Homebrew PCBs

Hi,

I have a T-tech circuit board etcher that I am planning on putting on 
e-Bay, software, lisecnsed dongel, the works.
 
I would like to replace it with something to do circuit boards, but  
my total yearly board use is not really too big. I have done the iron 
transfer and like it for small boards, but it does (in my opinion) 
have limitations.
 
What would anyone suggest a novice guy use to make boards? I have 
been using Eagle in a limited fashion and have not ever needed to 
exceed the limits of the trial version, so my boards are not too 
large.
 
Dave

(btw, any idea how to price the T-tech unit?)

On Friday 21 March 2003 05:15 pm, Dave Mucha wrote:
> I would like to replace it with something to do circuit boards, but
>   my total yearly board use is not really too big. I have done the
> iron transfer and like it for small boards, but it does (in my
> opinion) have limitations.

One improvement on the iron technique may be (I haven't tried it) to 
use a vacuum frame and the special paper: 
http://www.dynaart.com/DTF/E.DTF.html

This may have the advantage of allowing a more consistent transfer.

> What would anyone suggest a novice guy use to make boards? I have
> been using Eagle in a limited fashion and have not ever needed to
> exceed the limits of the trial version, so my boards are not too
> large.

Well, the "gold standard" of homemade PC boards has long been the ones 
made with photolithography. You can buy pre-sensitized board stock, 
and you can make transparencies using a laser printer (or inkjet 
printer?).

You then expose the boards (through the transparencies, of course) to 
UV light, develop them, then etch as usual.

-- 
Ned Konz
http://bike-nomad.com
GPG key ID: BEEA7EFE

Dave,

A T-Tech system recently sold on eBay for $3850. Here's the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?
ViewItem&item=2512734069&category=26260

I just bought four Micromat MM470A single spindle driller/routers. 
I'm going to use one for drilling, one for routing and sell or trade 
the other two. We used to pay as much as $36,000 for these Micromat 
table top drilling machines. Keep your eyes and ears open for these 
and similar machines. They are starting to show up at attractive 
prices as the PWB industry continues to go down the drain.

BTW, Micromat offers software for etch cutting on these machines. You 
just use a broken drill bit as the cutter. It works great.

Tom


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Mucha" <dave_mucha@y...> 
wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have a T-tech circuit board etcher that I am planning on putting 
on 
> e-Bay, software, lisecnsed dongel, the works.
>  
> I would like to replace it with something to do circuit boards, 
but  
> my total yearly board use is not really too big. I have done the 
iron 

> transfer and like it for small boards, but it does (in my opinion) 
> have limitations.
>  
> What would anyone suggest a novice guy use to make boards? I have 
> been using Eagle in a limited fashion and have not ever needed to 
> exceed the limits of the trial version, so my boards are not too 
> large.
>  
> Dave
> 
> (btw, any idea how to price the T-tech unit?)