Which circuit to build?

[simonbaker]

Ok thanks! But don't you guys use Eagle? Or do you need to read German to use it ?

[Qiaozhi]

Ok thanks! But don't you guys use Eagle? Or do you need to read German to use it ?

Yes - I also have Eagle (very good s/w, by the way), and a myriad of other PCB packages as well.
I suggested Pad2Pad because it's very simple and intuitive to use, and their PCB service is excellent. It also saves messing around with toxic chemicals.
A lot of people also like Sprint. This has the superb capability of attaching a scanned image of a PCB and then being able to copy the layout. Very good for back-engineering.

[Fred]

A lot of people also like Sprint. This has the superb capability of attaching a scanned image of a PCB and then being able to copy the layout. Very good for back-engineering.

Yes i have experimented every software i could find and my choise went to sprint Layout:it is simple and good enought for my particular needs.I dont like autorouting for the analog (or mixed) circuits i use to build anyway.
I found Eagle to be not so clear and logiccal to use.
regards
Fred.

[simonbaker]

Yes your arguments for Pad2Pad are very good, I think it is most realistic for me, although I am cheap and like to do things myself, especially because I make mistakes and need to start over.

I have heard about pens for drawing conductive traces but I think they are not really so good.

But I looked at PCB making -- so many toxic chemicals and even when cutting boards a mask is recommended. I'm not patient with chemisty too much. So Pad2Pad is a very useful reference.

Whoever invents an easy, cheap, clean way to make circuit boards has a good business...

[Max]

Yes your arguments for Pad2Pad are very good, I think it is most realistic for me, although I am cheap and like to do things myself, especially because I make mistakes and need to start over.

I have heard about pens for drawing conductive traces but I think they are not really so good.

But I looked at PCB making -- so many toxic chemicals and even when cutting boards a mask is recommended. I'm not patient with chemisty too much. So Pad2Pad is a very useful reference.

Whoever invents an easy, cheap, clean way to make circuit boards has a good business...

Hi,
well... you are right... when cut boards you ideally need a mask or better a mask + breather. This is cause it's fiberglass+epoxy you will cut and powder (actally fibers) is not really anything cosmetics or healthy stuff... but I think in all this forums just few people use really mask (maybe nobody breather) for such a thing.

The fiberglass stuff, once epoxy is cured at factory is really stable thing and so risks are not so high managing it or cutting, tooling etc...

I know more than 100 people doing PCB and nobody of them use any mask or breather ! I use glasses when cut it ... but just cause wanna avoid powder fly into my eyes...

For chemicals situation is different cause I'm really careful when deal with not cured epoxy stuff, or graphite and similar... toxic stuff is photoresist too when you spray it making your own boards and in the baking process it smells from out a mile... so extra care is needed.

You can use "acids" with little care, on e.g. a window or anyway "out" to leave fumes not concentrate inside home/lab.

Another good thing is using a filter extractor for soldering fumes that are very irritating to eyes expecially... or you have to work outside... with lot of "fresh" air...

I don't know of anything totally safe for PCB manifacturing apart PCB-service given by some websites (e.g. expressPCB stuff) but problem is that you'll waste lot of money for that extra-clean... and then you'll have always to solder stuff at the end... and breath some fumes...

Now seems a schamanic thing...

Kind regards,
Max

[Molzar]

Simon,

Gary will do custom PCB.

Send him e-mail and ask, he's made some boards for me, They are all etched and drilled (drilling all those small holes accurately is "pain in arse"). Quality is good, cost is relatively low.

Here is website: http://www3.telus.net/chemelec/

Look for "Do you need custom PCB?"

Many other projects here as well...

I made his PI detector with good results.

Only problems is sound like he's going in hospital for while soon and he lives in BC, Canada. Don't know where you live, shipping ,customs could be problem, but pcb is flat and light most likely not huge shipping$$$.

Molzar

[chemelec]

Simon,

Gary will do custom PCB.

Send him e-mail and ask, he's made some boards for me, They are all etched and drilled (drilling all those small holes accurately is "pain in arse"). Quality is good, cost is relatively low.

Here is website: http://www3.telus.net/chemelec/

Look for "Do you need custom PCB?"

Many other projects here as well...

I made his PI detector with good results.

Only problems is sound like he's going in hospital for while soon and he lives in BC, Canada. Don't know where you live, shipping ,customs could be problem, but pcb is flat and light most likely not huge shipping$$$.

Molzar

Yes I make Custom PCB's.
And shipping a PCB to Anywhere in the world is NOT a problem for me.

BUT Presently I am going in for some Surgery and I am Not Accepting any Orders for anything.
I am still available to answer emails up till June 15.

And I expect to start selling PCB's and Parts again, around August 15.

Take care...Gary

[simonbaker]

Yes I make Custom PCB's.
And shipping a PCB to Anywhere in the world is NOT a problem for me.

BUT Presently I am going in for some Surgery and I am Not Accepting any Orders for anything.
I am still available to answer emails up till June 15.

And I expect to start selling PCB's and Parts again, around August 15.

Take care...Gary

Good luck Gary!

Thanks all for excellent resources.

-SB