Looking for places to get boards made

aron · February 12, 2008, 02:06:34 PM

I'd like to get a PCB made for one of my Shaka Pedals. I've searched through the forum and I have some names, but just checking to see if anyone has any newer info on places that would be good for me to contact. I've been wanting to have a Shaka pedal board available for quite a while.

Let me know.

Aron

Wild Zebra · February 12, 2008, 02:35:48 PM

I know people have reservations about futurlec, but I heard they are reasonable for small runs.

joelap · February 12, 2008, 02:38:34 PM

http://www.goldphoenixpcb.biz/ <--- very cheap, pretty fast from china. 110 dollars gets you 155sq inches of board 2 sided, silkscreened and soldermasked. Shipping included! The best rates I've seen. Thier soldermask is a bit on the cheaper side but for the price you cant beat it.

the only other one I've had experience with is www.advancedcircuits.com but they charge too much in smaller quantities for me to deal with. I did take advantage of their 33 dollar student deal once... quality was good, but i wouldnt pay that much extra for it.

Joe

aron · February 12, 2008, 03:01:16 PM

Thanks Joe!

I'm looking for a place where I can get the boards done and no cutting necessary. I'd like it to be the correct size. Is this unreasonable? Are most of the people selling boards now cutting them down to size?

Oh, yeah, I'd like to made a number of them, not just one. Sorry about that.

joelap · February 12, 2008, 03:11:22 PM

Goldphoenix made a run of boards for me. I was toying with a JFet octave up circuit driving a fuzz face, a friend of mine said "make me one!". I had been wanting to try out goldphoenix so i did it for the cost of a run of boards. We split the costs 50/50. Just tell Goldphoenix you want the boards arrayed and cut to fit the 155 sq. inch mark. I made my boards in Eagle, and they cut it exactly where my board outline ended. On top of all that, I calculated the sq. inches of my board and divded by the 155sq inches and got 40-something boards. When my package arrived, they gave me 50-something boards!

Too bad those boards are using negative ground for the Ge fuzz portion and they oscillate like hell!!!! HAHA! what a waste! It was fun though. And with a few slight modifications, I was able to get them into usable condition (few jumpers, 3 cut traces). What a pain though! I've got 50 boards in one of my parts drawers that'll never be used, and i cant give 'em away because no one would want to hack up a board either. Maybe I'll make a diorama or a tabletop, and laminate over it or something! haha.

It may seem a little sketchy because they do everything through email... email them the board files as well as what you want, and they get back to you all through email (no online order form per se if I recall), but I definately recommend it. They even plate-through hole, which is something the EE techs here at work said they almost never see from china.

markusw · February 12, 2008, 04:42:34 PM

Maybe check out Olimex.
I just had two double sided boards done each 100x160mm (7 different PCBs).
They also cut the boards.
Quality is really OK IMHO.

If you want I can send you a pic of the pcbs.

IIRC price for one single sided board 100x160mm is 22 Euro, for one double sided 30.
Don't know about larger volume prices.
The boards are ROHS compliant btw.

Regards,

Markus

Boogdish · February 12, 2008, 05:53:01 PM

Quote from: joelap on February 12, 2008, 03:11:22 PMMaybe I'll make a diorama or a tabletop, and laminate over it or something! haha.

you could glue them all together and make a really funky looking enclosure

soulsonic · February 13, 2008, 01:55:56 AM

Wow, Goldphoenix really does look like an awesome deal.

Paul Perry (Frostwave) · February 13, 2008, 04:50:40 AM

http://www.custompcb.com/index.html
One in Malaysia. Haven't tried them myself.

Solidhex · February 13, 2008, 02:13:45 PM

I'm also checking out pcb makers. Who out there from America has gotten stuff from Olimex? I absolutely need the board makers to cut them into the individual circuit boards which they do. Is shipping crazy expensive or does it take eons?

--Brad

joegagan · February 13, 2008, 02:37:19 PM

these circ boards were made here in albuquerque.
they had through hole plating,
they were scored for breakaway instead of sawing apart. the sheets of pcbs would go into a rack for part stuffing on the bench
what is the tech term for the breakaway scoring?

joelap · February 13, 2008, 02:52:07 PM

Quote from: Solidhex on February 13, 2008, 02:13:45 PM
I'm also checking out pcb makers. Who out there from America has gotten stuff from Olimex? I absolutely need the board makers to cut them into the individual circuit boards which they do. Is shipping crazy expensive or does it take eons?

--Brad

Gold Phoenix cut them into individual circuit boards. I highly recommend them, although I have no experience with Olimex. With gold phoenix, shipping is included in the price on their webpage. I got my boards back within 2 weeks.

Jered · February 14, 2008, 01:35:22 AM

Quote from: joegagan on February 13, 2008, 02:37:19 PM

what is the tech term for the breakaway scoring?

I think the term is "perforated" I think...
Jered

Solidhex · February 16, 2008, 06:16:01 AM

Damn

that Phoenix place is very tempting. I was interested in Olimex for their acceptance of Eagle files. But the whole super cheap 3 day to US shipping is almost got me sold. Now I gotta figure out exporting gerber files from Eagle.

--Brad

railhead · June 04, 2008, 12:42:51 PM

Quote from: Solidhex on February 16, 2008, 06:16:01 AM
Damn

that Phoenix place is very tempting. I was interested in Olimex for their acceptance of Eagle files. But the whole super cheap 3 day to US shipping is almost got me sold. Now I gotta figure out exporting gerber files from Eagle.

--Brad

Then check out a post I made on my blog:

http://www.maurymccown.com/index.php/generate_gerber_274x_files_from_eagle_cad/

Solidhex · June 13, 2008, 06:29:13 PM

Yo

Rad I gotta check it out. I went with Olimex and was pretty pleased. Took about 3 weeks I think from the time I submitted the files to the boards arriving. The price is definitely right and the quality is very good I think. Silkscreen, soldermask, all that good stuff...

--Brad

Quote from: railhead on June 04, 2008, 12:42:51 PM
Quote from: Solidhex on February 16, 2008, 06:16:01 AM
Damn

that Phoenix place is very tempting. I was interested in Olimex for their acceptance of Eagle files. But the whole super cheap 3 day to US shipping is almost got me sold. Now I gotta figure out exporting gerber files from Eagle.

--Brad

Then check out a post I made on my blog:

http://www.maurymccown.com/index.php/generate_gerber_274x_files_from_eagle_cad/

railhead · June 13, 2008, 07:07:52 PM

I've actually been using Gold Phoenix lately: http://goldphoenixpcb.biz/

They panel on 100 or 155 sq in ($99 or $110), so you get howeve rmany board base don your sq in divided by the panel. So, I was able to get 60 (SIXTY!!) boards for $99 shipped -- and in NINE days.

Solidhex · July 30, 2008, 06:08:47 PM

Olimex isn't shipping boards till September! Looks like I'll give Phoenix a try.

--Brad

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Looking for places to get boards made