RE: [OTish] Electronics (for HA)

["Ian B" <Ian@xxxxxxx>]

I take your point absolutely from a purely money side of things. Offset
against this though is speed and the satisfaction of producing it yourself.
Also, so far I have not made a PCB that works first time and my best is
second attempt and that is recently as well. The IR stuff is on its 4th
generation at least and still doesn't work (but it's getting closer).

If you can afford the time and money I say do it yourself. Of course the
best of both worlds (money aside) is DIY initially and then when you have a
proven design use PCB pool or commercial production.

Ian B

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave McLaughlin [mailto:dave@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 28 April 2002 20:37
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [ukha_d] [OTish] Electronics (for HA)
>
>
> Just to thow my 2 cents in.
>
> Your hardware cost is 270 quid. That is a lot of PCB's of professional
> quantity and in double sided, through hole plated from PCB-POOL
> (www.pcb-pool.com)
>
> You can get a eurocard (160mm x 100mm) for 49 euros on a 10 day
> service. Add
> a few euros for soldermask and silkscreen and you have a very high
quality
> professional PCB. You can get it in 5 days but you add 100% to the
cost of
> the basic cost. Best bit is the through hole plating as it avoids
> the hassle
> of having to fit through pins or making sure you always put a track on
the
> top side away from pins before passing through the board to the other
side
> with a through pin. Messy..!! All in a fixed cost based on size and
not
> number of holes etc.
>
> I don't work for them by the way, I am just a very satisfied customer
who
> has used them for about 3-4 years now with excellent results.
>
> Regards
> Dave...
>
> PS.. If you use Eagle for you designs, they can accept your PCB
> design from
> the Eagle output.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ian B [mailto:Ian@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 28 April 2002 17:41
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [ukha_d] [OTish] Electronics (for HA)
>
>
> Andy et al
>
> I will work up a page or ten on the way I produce my circuit boards.
> Basically you throw money at it and have a laser printer for best
results.
> 1) PCB design software 150 pounds - others available and cheaper,
> don't know
> about quality
> 2) Print your masterpiece onto acetate (laser is best)
> 3) Plonk the acetate and PCB to be into the UV box - 100 pounds
> 4) Develop the PCB cos we are using photo etching - bargain at a few
pence
> 5) Drop the PCB to be into the etching tank - 70 quid or so for
> tank, heater
> and fish tank pump + chemicals
> 6) Take out your masterpiece and drill lots of holes in it with
> your dremmel
> and stand - 100 pounds.
>
> This is what I have paid to get the results you see. There is of
> course all
> the time to learn how to use all this stuff as well. Never let it
> be said it
> was easy or cheap. There are shortcuts but I don't regret
> spending this time
> and money at all.
>
> It must be said that the master Doxey gave me some invaluable pointers
at
> the beginning. Thanks again Keith.
>
> Ian B
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: andy_powell_is [mailto:ukha@xxxxxxx]
> > Sent: 28 April 2002 16:29
> > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: [ukha_d] [OTish] Electronics (for HA)
> >
> >
> >
> > Ermm.. I think I've made a slight error... I got some stripboard
from
> > Maplins (via the special Q courier service :D ) and I've just had
a
> > look at it.. I think I got the wrong stuff (my fault) because I
was
> > just expecting it to be plain fibreglass stuff with holes in.
This is
> > like that on one side but on the other are lines of copper
running
> > the entire length of the board in a row: eg
> >
> > 00000000000000
> >
> > 00000000000000
> >
> > each row of 0's has copper running along it. but there is a gap
> > between the two sets of  0's...
> >
> > Can someone in the know tell me what I should have ordered? Again
I
> > was wrongly under the impression that I would be able to build a
> > prototype of 'a thing' using soldered wires...
> >
> > If anyone can use the stuff I got and is going to the london meet
> > then you're welcome to it...
> >
> > .. wot sort of equipment is needed to do something like Ian's
work:
> >
> > http://www.mollyology.com/WebPages/Projects/PIC%20LCD/PIC%20Protot
> ype%20helper.htm (last picture on the page)
>
>
> Andy
>
>
>
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