Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "John Myszkowski" 
<myszka_us2000@y...> wrote:
> Thanks Tom,
> 
> That is very useful info. I think I will make a compressed air 
nozzle 
> for my laser cutter.
> 
> Do you make PCB's for yourself or commercially?
> 
> John M...


John,

I spent over twenty years in the printed circuit business as a 
commercial shop. We made all types of rigid boards up to ten layers 
and some flex boards as well. My main reason for getting into the 
business was to supply boards for my own products. The idea was to 
sell off the excess capacity as a job shop and get my boards at cost. 

The printed circuit shop grew faster than I ever expected and it 
ended up being the main part of my business. The foreign competition 
got so bad in later years that I decided to quit as a job shop and go 
back to being my own supplier on a much smaller basis. Most of my 
boards are small and single sided with surface mount parts. Some of 
the boards are RF types with two layers but don't require plated 
through holes. Since my requirements are simple I was able to junk, 
sell off and give away all of the big equipment while keeping only 
what is needed for my production.

Here is the equipment that I now use:

Protel Autotrax (older Dos version)
Lavenir PhotoCam software (Dos,panelization for plotter)
Lavenir RPG-1622 Photoplotter (film generation)
Eskofot vertical process camera
Darkroom trays and timers etc.
Micromat MM470A CNC Drilling and Routing machines (2 units)
Nawide model 281 optical scope drill
Nawide model 281 stylus drill
Aetna Acrodrill with scope and stylus
Aetna Acrorouter (pin router)
Colight DMVL-930 1.5 kW UV exposure unit
Ashdee conveyorized UV curing unit (for soldermask)
Chemcut 315 conveyorized etcher 
DuPont C Processor (spray tank for dry film developing)
Niagra and Pexto shears
Misc. silkscreen frames

That's everything I use to make boards and silkscreened control 
panels. I have way to many drilling machines but I just couldn't part 
with the old Nawide and Aetna machines. I'm kind of attached to them!

Tom