Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig Sawyers
I too used to faff around making my own boards, from age 14 through to quite recently (around five years ago). I even bought a UV light box, printing on special film to make a mask.
But using free layout software (KiCAD) and a Chinese board house in Shenzhen (PCBWay). Five off each of two different smallish boards 100mm square, double sided, plated holes, solder resist and silk screened - USD1 each. I pay extra for fast shipment using DHL which gives a total of USD39 for a total of ten boards. From sending the Gerbers to China to them hitting the doormat in the UK is four days. Ridiculously cheap, superb quality and five star service.
The nearest I could get to this in the UK was £400 on a ten day schedule for a single board design. Which is not even remotely close to the Chinese price.
Craig
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I am aware of the very cheap boards from China. but it is quicker for me to make my own. They are very small single sided boards using SMD so no holes. If I need the odd hole I have a 0.7mm drill in a bench stand. It takes around 6 minutes to etch a board with new chemicals. (I gave up on Ferric Chloride a long time ago)
Once I get a working PCB I would consider the experts in China if I needed a few of them.
John.