Homebrew PCBs

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.

Some layout software allows you to import bitmaps.
Scan your boards as good as you can, and then draw over the imported bitmap.

I've reproduced a couple of boards that way, but it would be a lot of
work in any case.
A PCB will rarely be destroied to the point where you can't tell where
traces used to be.

ST

On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 10:27 AM, BrianS <brians@...> wrote:
> 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

gEDA's PCB has an option to import an image as your background,
specificially for this purpose.

Note: the usual caveats about copyright etc apply, when considering
"copying" a board this way.

I think one of the best uses of that feature is creating PCB production files from old drawings (public domain things) that you like to have silkscreening and through hole plating or use some SMT components.

John
KC9OJV

 



________________________________

 From: DJ Delorie <dj@...>
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Reproducing existing board layouts
 

  

gEDA's PCB has an option to import an image as your background,
specificially for this purpose.

Note: the usual caveats about copyright etc apply, when considering
"copying" a board this way.

 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, DJ Delorie <dj@...> wrote:
>
> 
> gEDA's PCB has an option to import an image as your background,
> specificially for this purpose.
> 
> Note: the usual caveats about copyright etc apply, when considering
> "copying" a board this way.

Of course, with an orphaned product that may not be an issue.

The original poster may also try looking for updated schematics. I have a few Heathkit instruments, when I went looking for the manuals I discovered that people had done everything from slight mods to improve them, to entirely new replacement circuits and PCB patterns.

Here is the Electronic Survivor Shot sensor PCB, scanned and imported into CorelDraw, and redrawn:
http://www.polyphoto.com/tutorials/LaserTag/ESSSensor02.jpg

There are a lot of ways to accomplish this.

Steve Greenfield AE7HD