Creating circuit boards - Feedback wanted - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: oyvdahl
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 10:06:10 am
content: Hi everyoneI am in the process of creating a website where my aim is to teach hobbyists how to create circuit boards. It is atwww.build-electronic-circuits.comAs it is hard to evaluate my own work, I would love it if any of you could spare a few minutes and give me some feedback. What information are you missing? Do you see any obvious mistakes on my part? What would you love to read about (within the context of creating circuit boards)?All the best,OyvindNorway

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 10:32:55 am
content: i am only just starting to look it over, but your first 2 pictures arent the most crash hot, electrolytics that are loose enough to bend and bodge wires.i am currently trying to dig up my scans from a newnes engineering handbook to give the full diagrams, but the way you solder 2 bits of wire together is to twist them first then apply soldersimilar to thishttp://dodgeram.org/tech/repair/elect/08-05-00_f4.jpgi may sound harsh but i am trying to be fair as others may use it as a learning resource,

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 10:58:03 am
content: Quote from: Rerouter on October 11, 2012, 10:32:55 amCan't see it, it's forbidden.

author: twbranch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 11:29:27 am
content: Quote from: ablacon64 on October 11, 2012, 10:58:03 amCheck your browser settings because I can see it.I agree the caps shouldn't be leaning like that.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 11:51:16 am
content: Quote from: twbranch on October 11, 2012, 11:29:27 amIt didn't work earlier, now it does

author: ptricks
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 12:12:05 pm
content: The way the electrolytic are mounted in the pic is correct. Caps often come with formed leads , that is how they are supposed to be installed.Jumper wires are not ideal but sometimes you cannot afford to produce another board and for home users perfectly okay.The best way to join 2 wires is called the western union splice. It was developed for when telegraph wires would break. You didn't have much slack in the wiring and you needed something that wouldn't lose connection . The western union splice gets tighter the harder it is pulled, add some solder and it will never come apart no matter how hard you pull, the wire will break first. It takes a few tries to learn how to do it but after you do you can do a splice in seconds.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Union_splice

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 12:46:04 pm
content: Quote from: twbranch on October 11, 2012, 11:29:27 amNot a browser setting, it's a server problem. I've inserted www. at the beginning and it worked.Forbidden: dodgeram.org/tech/repair/elect/08-05-00_f4.jpgOK:www.dodgeram.org/tech/repair/elect/08-05-00_f4.jpg

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 12:52:20 pm
content: I liked the website, clean, direct, easy to understand. Maybe you could add some videos also.PS: I agree with that capacitor problem. I've seen something like that to lay down the capacitors to fit the case, but I don't think that's the case.

author: baljemmett
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 01:44:09 pm
content: Quote from: ablacon64 on October 11, 2012, 12:46:04 pmBoth of those were forbidden for me, but both worked once I copied and pasted the URL instead of clicking the link. Referrer/hotlink checking?

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2012, 01:49:20 pm
content: Quote from: baljemmett on October 11, 2012, 01:44:09 pmYou're right. This is referrer checking. Hotlink protection may be set also. With www worked here as I had already visited, it was cached, using another browser showed the forbidden error.

author: oyvdahl
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 15, 2012, 06:44:05 pm
content: Thanks for your input guys!I did not know that you were suppose to solder two wires like that. My method has always worked for me. But I'll update the page with your method as well.Oyvind

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2012, 08:10:53 pm
content: I really don't like the style of the website, the template, the default colors...I've moderated a directory website in the past for fun and almost all the websites I had to review with this layout and color combinations were loaded with links to affiliate sites, had Adsense ads arranged to match the paragraph formatting and trick you into clicking on it and so on.So when I loaded your website and saw that crap header with your url name, the paragraphs with tons of links, I was instantly reluctant to click on anything and kind of hesitant to believe what you've written.But that's just me, the average person won't have the same past (bad) experience I had.When it comes to actual content, it seems decent, but it could certainly be more detailed and consider that people live all over the world - for example I see you only recommended Digi-key which works fine for US people, but people in Europe may prefer Farnell (Newark.com in US) or Mouser or RS-Components.I also saw the PCB design and you only mention Eagle there in a paragraph, while there are open source alternatives like KiCad or even free for non-commercial use stuff or shareware like DipTrace... and little information on the pages.I'm basically getting lost just clicking from page to page without retaining much of anything when browsing the site - are you trying to make money out of ad impressions in the future, or you want people to actually learn something?

author: oyvdahl
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 18, 2012, 08:12:27 am
content: Hi mariush!QuoteI agree that the layout is not top notch. Maybe in the future I will see the need to spend time and resources on creating a better looking style, but for now I hope the average person don't mindI want to focus on content.QuoteThanks, and it certainly will increase in details over time. This is just the humble beginning. BTW, I actually mention Farnell and Mouser also in another page. But I live in Europe and I really prefer DigiKey.QuoteThis will definitely improve over time.QuoteLearn! But sorry to hear that you didn't retain anythingIf you have any suggestions on how I could do things differently to help you learn, please let me know.Thanks a lot for your feedback!

author: LEECH666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2012, 10:01:48 am
content: You should include a chapter about schematic neatness, because schematics like this one (http://members.upc.hu/lethanh.hung/LCFESRmero/lcfesr_mero4_sch.png) just look horrible.Cheers,Florian

author: PuterGeek
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2012, 06:56:54 pm
content: You didn't include the EEVblog in your favorite blog list!

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 18, 2012, 07:26:12 pm
content: Quote from: PuterGeek on October 18, 2012, 06:56:54 pmAre you surprised ? he probably found this forum when he was looking for places to advertise his site

author: WhiteFireDragon
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2012, 07:31:21 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on October 18, 2012, 07:26:12 pmWell it sure worked. Bookmarked the page, will come in handy when I start designing custom keyboards.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2012, 07:37:30 pm
content: i wuld not call that designing pcb's....more like throwing parts on a board and connecting them with randomly routed wires... not takin in account proper daisy cahining / star routing / proper widths , clearances , creepage and at least another 100 other parameters.

author: LEECH666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2012, 12:26:46 pm
content: It's clearly not aimed at professionals but more at poeple who are just starting out, creating their first circuit board. People that don't know the basics, people that don't know what a shematic in cad package is good for.My asumption is, that the author of that page is just starting out with pcb design himself, but I might be wrong about that.Daves old tutorial is a lot more detailed, imho. And it doesn't have cross links scattered all over the place. It's a nice linear read (if you prefere that).

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2012, 12:59:57 pm
content: Quote from: LEECH666 on October 19, 2012, 12:26:46 pmmy impression too, the blind leading the blind

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2012, 01:36:43 pm
content: Quote from: LEECH666 on October 19, 2012, 12:26:46 pmHave a link for that tutorial?Dave is very experienced and he explain things very well, that website really looks like a beginner effort but anyway a nice initiative.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2012, 01:39:01 pm
content: http://www.alternatezone.com/electronics/files/PCBDesignTutorialRevA.pdf

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2012, 02:00:10 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on October 19, 2012, 01:39:01 pmThanks for the link! Looks like an interesting material, I'll read it thoroughly.8 years old stuff, maybe Dave should revisit it?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2012, 03:03:51 pm
content: Don't know I've never got around to reading it all but PCB manufacturing has not changed too much although I'm sure new technologies have arrived.

author: oyvdahl
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 22, 2012, 12:09:19 pm
content: Well, you are right that it is not aimed at professional designers. I have been making pcb's for only a few years and would not claim to be a professional. But I know what it takes to make a circuit board that works, and that is what I aim to teach. The site is aimed at hobbyists that want to create their own pcb.Anyway, thank you all for your feedback!

author: LEECH666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2012, 08:35:46 pm
content: I didn't mean to hate on your page, in case I came across like that in my last post. I am not a professional myself.Keep doing your thing man.Cheers,Florian

author: oyvdahl
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 23, 2012, 07:33:12 am
content: Quote from: LEECH666 on October 22, 2012, 08:35:46 pmThanks! No hate taken