Homebrew_PCBs

Homebrewers...

I've been subsribed to the group and reading posts for several
months now with the goal of learning enough to be able to fab a few
simple boards. Unfortunately, it's not happening through "osmosis" so
I wonder if you guys could recommend a book or two that I could buy
that would cover the basics. A lot of you clearly know what you're
doing but the discussions about the nuances of using printers and
playing with various chemical etchings is above my head right now so I
figure I'd better find something that covers the basics. Any help
would be appreciated.

Finally, one of the near term goals is to fabricate a couple of small
boards for carrying some LEDs and a few amplifiers and regulators,
(nothing real complex from a circuit standpoint). Does anyone here
offer a service to make boards like this? I would be interested in
talking with someone who could provide a fee service for a little
assistance with the board design and then actually make a few prototypes.

Thanks
Monte

>From: "tamerlane221" <T_dragger44@...>
>Reply-To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Guidance & possible fee work
>Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2003 15:21:50 -0000
>
>Homebrewers...
>
> I've been subsribed to the group and reading posts for several
>months now with the goal of learning enough to be able to fab a few
>simple boards. Unfortunately, it's not happening through "osmosis" so
>I wonder if you guys could recommend a book or two that I could buy
>that would cover the basics. A lot of you clearly know what you're
>doing but the discussions about the nuances of using printers and
>playing with various chemical etchings is above my head right now so I
>figure I'd better find something that covers the basics. Any help
>would be appreciated.
>
>Finally, one of the near term goals is to fabricate a couple of small
>boards for carrying some LEDs and a few amplifiers and regulators,
>(nothing real complex from a circuit standpoint). Does anyone here
>offer a service to make boards like this? I would be interested in
>talking with someone who could provide a fee service for a little
>assistance with the board design and then actually make a few prototypes.

I often do this sort of thing for people. Have a look at my web site, and
have helped people to get their own PCB processes working properly at home.

I don't have any trouble with single-sided boards using 12/12 (12 mil tracks
and 12 mil between tracks) design rules, and can go down to 10/10 on
occasions. I normally use 15/15 to make things easy for myself.

Regards,

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM Tel: +44 1424 423947
Email:leon_heller@...
My web page: http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

_________________________________________________________________
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If you've got access to a laser printer and a paper laminator you
might try toner transfer. I've been able to get pretty good results.
Under the links section are a number of good references; mine's there
too. If you're in N. America you can pick up a $28 laminator at Wal-
Mart that I'm told does an OK job; so getting setup shouldn't be too
expensive. You can get a 4 roller laminator from it's sister company
Sams Club for $80 (--this is what I use.)

Photo resist kits can be had from a number of places and usually have
pretty decent instructions. Probably most on this list use this
method with great success. This is probably the most traditional way
of producing boards. It worked fine for me; but I found that I could
do the simpler boards faster with toner transfer process. This is
something you'd have to research and decide which appeals to you more.

Anyway, should you decide on the toner transfer take a gander and
those links I mentioned and feel free to drop me a line if you have
any questions. Once you get a feel for it, and done it once or
twice, there really isn't much to it.

-Dal
http://myweb.cableone.net/wheedal/pcb.htm

> I wonder if you guys could recommend a book or two that I could buy
> that would cover the basics. A lot of you clearly know what you're
> doing but the discussions about the nuances of using printers and
> playing with various chemical etchings is above my head right now

Have you actually attempted to make a board yet? It always seems a
lot more complicated when you're on the outside looking in.

Two days ago I pumped out a couple double sided boards using 10 mill
traces. After drilling the second board I realized that I'd hardly
put any concious thought into the process and the boards came out
near perfect. Had one broken trace but a touch with a soldering iron
fixed it up lickity split. I actually thought "Damn, and to think I
was so intimidated a few months ago".

Take the plunge! Plan on wrecking a few boards at first - everyone
does! After an amazingly short time you'll feel like an old pro.


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "tamerlane221"
<T_dragger44@f...> wrote:

> Homebrewers...
>
> I've been subsribed to the group and reading posts for several
> months now with the goal of learning enough to be able to fab a few
> simple boards. Unfortunately, it's not happening

through "osmosis" so

> I wonder if you guys could recommend a book or two that I could buy
> that would cover the basics. A lot of you clearly know what you're
> doing but the discussions about the nuances of using printers and
> playing with various chemical etchings is above my head right now

so I

> figure I'd better find something that covers the basics. Any help
> would be appreciated.
>
> Finally, one of the near term goals is to fabricate a couple of

small

> boards for carrying some LEDs and a few amplifiers and regulators,
> (nothing real complex from a circuit standpoint). Does anyone here
> offer a service to make boards like this? I would be interested in
> talking with someone who could provide a fee service for a little
> assistance with the board design and then actually make a few

prototypes.

>
> Thanks
> Monte

Hi
For printing-etching take a look to a method we use for prototypes
at:
http://www.geocities.com/pdmtr
Regards

Sotris Pdmtr
http://www.aspisys.com

ASPiSYS Ltd.
P.O.Box 14386
Athens 11510
GREECE
Tel : +30 210 7719 544
Fax : +30 210 7714 983

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "tamerlane221"
<T_dragger44@f...> wrote:

> Homebrewers...
>
> I've been subsribed to the group and reading posts for several
> months now with the goal of learning enough to be able to fab a few
> simple boards. Unfortunately, it's not happening through "osmosis"

so

> I wonder if you guys could recommend a book or two that I could buy
> that would cover the basics. A lot of you clearly know what you're
> doing but the discussions about the nuances of using printers and
> playing with various chemical etchings is above my head right now

so I

> figure I'd better find something that covers the basics. Any help
> would be appreciated.
>
> Finally, one of the near term goals is to fabricate a couple of

small

> boards for carrying some LEDs and a few amplifiers and regulators,
> (nothing real complex from a circuit standpoint). Does anyone here
> offer a service to make boards like this? I would be interested in
> talking with someone who could provide a fee service for a little
> assistance with the board design and then actually make a few

prototypes.

>
> Thanks
> Monte