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Homebrew PCBs

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Message

Reproducing existing board layouts

2012-04-09 by BrianS

Hi,

I'm only a hobbyist too, but I have a number of old test equipment items that manuals are pure unobtainium for.  I'd like to do up a decent resource file for some of these to allow later repairs if necessary.

What I'd like to do is do a reproduction of the PC Boards to make up "X-Ray" views like you find in good manuals.  That means somehow copying the PCB layout.  A copy of the PCB layout will also allow replacing a PCB if it cops too much of a catastrophy.

I'm sure other members have done this.  What have you used & how can you do it without wasting too much time?  I recently picked up a Wacom Bamboo graphic tablet if that can be used.

If someone is making up good quality PCBs, I also wouldn't mind obtaining a PCB with sample traces etc labelled or just a diagram to print off giving labelled trace widths, pad sizes, & spacings to use as a reference to decide what the existing size & spacings are.  I'm sure such a training aid would be handy for general construction use as well.

Thanks,
Brian.

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