Making your own PCB's is time consuming with questionable quality of the results. I've been using Express PCB (expresspcb.com) for quite a while.
Their software is free and you can get 3 - 3x5 drilled, doublesided boards for $51. I have designed a board that was 8.5" by 3.5" double sided and ordered 2 for $110.
Their quality was great and the boards were recieved in 3 days. The smallest trace was .007" and with many plated through holes.
I have made my own PCB's before and the time, experimentation for results, drlling holes and fixing etch problems could not compete with this commercial process.
Ron Shaul
________________________________
From: jcarlosmor <
jcarlosmor@...>
To:
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.comSent: Tue, January 26, 2010 11:56:54 AM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: setting up the Right Way
No, EPROM erasers do not work with the spectrum of liquid, dry-film, and pre-sensitized PCBs.
You do not explain exactly why are you going to do things "Right Way". If you only need a hobby PCB once a week you could do things same as you do now. If you want to do one (or 100) professional PCBs in the same week, maybe with real soldermask, you will need a good UV imaging exposure box. So the first thing is to avoid all those new fancy UV LEDs units. The reason is simple: no professional PCB shop use that. Period. You only have two alternatives, high-pressure mercury lamp, which is a hassle to operate when you only intend to image a single PCB, since you have to wait until UV energy become estable, or flourescent tubes, which is very simple and efficient to work on.
Also, you will need real vacuum if you want perfect results every time. You could built that at very low-cost with a modified fridge compressor. And you will need to CNC-machining some kind of fixture for registry of your PCBs fast.
I know that maybe all of this sounds excessive for doing a few PCBs, but it is the only way to do it "Right Way". Any other way you could end frustrated re-inventing the wheel.
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