Homebrew PCBs

Just finished my first toner transfer board which has made me think 
maybe a CNC routed board would be better. Am retired on a minimum 
budget so like free software:

Saw a lot of people use Eagle, but afterlooking at the Eagle website 
wondered if the free version is only good for making one board or did 
I misread? With my learning curve it would take 10-20 attempts to get 
my first board.

The PCB's I am interested in making at present are predrawn in a PDF 
file for toner transfer. Is it possible to modify these for milling?

After I get a drawing in the right format for milling, what program is 
used to generate G code etc.? At present am using A9CAD to make 
drawing, ACE to convert to g code, then Mach3 to control my router.

You can make one board per project. I have designed several boards in Eagle, 
some have made it to copper, others didn't but you can create as many as you 
want, as long as you keep the design to 1 board per project. You can redo the 
board as many times as you like, as long as there is only one board file for 
the project. Eagle does let you open files larger than you can create with 
the freeware version, but you simply can't edit them.

On Friday 24 March 2006 09:58 pm, aggie_672000 wrote:
> Just finished my first toner transfer board which has made me think
>  maybe a CNC routed board would be better. Am retired on a minimum
>  budget so like free software:
>
>  Saw a lot of people use Eagle, but afterlooking at the Eagle website
>  wondered if the free version is only good for making one board or did
>  I misread? With my learning curve it would take 10-20 attempts to get
>  my first board.
>
>  The PCB's I am interested in making at present are predrawn in a PDF
>  file for toner transfer. Is it possible to modify these for milling?
>
>  After I get a drawing in the right format for milling, what program is
>  used to generate G code etc.? At present am using A9CAD to make
>  drawing, ACE to convert to g code, then Mach3 to control my router.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and
> Photos: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>
>  If Files or Photos are running short of space, post them here:
>  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs_Archives/
>
>
>
> YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
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>  Visit your group "Homebrew_PCBs" on the web.
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>
>
>  
>
> Message transport security by GatewayDefender
> 4:42:06 PM ET - 3/25/2006

Hi Aggie,

How big/complex is the board you want to mill?

Eagle allows you to design as many boards as you desire.  The "hobby" 
level free program size limit is about 3" x 4".

You would probably just lay out the board with eagle.  There is a ULP 
(user program language) that will generate Gcode in stead of Gerber 
code.  This you should be able to mill with.

I'm still "in progress", I've been trying to use DeskPCB to convert 
Gerber output to Gcode.  I'll look up the ULP and try it next.

You could probably also scan the printer PDF, import into your CAD, and 
"trace" the outlines of the circuit traces.  Then do an offset to 
accommodate the cutter width.

You might experiment with first laying out the pads for your circuit, 
connect them with lines to indicate the traces, and then draw an offset 
around the pads and the traces.  Might be OK for simple circuits.

Alan  KM6VV


aggie_672000 wrote:

> Just finished my first toner transfer board which has made me think 
> maybe a CNC routed board would be better. Am retired on a minimum 
> budget so like free software:
> 
> Saw a lot of people use Eagle, but afterlooking at the Eagle website 
> wondered if the free version is only good for making one board or did 
> I misread? With my learning curve it would take 10-20 attempts to get 
> my first board.
> 
> The PCB's I am interested in making at present are predrawn in a PDF 
> file for toner transfer. Is it possible to modify these for milling?
> 
> After I get a drawing in the right format for milling, what program is 
> used to generate G code etc.? At present am using A9CAD to make 
> drawing, ACE to convert to g code, then Mach3 to control my router.
>

Apprecite your reply but still don't understand the limitation? You 
say 1 board per project, can you have more than 1 project or when 
you want a new board do you have to easre the old board to make room 
for the new? Hopefully you see my question, what is the actual 
mechanics of making more than 1 board? Can you have more than 1 
board saved at a time? Understand what a board is, but what is 
Eagles definition of a "project"?

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Christopher Hart 
<tech_guru@...> wrote:
>
> You can make one board per project. I have designed several boards 
in Eagle, 
> some have made it to copper, others didn't but you can create as 
many as you 
> want, as long as you keep the design to 1 board per project. You 
can redo the 
> board as many times as you like, as long as there is only one 
board file for 
> the project. Eagle does let you open files larger than you can 
create with 
> the freeware version, but you simply can't edit them.
> On Friday 24 March 2006 09:58 pm, aggie_672000 wrote:
> > Just finished my first toner transfer board which has made me 
think
> >  maybe a CNC routed board would be better. Am retired on a 
minimum
> >  budget so like free software:
> >
> >  Saw a lot of people use Eagle, but afterlooking at the Eagle 
website
> >  wondered if the free version is only good for making one board 
or did
> >  I misread? With my learning curve it would take 10-20 attempts 
to get
> >  my first board.
> >
> >  The PCB's I am interested in making at present are predrawn in 
a PDF
> >  file for toner transfer. Is it possible to modify these for 
milling?
> >
> >  After I get a drawing in the right format for milling, what 
program is
> >  used to generate G code etc.? At present am using A9CAD to make
> >  drawing, ACE to convert to g code, then Mach3 to control my 
router.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, 
and
> > Photos: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
> >
> >  If Files or Photos are running short of space, post them here:
> >  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs_Archives/
> >
> >
> >
> > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
> >
> >
> >  Visit your group "Homebrew_PCBs" on the web.
> >  
> >  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >  Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >  
> >  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of 
Service.

> >
> >
> >  
> >
> > Message transport security by GatewayDefender
> > 4:42:06 PM ET - 3/25/2006
>

Hi Aggie,

No observable "project" limitations that I can see.  Projects are just
folders in the Eagle directory.  Make several, if you want.  I have, just to
have a backup of my efforts at a certain level.  It turns out that's not
necessary, as Eagle makes 'em for you.  Open first one, then another, go
back and forth.  No problems that I can see.  You can only open project
(board and schematic) at a time.  Be sure to close both from the Eagle
control panel (save and exit).  Real limitation is the 3" X 4" board size.
Have fun!

Alan  KM6VV 

> 
> Apprecite your reply but still don't understand the limitation? You
> say 1 board per project, can you have more than 1 project or when
> you want a new board do you have to easre the old board to make room
> for the new? Hopefully you see my question, what is the actual
> mechanics of making more than 1 board? Can you have more than 1
> board saved at a time? Understand what a board is, but what is
> Eagles definition of a "project"?
>