Homebrew PCBs

Hi All,

I thought I had my pcb design files right. But they were not. With a 
set of files at work and a set at home, I got confused. Forgot what 
changes needed to be made before fab.

So I decided since last summer that I just don't have the time now 
for making my own boards and went with Futurlec.com, that is until I 
wore out my welcome with 5 pcb changes. Sigh. So they stopped 
corresponding with me. The price sure was good.

So now that the board is correct, I went with 
https://www.barebonespcb.com/!BB1.asp and actually placed the bare 
bones order with them today. I'm spending the money because this 
project needs to get done. 

Once I get the boards I still have to poulate 104 of them with smt 
parts. That's going to be fun. 

Mike

PS I hope the board actually works....

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Mike Phillips" <mikep_95133@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 7:41 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Rookie confessions


> Hi All,
> 
> I thought I had my pcb design files right. But they were not. With a 
> set of files at work and a set at home, I got confused. Forgot what 
> changes needed to be made before fab.
> 
> So I decided since last summer that I just don't have the time now 
> for making my own boards and went with Futurlec.com, that is until I 
> wore out my welcome with 5 pcb changes. Sigh. So they stopped 
> corresponding with me. The price sure was good.
> 
> So now that the board is correct, I went with 
> https://www.barebonespcb.com/!BB1.asp and actually placed the bare 
> bones order with them today. I'm spending the money because this 
> project needs to get done. 
> 
> Once I get the boards I still have to poulate 104 of them with smt 
> parts. That's going to be fun. 
> 
> Mike
> 
> PS I hope the board actually works....

I'd have had a couple of prototypes made first.

Leon

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 20:41:44 +0100, Mike Phillips <mikep_95133@...>  
wrote:

> Hi All,
>
>
> I thought I had my pcb design files right. But they were not. With a
>
> set of files at work and a set at home, I got confused. Forgot what
>
> changes needed to be made before fab.
>
>
> So I decided since last summer that I just don't have the time now
>
> for making my own boards and went with Futurlec.com, that is until I
>
> wore out my welcome with 5 pcb changes. Sigh. So they stopped
>
> corresponding with me. The price sure was good.

That's your fault then. If someone wanted to change the files 5 times i'd  
tell him to go and bother someone else as well.
You have to get some better revision management.

> So now that the board is correct, I went with
>
> https://www.barebonespcb.com/!BB1.asp and actually placed the bare
>
> bones order with them today. I'm spending the money because this
>
> project needs to get done.
>
>
> Once I get the boards I still have to poulate 104 of them with smt
>
> parts. That's going to be fun.
>
> Mike

Be sure to use paste and a oven. It is amazing how much faster you can do  
things if they are all the same. I like to do them in batches, because i  
find it too boring to to them all simultaneously step by step. Apply paste  
to 10, place parts on 10, solder 10, repeat 10 times and you are done ;-)

>
> PS I hope the board actually works....

Well, since you have verified that with a prototype that should not be a  
problem. Only a fool would make 104 boards without a prototype, right?

ST

Yup, that's me.

Mike

<<<Only a fool would make 104 boards without a prototype, right?

This board is an smt version of a very old and tested circuit that
was originally made with discrete parts. At least I know the circuit
works. My board design sklills are the only factor. I checked each
trace against the schematic many times. I had to cut it loose just
because I was tired of working on it.

In fact if it wasn't for my job, I'd be prototyping my own with the
HP laser printer I bought last summer.

My fingers are crossed.

Mike

PS The good news is I ordered the boards today Wednesday, and they 
are due on Friday. So there won't be suspense for too long.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Leon Heller" 
<leon.heller@b...> wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Phillips" <mikep_95133@y...>
> To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 7:41 PM
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Rookie confessions
> 
> 
> > Hi All,
> > 
> > I thought I had my pcb design files right. But they were not. 
With a 
> > set of files at work and a set at home, I got confused. Forgot 
what 
> > changes needed to be made before fab.
> > 
> > So I decided since last summer that I just don't have the time 
now 
> > for making my own boards and went with Futurlec.com, that is 
until I 
> > wore out my welcome with 5 pcb changes. Sigh. So they stopped 
> > corresponding with me. The price sure was good.
> > 
> > So now that the board is correct, I went with 
> > https://www.barebonespcb.com/!BB1.asp and actually placed the 
bare 
> > bones order with them today. I'm spending the money because this 
> > project needs to get done. 
> > 
> > Once I get the boards I still have to poulate 104 of them with 
smt 

> > parts. That's going to be fun. 
> > 
> > Mike
> > 
> > PS I hope the board actually works....
> 
> I'd have had a couple of prototypes made first.
> 
> Leon
>

To further entrench my abilities as a rookie, the board arrived with 
errors. Worse, there was a component missing that the software left 
out. There were two R7's in the schematic. When it came to auto 
routing the pcb, it just left one of them off. I'll write the author 
to see if a notification could be put in place to avoid this. Manual 
annotating would be helpful.

The good news is the circuit works. It behaves a little differently 
in a smt layout, but a value change here and there should take care 
of it. I'd use the boards, but cutting and jumping traces on 104 
boards is just more than I can take.

So, with $177 down the tubes, I guess I'll be honing my skills 
protyping boards using TT this next round. I'm usually far more 
patient than this.

I'm also going to search the campus for someone with a color laser 
printer. I'm dying to try that out.

Funny thing how the pcb vendor barebonespcb.com in Colorado was 
actually cheaper than Futurlec.com over seas. The boards were tin 
plated and sheared to dimension. They also had the boards made in 
1.5 days. With shipping, it was barely a week waiting time. The 
shearing was so nice I thought they were routed. With my order they 
also included a cool clock ;)

Mike




--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Phillips" 
<mikep_95133@y...> wrote:
>
> This board is an smt version of a very old and tested circuit that
> was originally made with discrete parts. At least I know the 
circuit
> works. My board design sklills are the only factor. I checked each
> trace against the schematic many times. I had to cut it loose just
> because I was tired of working on it.
> 
> In fact if it wasn't for my job, I'd be prototyping my own with the
> HP laser printer I bought last summer.
> 
> My fingers are crossed.
> 
> Mike
> 
> PS The good news is I ordered the boards today Wednesday, and they 
> are due on Friday. So there won't be suspense for too long.
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Leon Heller" 
> <leon.heller@b...> wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Mike Phillips" <mikep_95133@y...>
> > To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 7:41 PM
> > Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Rookie confessions
> > 
> > 
> > > Hi All,
> > > 
> > > I thought I had my pcb design files right. But they were not. 
> With a 
> > > set of files at work and a set at home, I got confused. Forgot 
> what 
> > > changes needed to be made before fab.
> > > 
> > > So I decided since last summer that I just don't have the time 
> now 
> > > for making my own boards and went with Futurlec.com, that is 
> until I 
> > > wore out my welcome with 5 pcb changes. Sigh. So they stopped 
> > > corresponding with me. The price sure was good.
> > > 
> > > So now that the board is correct, I went with 
> > > https://www.barebonespcb.com/!BB1.asp and actually placed the 
> bare 
> > > bones order with them today. I'm spending the money because 
this 

> > > project needs to get done. 
> > > 
> > > Once I get the boards I still have to poulate 104 of them with 
> smt 
> > > parts. That's going to be fun. 
> > > 
> > > Mike
> > > 
> > > PS I hope the board actually works....
> > 
> > I'd have had a couple of prototypes made first.
> > 
> > Leon
> >
>