Cheap Single Layer PCB service - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2011, 03:04:10 am
content: Is there any single layer PCB service? I'm looking for a cheap single layer, one silk screen board. Trying to find cheaper than the normal 2 layer solder mask setups. I'd be fine without solder mask, but I'm not finding much for this "low" level of a board.After etching my prototype, with the ole' toner transfer method, I remember how much work doing a board with tons of holes is. If this board works, I'm ordering the rest of them.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2011, 03:16:41 am
content: Have you tried entering your requirements onwww.pcbcart.comand seeing what price they can do it for?There online quoting system gives you a good quantity of options to play around with and find the cheapest ones.

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2011, 04:32:05 am
content: iTeadStudios is probably going to be the cheapest. PCBCart is over 6 times that price for a 10x10cm board. There just isn't much demand for simple one sided through hole boards for cheaper.

author: thmjpr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2011, 09:29:36 am
content: Even if there were demand, you would be looking at a small price difference (maybe 15%?). Its all in the setup costs.If you do a lot of one layer prototypes, you want a PCB milling machine:http://www.mitspcb.com/edoc/eline.htmThey still require some setup time (tool choices etc).

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2011, 02:10:50 pm
content: I'd love a PCB miller, but I think I'd lose a wife.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2011, 02:34:44 pm
content: Quote from: sacherjj on June 22, 2011, 02:10:50 pmno! with careful plan and tactics, you can get both.

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2011, 03:46:31 pm
content: I've already got the wife. No way we are freeing up a couple grand for the other. It would take me many years to get close to recouping the cost for a board only CNC. Although I do have a mini mill, that might get modified into a CNC machine eventually.

author: Zad
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2011, 11:29:52 pm
content: Is a miller worth it though? Surely once you are set up then UV/photo etch is faster, can deal with better detail and is a lot less noisy.

author: Slothie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2011, 09:29:42 am
content: I've been making single sided PCBs using the toner transfer method and drilling the PCB is a bind (specially since the sight in one of my eyes is rubbish, so my 3D perception is a bit shakey, and aligning the holes is a challenge!). I'm going to get a Milford Instruments 3 axis machine from Rapid (for the kit its about £250). I've a friend who has one and he says that for basic drilling it was fine - not fast, or sub-micron accurate, but it can be left to drill away and you come back to a board full of holes in the right place. And more accurate than I can manage with a dremel in its drill press.

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2011, 10:23:00 pm
content: Getting a "generic" CNC to drill holes for PCBs "accurately enough" is a lot easier than getting it to mill the traces.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2011, 02:31:01 pm
content: Quote from: sacherjj on June 22, 2011, 03:04:10 amIf you use mostly SMT components you don't have to drill any holes and it's also easy to surface mount some through hole components, especially DIL ICs, resistors and ceramic capacitors.