Homebrew PCBs

Hi Lukus,
         I use solderless breadboards then Perfboard and then PCBoard.
It's an old habit that has served me well. Years ago I worked with an 
engineer who used self sticking traces. At the time I was etching my
own boards. Looking back the idea was not that bad. I worked on 
repairing aircraft cockpit instruments. After that I got the bug for 
perfection. Now I am more flexible. The self sticking pads and traces
along with perf board were perfect for some people. Has anyone seen
them lately.

                                         John



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "Lukas Louw" <louw1@a...> wrote:
> I just joined this group, as I have had the need lately to make 
quick
> concept proto PCB's for clients, where there simply wasn't time to 
send them
> out to a fab house to have made.
> 
> At first I tried perfboard, the kind with copper strips one way, ala
> veroboard - that works, but if the circuit is not quite cast in 
stone and
> needs fiddling with, you quickly end up with an intolerable 
christmas tree
> mess.
> 
> I had some pres n peel blue sheets lying around, but for some 
reason my
> laser printer decided to chew them up - didn't bother it a few 
years ago
> when I first used the stuff. The actual PCB layout took maybe 2 
hours.
> 
> In desperation, I printed the layouts on plain laser printer paper, 
ironed
> that onto copperclad board and washed off the paper - not perfect, 
but quick
> and in the same time it would take me to build up a circuit on 
perfboard, I
> had workable etched boards. I'll never use perfboard ever again, 
unless it's
> for a simple, known circuit.
> 
> My 2 cents.........
> 
> If I have to do this kind of sudden death construction much more 
often, I
> will probably build a small milling/drilling machine, it will be 
worth the
> trouble. In the distant past I bought on of those Neuractor kits, 
the frame
> is a total and absolute waste of time, so I gave up on it. The 
motors,
> leadscrews and bearings should be usable, so I just have to come up 
with a
> simple to construct frame  - one day..........
> 
> Lukas Louw
> 
> 
> > Hi John,
> >
> > Actually I DO use pref board.  I use it to try out new wire-wrap 
board
> > layouts.  Press the wire-wrap sockets into the board anywhere, 
then when
> > the sockets and other components all fit, it's quite simple to 
draw it
> > into whatever CAD you need.  This guarentees that the parts 
needed will
> > fit.  However, I'm always trying to cram N+1 parts onto a board!
> >
> > Alan  KM6VV