Small-scale benchtop power supply

Step 3 OK, here's one way to do it.

First install the connectors (optional):
I put three "machined pin" IC-socket connectors on the front and one in the back. First, hold a bit of protoboard over where you want the connector. Then tape it in place. Now, using a 1/16" bit, drill a hole for each pin, using the protoboard as a guide. Now put a dab of hotmelt glue over the holes. Then stuff the connector in.

Optionally, you could prep your power brick in the same fashion.

Next, you can put your lm317's and filter caps in. I hotmelt glued them to the case before soldering them in with jumpers. *Disclaimer - the IC's will get hot and probably melt the glue under high loads. But I doubt it would melt plastic... then, again, I'm not an electrical engineer. You might want to use protoboard for this part.

I did use protoboard, copper up, to hold my trimpots. I then glued the board to the bottom of the case before soldering the connections.

You can also see that I layed down a bit of copper tape as a ground strip underneath the front connectors.

I also added a switch to turn off the LM317's. When not used, they will still draw a wee bit of current. If you are just using the "thru-put," you might wanna turn them off.

So what you are looking at is this... two trimpots adjust voltage of two LM317's. The connector on the back and the one in the middle of the front are continous with positive rail (This is because I designed this to be a stand-alone component - input was supposed to go in the back connector, with thru-put to the center front connector, if you see what I mean). The lateral connectors on the front connect the LM317 circuits. Almsot done!