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Hello, my name is Patrick Grady and I'm a highschool senior in the US. I'm an avid programmer and tinkerer and love anything related to electronics and computers. 

This past winter I took a class in Digital Electronics and was introduced to the 555 timer. One of the most common applications of the 555 timer is the astable mode, which is unfortunately rather clunky to build on a breadboard. This 555 breakout board does more than expose the 555's eight pins: it sets you up to run your 555 timer in astable mode with slots to insert two resistors and a capacitor of your choice. This board eliminates all the wiring for the 555 timer. The 555 Timer Breakout Board Plus will cut out the tedium of setting up the 555 timer and will allow hobbyists to dig straight in to their projects.

As a electronics hobbyist myself, I recognize the usefulness of this simple device, but also acknowledge its relevance is limited to the niche market of hobbyist electronics. If you want this device or think a friend could use it, please contribute to the campaign and buy a 555 timer breakout board!

We have built a fully functional prototype board, which you can check out above in the campaign images. The board is 0.88 inches by 0.82 inches. 

NOTE: This board does not necessarily reflect the exact final design of the board.

Here you can see the Eagle board layout. We will be using the NE555P made by Texas Instruments. For C1, R1 and R2 we will be using three, 2 pin female headers so that the user can easily stick in whatever resistors or capacitors they want to use in the circuit. The power, ground, and output headers will be male so that this board can easily be used with a breadboard. TRG will be left open to allow the user to use the timer in monostable mode.

NOTE: This board does not necessarily reflect the exact final design of the board.

This board worked flawlessly, so I soldered the other 2 boards with their components. I also figured out how to avoid making a mess with the solder and discoloring the silkscreen.

The result looked like this, and this is what your boards will look like (minus the bits of PCB sticking out to the top and right).

Astable Mode: to use this board in astable mode, switch the switch to the "A" side and plug a capacitor into C1, and resistors into R1 and R2.

Period = ln(2)*C*(R1+2R2)

Monostable Mode: to use in monostable mode, simply switch the switch to the "M" side, insert a capacitor into C1, put a resistor into R1, a piece of wire into R2, and a trigger signal into TRG.

Output duration = R*C*ln(3)

The only thing we need to get started on these boards is demand. Funding contributed to the project will go into producing a batch of PCBs which will be populated and distributed to the contributors of this campaign. In addition each user will get a short guide for using the board. Even if we don't reach the goal, we will still run off all the boards that were ordered and ship them out(because of Flexible Funding).

PCB & Components: The most significant cost of these boards are the PCB board and the components that are soldered onto it.

Shipping: This section includes the postage required to ship your board to you in an ESD protected bag. 

Labor: Depending on how many orders I get, I may have to recruit help for soldering the components.

Once again, this project will make it easier for you (and other hobbyists like yourself) to get started with the 555 timer and make it easier and simpler to implement in your projects. This means it is easier for hobbyists to use the 555 timer and generally makes the 555 timing circuit more accessible and useful to the average hobbyist.

I won't lie, the biggest risk you're taking is trusting a highschooler to deliver a solid product. I've never commercially assembled PCB boards and am only a hobbyist myself; not some engineer or technician who has decades of experience.

But what I lack in experience I make up in conscientiousness and enthusiasm. I have been extraordinarily thorough in every aspect of this process and I am fully confident that I will be able to deliver a first rate product to every backer.

More specific risks that I take are defects in the boards or ICs, late deliveries and price hikes from suppliers between now and when I place my orders for the PCBs and components.

These risks and challenges are not very risky or challenging because this board is a rather simple, small and inexpensive device. Not to say I won't be challenged, but that I'll straighten things out quick so you won't even notice a roadblock came my way.

If you can't contribute, but are excited by this project, please get the word out to your friends and other hobbyists who might be interested in this, and please use the Indiegogo share tools to get the word out as well.

Thanks for your time, and I hope you can support the campaign for the 555 Timer Breakout Board Plus.