Homebrew PCBs

What's the thinnest copper clad material folks have successfully worked with? What are the issues with working with boards as thin as 0.005"? I found this stuff on Digikey. 

Are there good online sources of PCB material which are cheaper for thin material? 

I don't have a specific min or max thickness spec I need to work to but just thought that it would be nice to keep the board as thin as possible for portable applications.

tnx
jim

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Also any reason not to use 1/2oz? Other than potential heatsink issues?

tnx
jim

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello,

Flexing of the board ruining your solder connections comes to mind...

This thin board material is not meant to be used by itself. It is 
sold to be laminated into a multi-layer board.

Hope this helps,

Ballendo

P.S. Your earlier question about 1/2 oz. copper is also a clue. Board 
houses start with 1/2 oz copper and add another 1/2 oz while plating 
the through holes/vias. This is the most common. 

They may also start with 1 oz and plate to 2 or more oz. (I have my 
stepper driver boards plated to a finish of 2-1/2 oz minimum.)

Now to answer your "other" question; you can certainly use 1/2 oz. 
copper as is in a DIY PCB, just be sure it meets your current 
carrying needs. (Adjust trace width to suit.)


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Miller" <jim@j...> wrote:
>
> What's the thinnest copper clad material folks have successfully 
worked with? What are the issues with working with boards as thin as 
0.005"? I found this stuff on Digikey. 
> 
> Are there good online sources of PCB material which are cheaper for 
thin material? 
> 
> I don't have a specific min or max thickness spec I need to work to 
but just thought that it would be nice to keep the board as thin as 
possible for portable applications.

> 
> tnx
> jim
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Cladding thickness can be a concern if you're moving power around. Trace 
widths will be twice as wide for the same current capacity compared to 1 oz 
copper.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Jim Miller" <jim@...>
To: "Jim Miller" <jim@...>; <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 8:35 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Thin Copper Clad?


> Also any reason not to use 1/2oz? Other than potential heatsink issues?

you can readily get thin stock which is intended for laminating together  
as a multilayer.
I have some 0.5mm, which works basically just the same as 1mm or 1.5mm. I  
only use it for very small boards where flexing is not a problem.
Interestingly, thinner material was often used as "flexible" board in  
older equipment, like in Fluke 8000 and 8000a meters you will find they  
use some thin stock for the display, it is bent 90 degree with maybe 4 or  
5 cm radius and works very well.

The thinnest i've ever found was at ebay, it was described as 50um thick  
plus 35um copper. I'm not entirely sure about this, since it would require  
a rather thin fiberglass mat.

ST

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 03:34:52 +0100, Jim Miller <jim@...> wrote:

> What's the thinnest copper clad material folks have successfully worked  
> with? What are the issues with working with boards as thin as 0.005"? I
> found this stuff on Digikey.
>
>
> Are there good online sources of PCB material which are cheaper for thin  
> material?
>
>
> I don't have a specific min or max thickness spec I need to work to but  
> just thought that it would be nice to keep the board as thin as possible
> for portable applications.
>
>
> tnx
>
> jim
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 03:35:40 +0100, Jim Miller <jim@...> wrote:

> Also any reason not to use 1/2oz? Other than potential heatsink issues?
>
>
> tnx
>
> jim


nope. derate for current as well. I use 18u all the time, no probs, etches  
quicker.

ST

I notice that Pulsar.gs (The Toner Transfer sheet people) sell 2-8x10
inch pieces of .032 board, coated with 0.5 ounce copper for about $17
through Digikey.  This is in keeping with their low cost laminator
that won't handle thicker pcb stock.

I'm also interested in this question.  Is the lighter weight copper
more likely to lift due to soldering heat?


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Miller" <jim@j...> wrote:
>
> What's the thinnest copper clad material folks have successfully
worked with? What are the issues with working with boards as thin as
0.005"? I found this stuff on Digikey. 
> 
> Are there good online sources of PCB material which are cheaper for
thin material? 
> 
> I don't have a specific min or max thickness spec I need to work to
but just thought that it would be nice to keep the board as thin as
possible for portable applications.

> 
> tnx
> jim
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 15:58:28 +0100, bob_ledoux <bobledoux@...>  
wrote:

> I notice that Pulsar.gs (The Toner Transfer sheet people) sell 2-8x10
>
> inch pieces of .032 board, coated with 0.5 ounce copper for about $17
>
> through Digikey.  This is in keeping with their low cost laminator
>
> that won't handle thicker pcb stock.
>
>
> I'm also interested in this question.  Is the lighter weight copper
>
> more likely to lift due to soldering heat?
>




I don't think so. It will lift if the pad is to small, just like the 35u  
one.
You must make really, really large pads without THP and all will be well.

$17 for two boards???? surely it must be 20 8x10 boards.


ST

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "bob_ledoux" <bobledoux@...>
> I'm also interested in this question.  Is the lighter weight copper
> more likely to lift due to soldering heat?

I had a few pads and traces lift from those boards. I wouldn't attribute it 
to the lighter copper entirely or necessarily. My first guess is the board 
material played some part in it, too. Digikey also sells 1 oz. copper on 
FR4, $6 for 6x9 (I think). In my statistically insignificant experience, I 
had problems with traces on the Pular boards but no problems with the "good 
stuff".

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stefan Trethan" <stefan_trethan@...>
> $17 for two boards???? surely it must be 20 8x10 boards.

More like 12.9 8x10 boards. Give or take. :)

the price was what i was questioning. is there a web source in the USA that 
has reasonable prices? google hasn't yielded anything yet.

tnx
jim

http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=445&type=store

http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Criteria?Ref=349387&Site=US&Cat=33489898

http://www.pulsar.gs/PCB/a_Pages/4_Products/5d_Blank_PCB/Blank_PCB.html

http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?&handler=data.listcategory&D=*copper*%2b*clad*&terms=copper+clad&Ntt=*copper*%2b*clad*&Dk=1&Ns=SField&N=0&crc=false




----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Jim Miller" <jim@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 10:43 AM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Thin Copper Clad?


> the price was what i was questioning. is there a web source in the USA 
> that
> has reasonable prices? google hasn't yielded anything yet.
>
> tnx
> jim
>
>
>
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and 
> Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>
> If Files or Photos are running short of space, post them here:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs_Archives/
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

I tried the paste for SMD out of curiosity, and found it is no good.
It will "melt" before reflow (the flux i think). The paste will flow all  
over the place, resulting in too little paste at the pad when finally  
reflowing. also the flux might be a problem later on.

Real SMD paste will stay a paste all the way.

ST