? Is a Micro-MELF more like an 0805 or an 0603? Instead of shaking your fists and screaming "FOR THE LOVE OF SOD!!!!!", grab this handy PCB ruler. Easily see at a glance alternate names for each package, and how big each footprint is in real life.
  • What makes it special?
Other PCB rulers have a few diode patterns with maybe one or two common names, but this has every single darned one I could dig up. It is the ultimate diode reference, every PCB designer or hobbyist who lays out circuit boards needs one!

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