Hi Jim:
I'll second that vote -- Advanced Circuits (www.4pcb.com) is a great place.
I have done many boards there, proto and production. Quotes, and order
status, is online 24/7. But I think they only take gerber cad files.
Back to the original question: I'm not sure how to do a non-gerber board
inexpensively. If the artwork is in a pdf file (or even a tif from a
scan), you would need to find a board house that could use it, but none
come to mind.
To make it yourself, you can print the pdf to lino film and make a board
using sensitized board material from kepro, then etching, immersion-tin
dip... Sheesh, I did a lot of those years back. Even the best homemade
etched board is shitty though. And you can't cut corners on the pricey
lino film. Transparencies from an inkjet or laser may look good, but the
black is not opaque enough for uv exposure. Board material and chemicals
are not cheap either, so it gets pricey, and you still end up with a pretty
crappy board.
There is some laser printer material that you can print and then iron onto
a bare copper board (then etch), but I have never used it. Can't imagine
you could reliably use small geometry. But the cost is now just a cheap
plain board, the laser material, and some acid. Maybe an aquarium heater
to speed up etching.
For a one-off board, and if the board is simple and just needs fat traces
(this capacitor board may well be), you can also simply get a bare board,
drill component/mounting holes, and isolate the "traces" but cutting
through the copper appropriately with a dremel or xacto. You can even use
double-sided material and isolate the upper ground plane with a small
countersink at the component holes. I have also found a that a roll of
adhesive copper tape can be very handy in times like this.
gil
>From: "Jim Kearney" <jim_at_jkearney.com>
>To: <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
>Subject: Re: Cheap PCBs
>Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 18:32:55 -0500
>Reply-To: cctalk_at_classiccmp.org
>
>
>For only a few dollars more, you can get more boards with solder mask and
>silkscreen. www.4pcb.com will do boards up to 150 sq inches for $33 ea in
>quantity 3 and up, including mask and legend. www.e-teknet.com does qty 4
>up to 55 sq inches with mask and legend for only $22.99 each. I've used
>both of them and the quality has been excellent.
>
>Jim
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Received on Wed Nov 20 2002 - 22:01:01 GMT