Homebrew PCBs

Hi to the PCB lists,
(multiple posting)

I have been trying to use an older copy of DeskPCB to generate Gcode for my
current (first!) Eagle board project.  I keep loosing traces on the edges of
the board where several pin headers are.

I then was going to use an old mill-isolation ULP with Eagle to generate my
Gcode files, but after I finally found it, I discovered that it wouldn't run
with the current Eagle 4.15 release!  Back to searching for an isolation
ULP.  Mill3 (I think) made HPGL files.  Close, but no easy way to convert to
DXF.

I had joined PCB Gcode about a month after it started (last Dec), but hadn't
thoroughly explored what it was.  I didn't realize at the time that it was a
ULP directly for Eagle!

While going back over the available ULPs for Eagle, I saw PCB-GCODE listed!
Long story short, I installed it and ran it on my current board project.
Success!  Very good Gcode files, available in several versions to match the
CNC controller program you are using.  

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pcb-gcode/

Rather then make a single isolation pass (like I'd intended to do), it can
make SEVERAL isolation traces around the nets on the board.  This greatly
reduces the "slivers" of copper between traces.

I've not "Cut" a PCB with it yet, but my own STEP4 controller seems to
handle it well.  And my alignment problems appear to be gone!

Guess I won't be using IMService DeskPCB software much anymore.

Alan  KM6VV