Homebrew PCBs

> I was able to find info on the Copperset
> system by Multicore Solders.  It looks
> like a nice system but does appear to be
> very expensive.  

Yes - very expensive for a few bits of
turned steel and some plastic "applicators"
but I thought about it when I first got it
and decided it was too hard for me to make
myself at the time.  Now I have my machine
shop set up quite well I would prob opt
to just buy the bails and turn up my own
anvils.

If you think about it in terms of "thats
400 $ for just some bits of plastic" it
sounds rude.  If you think of it as "Thats
400 $ i can invest/spend on something that
will save me hours and hours over the 
years I have it" it does not loook too bad.

I've shown it working to a few people
who have just thought it marvelous and
gone at got their own.  It does make doing
exact prototypes at home possible.

> The sites that talk
> about it say that you can use the system 
> without buying the kit by buying the "bail
> bars" and using a modified punch.

Yeah - would work fine without the kit.
In fact I reckon you could do it with just
a hammer and 2 small lumps of metal.

But I think an anvil turned up on the
lathe and an automatic punch with the tip
ground flat would make it a good as the
bought one.


> They also talk about
> doing thing another way by using "linking
> pins".  They all say that these are
> available at "most electronic supply
> houses".  Unfortunately, I can't find
> anyplace on the net that sells any of
> these things.

Never used those things.  Seen them for sale
at radio spares or farnell though.  They are
both pretty "world wide"

> Digi-key says to call for
> pricing on the Copperset kit.  That's
> scary all by itself.

Price on application :S

Almost like your buying a Bently.

Be scared if they say "If you have to ask
you cant afford it" :P


> Does anybody know where you can buy any of
> these things?  Googling them just brings
> up the original articles that talk about
> them but no references about where to buy
> them except some places in the UK that I
> can't seem to get to.  There ought to be
> places here in the US where we can get
> them also.  
>
> Anybody know where to look?
> 

There is a place here in QLD that sells them
called Prime Electronics (St Lucia
electronics is their other name).  If you
draw complete blanks and can't find them in
the US, I can organise some for you here and
post them to you.