Neil,
I got my first stencil from http://www.stencilsunlimited.com/ 
I called and talked the the guy who runs it, he helped me out a lot.  
You could ask him all your questions, and he could help you out a lot.  
I think a stencil for prototypes is about $100.00  That includes a steel 
squeegee and some FR4 scrap for making a jig.  Add a little box tape for 
a hinge, and I was done.

Some of the questions I left to him was, how thick, and the over/under.  
Also, he fixed a couple of things I did not know to do, like a big pad 
for a regulator, he sectioned into 4 pads as apposed to one large pad 
that could have problems with the squeegee.

Best regards,
Giles Honeycutt


PICdude wrote:
> Ah yes, I use Eagle too.  I did see the tCream and bCream layers in  
> there, but so far the stencil companies have asked for only the gerber  
> files, and AFAIK the Cream layers are not part of the Gerber standard  
> file set... are they?  But yes, these layers seem so much more logical  
> to use for creating a stencil.
>
> I will use the "standard" squeegee method to apply the paste.  The  
> fours holes are far in the corners, so they should be out of the  
> squeegee's way.
>
> Cheers,
> -Neil.
>
>
>
> Quoting Wouter van Ooijen <wouter@voti.nl>:
>
>   
>>> I'm about to order my first stencil directly (rather than thru CEM),
>>> but have a few Q's, which I've not been able to get properly answered
>>> from a couple stencil companies.
>>>       
>> You did not mention which PCB software you use :(
>>
>> Solder paste mask is a separate gerber file.
>>
>> In Eagle (the PCB software I known) solder paste is a separate layer.
>> SMD components have the appropriate shapes in this layer, but you can
>> draw in this layer if you want.
>>
>> I dunno how you apply your paste, but for my method anything rising
>> through the stencil would be a no-no.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Wouter van Ooijen
>>
>> -- -------------------------------------------
>> Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
>> consultancy, development, PICmicro products
>> docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
>>
>> --
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>>
>>     
>
>
>
>
>   
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