Re: Anyone recommend one-off PCB layout service?
Glad it's of help Al - rather a lot to swallow in one gulp, but hopefully, useful as a reference.
PAINT is also useful for drawing circuits and component overlays. By using the printed circuit board layout, 'flipping' it horizontally, then using the paint-pot feature, you can chose a different colour - grey for example to change the colour of all of the tracks, so that it becomes an 'X-Ray' of the PCB, then you can draw components to create an 'overlay' to show which component goes where. Remember to give it a different file name ('overlay' for example) before you save it, or it will over-write your original PCB layout.
Taking the examples of the two projects in my earlier post - the little '555' IC tester, and the 'coil coverage test unit', below I've shown the circuits that I drew using PAINT, and the component overlays.
Many people will be adept at using specialist CAD packages for circuit drawing, of which there are several free ones, and very good they are too, but they all take time in which to become proficient, and I find that PAINT is simple to use and for me, meets all my circuit drawing needs, even for drawing a complete circuit for a radio. The last pic is of a circuit I drew for a 'Unitra Figaro Special' based on a poor original which had errors in it. Not very readable as a 'thumbnail' but it gives an idea of what can be done.
As I said earlier, others who are proficient in using more complex CAD packages may well scorn PAINT, but I hope the attached pics illustrates how useful it can be. Those restorers who are 'at the top of the food chain' create stunning examples of reproduction dials, which is way out of my league, but I hope that anyone with limited skills will take heart from my efforts with PAINT, given my own limitations.
Have fun!
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David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club member 1339.
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