I built my first set of boards with ExpressPCB, but they get expensive quickly if you want to make something that's not in their special form factor. I use KICAD and OshPark.com to make my boards (there are other board makers). I just ordered some boards that are .7" x .63" that cost $8.40 for 12. You buy in multiples of 3, so that was actually $2.10 for a set of 3 times 4 sets. Using surface mount, I was able to put an SOIC-14, an SOIC-16, an SOT23-5, three 0805 caps, a 3 pin header, and a 5 pad connector on the board. Something like that would be wastefully expensive on ExpressPCB.
Bob From: BIll Ezell <w...@quackers.net> To: time-nuts@febo.com Sent: Friday, December 9, 2016 1:58 PM Subject: [time-nuts] OT: ExpressPCB (cross-post from volts-nuts) Sorry if I'm behind the times, just did a new project that required a pcb, and ExpressPCB is my go-to vendor for one-off boards. I just noticed they now provide the low-cost boards (fixed size, 3x5, quantity 3) that I've always ordered with silk screen and solder mask for $71. I got my latest boards that way and they're beautiful. No relationship to them, just a happy customer. You can still get the barebones boards for $51. The hack I used to use was to put the component id and such on the top copper layer as tiny text, but that was a bit of a pain for layout. (Oops, can't put that label there, it's copper and there's a trace there also) Really nice to be able to get real boards, even if it does end up being ~$23/board. -- Bill Ezell ---------- The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck will be the day they make vacuum cleaners. Or maybe Windows 10. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.