Pics of my Obsidian, etched enclosure, board mounted goodness

[Dave_B]

what is the command in eagle to make that ground plane?  thanks . . .   

Since I'm here...   Here's how I do it based on info from Eagle.  If there's a better way, please fill us in. 
1) Route the board with your ground trace around the perimeter. 
2) Draw a polygon around the entire board. 
        a) Draw > Polygon
        b) Make sure you're creating it on the same plane as your traces.
3) Join the polygon to the ground trace.
        a) Select the Show icon (the Eye)
        b) Click on the ground trace, noting the Signal name.
        c) Select Edit > Name
        d) Click on the polygon you drew
        e) Change the name to match your Ground trace.  "N$16" or whatever it is.
        f)  Click ok to "Connect the signals"

Sounds more involved than it is.


On that note, if anyone can tell me how to keep the traces from filling in the pad holes, I'd be much obliged.  Feel free to start a new thread.

[DavidS]

as for the ground plane, yeah, basically what bellyflop said. But I name my ground signal GND, as it's easier to remember. And I just use the name button, not the menu. Yeah, same thing.

One important thing to note about the polygon tool is all of the options for it, both at creation time, and through the change menu. Patricularly, thermals should be on, orphans should be off (presonal preference, but I find the result to be alot neater) and I usually keep isolate around .05 or so.

As to your traces getting into your pads, that's not showing up on your printouts, is it? I've never had that happen. They do go right into the pads on the display, though. I suppose they should address that, it would be cleaner looking if that didn't happen. But it's really a triviality as it prints up correctly.

[no one ever]

Your attention to detail when building is similar to mine. I always have the tolerance bands on the resistors face the same direction.

I've wanted to do the ground/shield areas on something of mine for a while. Mostly to use less etchant, too!! 

Good work!

what do you do when they face sideways?

how do you decide which way they'll face?



i try to do the same thing 

[stm]

Hi DavidS,  congratulations for such a pro looking build.

Where did you get the jacks from?

[DavidS]

The jacks are Neutriks from mouser, part number is NMJ6HCD3.

When the resistors face sideways, I just make them read left to right. The the question becomes which way is up on the pcb? It's usually whatever up was when I was designing it.

[ragtime8922]

Awesome job!

Can you explain how you used the liquid tin? Also, where to get it/brand name? I love the "no copper" look. I had a few boards done professionally by a company and they do that (the only difference is they were double sided). Thanks!

[DavidS]

I got the Liquid Tin from CircuitSpecialists.com It's actually called "Liquid Tin", I think it's made by MG CHemicals. It's pretty easy to use, you just immerse the board in it for 5 minutes. No heating or anything.

[Dave_B]

As to your traces getting into your pads, that's not showing up on your printouts, is it?

That goes to show how long it's been since I've used Eagle (two years).   I just printed the board in question and of course, it's fine. 

Did you create a library for the 3PDT switch and the Neutrik connectors? 

[DavidS]

Yep, had to create those parts myself. Lots of fun with calipers! I've got a library with a bunch of custom parts, mostly to increase the pad sizes and decrease the drill sizes to make life easier.

One irritating thing is that the pins don't fit on the standard grid in eagle's PCB layout prog, so you wind up with super-tiny little airwires within the pins. Irritating.