When you need reliable prototyping boards with tie points, the last thing you want is long international lead times or unclear stock. Communica keeps a broad range of tie-point and prototyping boards in local warehouses so South African makers, students, technicians and procurement teams can move from idea to tested circuit quickly. Order boards with tie points online and choose branch pickup from Samrand, Pretoria CBD or Cape Town to avoid shipping delays.
Why choose tie-point boards for quick prototyping
Tie-point boards (sometimes called turret or point-to-point protoboards) are a pragmatic middle ground between breadboards and custom PCBs: they let you solder reliable joints for medium-term testing, handle higher currents than solderless breadboards, and are straightforward to rework. For classroom labs and proof-of-concept builds where durability and repeatability matter, they are often the better first step.
Stock, brands and sizes you’ll find locally
We stock popular sizes and formats suitable for hobby and educational use as well as larger boards for small-batch projects. Brands and generic formats are available across our collections so you can match hole spacing, copper pad size and board material to your application. Browse our main categories to compare types and accessories at Shop by Category.
Quick spec table: typical tie-point board choices
| Type | Hole Pitch | Pad Diameter | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small perf board | 2.54 mm | 1.2-1.6 mm | Single IC hobby circuits, compact layouts |
| Large tie-point board | 2.54 mm | 2.0-3.0 mm | Power circuits, connectors, motors |
| Turret/prototyping plate | Custom | Turret posts | Durable test rigs and enclosures |
Compatibility and accessory bundles
When ordering, consider accessory bundles: header pins, turret lugs, PCB-mounted connectors, and heat-shrink for strain relief. Choose boards with plating and pad size compatible with your components - for example, use larger pads when mounting screw terminals or high-current traces. For brand selection and component matching, see our boards-with-tie-points-supplier-south-africa page at Shop by Brand.
Simple layout calculation
Estimate how many tie points you need by mapping components to a grid. If your layout uses N pins and you want 20% spare space for rework, use this formula:
Required points = ceil(N * 1.2)
Example: an Arduino Nano project with 28 connection points => ceil(28 * 1.2) = 34 points. Choose a board with at least 40-60 tie points to keep routing easy.
For quick browsing of available board forms and sizes, check boards-with-tie-points-in-stock-south-africa at All Products.
