Hi Lukus,
I use solderless breadboards then Perfboard and then PCBoard.
It's an old habit that has served me well. Years ago I worked with an
engineer who used self sticking traces. At the time I was etching my
own boards. Looking back the idea was not that bad. I worked on
repairing aircraft cockpit instruments. After that I got the bug for
perfection. Now I am more flexible. The self sticking pads and traces
along with perf board were perfect for some people. Has anyone seen
them lately.
John
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "Lukas Louw" <louw1@a...> wrote:
> I just joined this group, as I have had the need lately to make
quick
> concept proto PCB's for clients, where there simply wasn't time to
send them
> out to a fab house to have made.
>
> At first I tried perfboard, the kind with copper strips one way, ala
> veroboard - that works, but if the circuit is not quite cast in
stone and
> needs fiddling with, you quickly end up with an intolerable
christmas tree
> mess.
>
> I had some pres n peel blue sheets lying around, but for some
reason my
> laser printer decided to chew them up - didn't bother it a few
years ago
> when I first used the stuff. The actual PCB layout took maybe 2
hours.
>
> In desperation, I printed the layouts on plain laser printer paper,
ironed
> that onto copperclad board and washed off the paper - not perfect,
but quick
> and in the same time it would take me to build up a circuit on
perfboard, I
> had workable etched boards. I'll never use perfboard ever again,
unless it's
> for a simple, known circuit.
>
> My 2 cents.........
>
> If I have to do this kind of sudden death construction much more
often, I
> will probably build a small milling/drilling machine, it will be
worth the
> trouble. In the distant past I bought on of those Neuractor kits,
the frame
> is a total and absolute waste of time, so I gave up on it. The
motors,
> leadscrews and bearings should be usable, so I just have to come up
with a
> simple to construct frame - one day..........
>
> Lukas Louw
>
>
> > Hi John,
> >
> > Actually I DO use pref board. I use it to try out new wire-wrap
board
> > layouts. Press the wire-wrap sockets into the board anywhere,
then when
> > the sockets and other components all fit, it's quite simple to
draw it
> > into whatever CAD you need. This guarentees that the parts
needed will
> > fit. However, I'm always trying to cram N+1 parts onto a board!
> >
> > Alan KM6VV