Homebrew PCBs

On 6/8/2016 3:28 PM, rchadwick7@... [Homebrew_PCBs] wrote:
>
> I'm going to need a few double-sided SMT prototype boards in a few 
> months, with a more constant need for prototype boards after that. 
> Maybe I'm lucky, but I have a choice of methods. In addition to a 
> laser printer with toner transfer paper, I've got a small CNC machine 
> I could repurpose as a PCB Mill, a few small vinyl cutters (Which I've 
> never used, but would like to), and an old flatbed pen plotter that I 
> actually used 15 years ago to make a carrier board for a small SMT 
> connector. I'm looking for opinions for the best/easiest/quickest/most 
> reliable method. I wouldn't mind getting a cheap inkjet and try the 
> direct-print method, or hacking up an old laser printer for direct 
> print toner. Milling sounds great in theory, and replacing the bit 
> with a drill means precision drilled holes as a bonus, but the mess 
> and noise is a bit of a turnoff. Transfer paper with a Laser printer 
> worked in the past, but aligning the second side is always hit and 
> miss. I never tried inkjet, and it sounds really interesting, but it 
> looks like an almost-solution, with the ink not really resisting the 
> etchant without extra work. I just came across the vinyl cutter 
> method, where you cut the traces out in vinyl and transfer them to the 
> PCB to etch, and it sounds interesting, but not sure how easy or 
> reliable it is. I'm leaning towards using the plotter, as it seems 
> there will be a little less 'playing' with ink that works, and I've 
> successfully used it to make some pretty fine traces in the past.
> While I don't mind etching, I'm looking for as close to "hit print, 
> get a reliable and cheap board spit out' kind of thing, with little 
> setup or cleanup.. Has anyone used any/all of these methods? What was 
> your favorite?
>
Hello--

I'm envious of your collection of tools that could produce boards via 
various methods!

For fastest and likely most error-free SMT-intensive PC board 
fabrication, I'd suggest
using ExpressPCB's software. With a completed board layout in hand, you 
can either go
with ExpressPCB's fab system or use Copper Connection's software for 
producing Gerber
data from ExpressPCB's proprietary format.

With Gerber data in hand, you're free to use any board fabricator that 
meets your price,
delivery schedule, and quantity needs. I've had good results using 
OSHPark, a design
aggregator.

OTOH, if you need one-off single-sided boards that don't have small 
traces or dense
layouts, CNC machining bypasses the trace-transfer and 
chemical-immersion steps
that consume time and possibly require several retries to produce usable 
boards.

I'm interested in reading others' comments. A benchtop CNC machine would 
be nice to have...
as soon as I unearth the top of one of my workbenches<g>.

73--

Brad  AA1IP