Hi, I have been doing toner transfer with pulsar paper and laminator and I have to admit that I am really impressed with the results. I can make 2 sided boards with 6 mills tracks and 6 mills spacing without much effort. For vias I am using mechanical eylets. It works great almost eveytime... For "plating" I am using cool-amp silver. It is so easy to make that it is amazing... And no nasty chemicals... best regards, Alexandre Guimaraes -----Mensagem original----- De: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] Em nome de Apptech Enviada em: segunda-feira, 28 de janeiro de 2008 08:05 Para: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Assunto: Re: [EE] Dirt Cheap PCB protos? > So, my question is whether or not there's a shop out there which > builds adequate quality "hobbyist" boards for dirt cheap. I'm > thinking someone using a LPKF machine or older PCB equipment which has > long since paid for itself .... I do want someone who will take > gerbers, so ExpressPCB isn't really an option for me... Jinx. For a modest board he'll make you one in a day and the cost of getting it there by eg DHL would exceed the PCB production cost. Not the prettiest PCBs in the world I have to warn (and he should agree but he won't) but in value for money and quick turn around he's hard to beat. There'll be an upper size limit which he'd want to go to and it won't be large, but. I also saw some stunningly cheap proto pcb work done in China - silkscreen as well for 10 x PCB of a few square inches each and a sub 1 week turn around for so little it was hard to believe. As for doing it yourself - I'm seriously considering going back to that after many years away. With eg precoated Riston board and a proper tank system and a decent photo negative production system you should be able to turn out a modest PCB in well under a man hour. Train a tame local college student and ... . Even DS is OK enough this way with a bit of experience. Drilling is perhaps the biggest pain and that can be quite quick and cheap with experience - ask Jinx. Electrochemical tinning is OKish. Russell -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist