This was really interesting and helpful. Planning where to place the electronics versus all the wire routing is something that I am looking at for my layout (not started building anything yet). Also, your explanations are very clear and the delivery is well paced. Much appreciated. Thanks.
Perhaps there is a use for horizontal ball bearing drawer slides for the electronics. You might just slide out the board with its electronics when maintenance is needed. All external wiring would be routed off the back of the board with enough slack to permit the board to be "slid out".
That's an interesting idea. If doing that, you'd have to make sure there was enough wire length to route all the cables with the drawer fully extended, and ensure they move neatly and don't tangle with the drawer retracted too.
If you included connectors at the rear of the drawer, (DB25 for example), you could slide the drawer out and unplug it so you could work on it at the bench.
I was thinking that or hinges. With hinges you don't need to worry about too much slack, if you hinge along the edge where the wires join/leave the board.
With your circuit board clearance issues have you thought of just unscrewing the circuit board you wish to work on and then replacing it after all the wiring is done or make them clip removable or just have 2 screws instead of 4 holding them onto the backing board.. there are many simple fixes for this issue.
I do have a right-angle (ratcheting) screwdriver which is very useful to get at awkwardly placed screws. That's how I got the command station out from under the approach to the big bridge without removing the bridge surface. But ... it's definitely a lot easier to work on things you can get straight on. Not just screws, but putting the wire in, a multimeter probe, etc. And the origin of the name ... it's a fictional placename. The story goes that when I was very small, we got lost driving somewhere, and my Mum asked my Dad where we were. Before he could say anything, a very small version of me confidently answered "Dongits". And ever since then, my family has used it as a name for any place that you don't know where it is.
