[sdiy] PCB Issues

[damion at poweracoustics.org]

Hi,
I'm trying to figure the same things out.
I've had the most luck with Eagle, but size limit is frustrating.
The upside of Eagle is that I did find a place that will accept Eagle 
BRD files directly (custompcb.com) and it really makes it easy. I 
ordered a very small board (will panelize and de panelize for a small 
fee, so I'll get 24 of these small boards...)
I use Mac OSX too, so that seems to limit the options even more.

If you have the layout, you can make it yourself pretty easily.
The easiest way I've found is with press-n-peel iron on etch resist.
You just photocopy or laser print your design (mirror image) onto the 
sheet of blue film, It's nothing too special, just plastic film with a 
release agent - I think you could almost do it with a laser print or 
photocopy on a normal piece of paper if the toner is thick - it's the 
toner itself that is the etch resist. Anyway, you just iron the sheet 
onto a blank board and peel it off. then you let it set in some etching 
acid and you've got a board. of course, you then have to drill all the 
little holes etc... It's fun if you're only doing one board (at least 
something to try once...), but I wouldn't want to do it all day long.
Using acid for etching non-circuit board designs is also a very fun 
thing to do.
Check out my website <http://p-tapes.com>... the covers of the Space 
Machine cds are fictional "modules", the panels I made with this same 
etching process...

Best,
Damion

On Dec 19, 2004, at 11:14 PM, s wrote:

> Hello everyone- my first question to the list is 2
> part, I guess.
>
> I have a pcb that I need to have made- it's 4x6, and I
> have a graphic of the layout.
>
> Do any of you make PCBs from such graphics (for pay,
> of course!)
>
> ---
>
> I was thinking I could lay it out in PCB software, and
> then send the gerber file to a manufacturer and have
> it made that way. Expensive, but I'd get a nice board.
> The problem is, I do not know of any software to use
> for such activities. DO any of you have any
> recommendations? I looked into eagle, but the board is
> too large for the lite version.
>
> Thanks for your time! this is getting to be a bit of a
> headache...
>
> S
>
>
> 		
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damion romero
damion at poweracoustics.org
http://poweracoustics.org
http://p-tapes.com