DJ Delorie wrote:
>
> If you want the adventure, you could still try gEDA/pcb ;-)
>
> > I also have a Mac but it doesn't get used much.
>
> If it's OS/X, you can run gEDA/PCB on that.
>
I may try gEDA/pcb but probably not the first thing I try :)
The Mac is OSX but has no printer. I couldn't figure out how to get it
to print on my little network :(
> You could try Kicad; it is often recommended for beginners.
>
> > Eagle by Cadsoft or Express PCB or something else?
>
> Neither of these are free, unless you're willing to accept some (I
> think unreasonable) limitations on what you can do with them.
I will check out Kicad and give it a try. I am just going to be doing
simple stuff for a while or maybe thats as far as I will progress. Thats
why I thought Eagle or Express would work for single sided boards with
less than 100 connections etc...but I guess once I got better and needed
the limitations removed, the free part goes away.
> > Isn't there 2 or 3 sizes of drills that are most often used so I
> > could buy a bunch of those sizes?
>
> I don't know what sizes ∗you∗ use, so I can't say. I'd buy the random
> selection and see what you use the most. I use the 13, 25, and 35 the
> most, but that's just because of the parts I use, and I eventually end
> up using pretty much all the sizes anyway.
>
Sounds good. Get a kit then buy individuals of the ones I break first :)
> > I have a drill press so I am set there.
>
> Beware that large drill presses may have too much runout (sideways
> motion) for those small bits; they're quite brittle. You'll have to
> try and see.
>
I got one of those radial bench top Craftsman ones but I agree the
run-out can be an issue and needs to be checked. I also have that mini
drill press adapter from the flea market I will see if my dremel will
fit and how the run-out is on that.
Thanks,
Dave