Hi,
It's not really that much spreading and is completely controlled by
me...
I typically use 16 mil traces. I use 10 mil as cut lines. For
spaces I go down to 5 mil, but I minimize putting too many "hard"
areas on the board. I can route 10 mil traces between IC pads, but
I avoid them as much as possible to minimize touch up. If I allow
enough spearing to create shorts, I simply run an Xacto knife
through the short to separate. Only need a mil or two to avoid a
solder bridge. Picking the area to apply solder can also avoid
shorts on tight areas. Same deal if I under etch and have a short;
use an Xacto knife to cut the copper and make sure I solder in a way
to avoid creating a short. I always apply enough solder to get
a "wet" joint, but soldering from the right direction can avoid
shorts in tight pitches.
I intentionally use the smallest hole size Eagle has for all of my
pad/via holes and want them to start closing. Maybe the way I
described "closing" was misleading. But on "loose" layout, I can
almost close the holes and not create any shorts. Whether this is
too much "spreading" is subjective. If it doesn't create shorts, I
don't consider it to be too much. I would never intentionally
create more work for myself, but clearing one short is better than
having to patch opens after etching. I usually avoid too
much "spreading" near my logo so the copyright mark doesn't turn
into a blob. When using an iron, I can be selective about the areas
that get more or less heat or pressure.
If you look at the layout I posted in my album, you'll see that I
widen all pads for improved manufacturability, solderability, and
reworkability. The design I posted didn't have the pads oversized
enough, so in some cases, I had to be very careful about drilling
the holes. That was my prototype and I corrected any problems in
rev1. My goal is to route the board so it's easy to make. All
traces are sized so that minor pitting can be tolerated. I touch up
fill areas purely for cosmetic reasons.
Regards,
Dennis
--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Stefan Trethan"
<stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
> That sounds like a lot of spreading - how small a
trace/pad/spacing can
> you get this way?
>
> ST