Making PCB's

[Dave Eason]

Hi guys.

I was just wondering what *good* readily available software packages you all use to make board traces.  I'm moving off perfboard to making PCB's and need something readily available or cheap!

cheers (in advance..)
David

[John Lyons]

Search down (or up) a few posts and there is a DIY layout creator program made by Banika who posts here...
You can also use ExpressPCB and expressSCH  They work together.
If you use ExpressPCB you need to use the Print screen button to capture the image, then paste it into your regular graphics program to print it.

John

[Peter Snowberg]

http://www.expresspcb.com/

Free layout software made for their fabrication process. I've used them numerous times over the past several years for board fabrications and I have only great things to say about them. I don't etch my own boards any more for a lot of reasons, but a number of people here have used that software for their own etching with good results.

http://www.cadsoft.de/

CadSoft makes a limited version of their EAGLE package available free. This is full blown PCB CAD and a wonderful program but it has a steep learning curve. The free version is very capable of creating effects PCBs. EAGLE isn't tied to the fabrication of one company so you can bring the output files to any board house or use them to etch your own.