Anyone here able to help with Printed Circuit Boards?

[Nicko]

Hi Guys,

I know this isn't really an automotive topic, but I desperately need some help if any of you are able to help with drawing up a PCB Gerber file up from a JPG image of an existing PCB?

The PCB itself is single sided and only small 75mm x 45mmish, if I knew what I was doing, I would probably be able to do it myself in a couple of hours. But since I want it to work, I was looking for an expert.

So, any eletronics types out there in AE86DC land?

Cheers

Nick

[timbo]

The only bloke I know that is good with that stuff was from bossarea forums and he was in NSW or VIC... Not even sure if he is still around. Maybe hit up one of the nerds at jaycar?

edit: also, what are you making?

[Nicko]

I got given a guitar FX pedal back in 2002 that belongs to a friend of my cousin. The intention was to restore the pedal and make one for myself, but I have a few more people interested now, so all I need is a Gerber file and we can get a run of maybe 10 done in China...

Thanks for the info... Looks like the going rate is about $150 / $250 per hour to get it done, so I might have a crack at it myself.

[Sam-Q]

I suggest the OCAU forums

[lolwat]

I suggest the OCAU forums
HAHAHAHHAHAH OCAU old times, there would be plaenty of people on there that could do that easly for you

[timbo]

I got given a guitar FX pedal back in 2002 that belongs to a friend of my cousin.

what sort? i'm a bit of a collector myself!

[Nicko]

A 1970's fuzz pedal made by Jen (Italy?) called the Jen Fuzz FZ-III

The owner is apparently a huge Led Zepplin freak, and the pedal has a great 70s sound.

I was also thinking of tweaking / making FX myself at some stage too.

[mrbigport]

my dad is an electronic technician, he does PCB prototyping and PIC programing.
shoot me through a copy of your pcb design and i'll get to have a look at it for you.

[Nicko]

Craig, you're like the Swiss Army Knife of AE86DC... lol

[mrbigport]

I do what i can lol

[Nicko]

You have mail.

[timbo]

Jen Fuzz FZ-II

HOLY FUCK!

count me in for a board.

[Nicko]

Counted :)

[Nicko]

ps I'm manufacturing the whole unit, stompbox and all

[Twinky]

I think there is a freeware program called Gerb Magic. I used it a while ago and it worked ok.
Best by far is Altuim but that is waaaaaay too expensive. Be carefull what you use though as some
companies do not accept some types of formats. Also the cost to get the PCBs made would be worth it if you get
enough multiples to fit on one blank card. The cost is all in the machine use and it makes little difference if you make one or 100.
Just as an example if you have a PCB that you want to make and it is only 10cm x 10cm, to make it at a factory they use predetermined
sheets at say 40cm x 60cm. So it still costs you the whole 40 x 60 sheet just to make your 10 x 10 card. So if you order 24 cards (enough to fill the sheet)
then you still pay almost the same just to make the one, only difference is the manufacturing time.

If you have not done this before I would tread with caution if you do try this youself. You have to take into account of border clearances, cnc paths and layers.
If you look at some tutorials from altium they are almost universal guides as all cnc machines need to know the same things as where to drill next and what size to drill.

Now comes the easy part!!! you can buy some copper plated PCBs. Buy a scalpel blade, stencil out the tracks, holes and then slice around the borders of the stencil and scrape the
excess copper out and you have an easy PCB! Depending on the complexity of the circuit it could take you an hour or a week. I have made HEAPS of prototype PCBs like that before
and only go to altium when I have a complex multi layer PCB. Unfortunately I can't do this for you as it is company software but if i were you i would have a look at the copper plated PCB
and try to make it yourself. getting it done proffesionally is really good but also really expensive.
.
Hopefully someone can make it for you from here as china sounds like a nice and cheap place to get them done.

[Nicko]

All good, looks like i've found my man :)

Off to China we go !

[Nicko]

LOL. Ordered from China & they'll be here in 2 weeks, squeeeeeeeeeeee !!!

Timbo, i'll work out the price and let ya know what these will be retailing at.

[timbo]

Are you assembling them here? Keen on soldering!

[Nicko]

Yep, assembling in inrooroopilly :)

[mrbigport]

Pcb file will be in your email within the hour :)

[mrbigport]

18258

[Nicko]

You can rubbish China all you like, but they don't muck around when you know your shit...

I love quick turnarounds on custom shit. It'll be here by Friday... LOL

Thanks to all who helped BTW...

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/69669.jpg

[timbo]

warming up the iron now!

[Nicko]

LOL.

The IRONy (see what I did there?) is that the components may not be here till next week. And they are coming from Australia ;)

[timbo]

mmmm humour! there are some good parts suppliers in australia now, not just junk. what are the tollerences like on the components?

[Nicko]

Yeah, between Jaycar / Futurlec and Altronics, i've got this fucker sorted !

5% tolerance on the resistors

Parts have been ordered, and enough to make 10 stompboxes... I only have enough boards and boxes and footswitches to make 3 at the moment though...

[Twinky]

LOL.

The IRONy (see what I did there?) is that the components may not be here till next week. And they are coming from Australia ;)

Aus post always seems to take forever, I get things sent from the UK and it will arrive here in no more than 3 days (average delivery is 2 days).
It will arrive in Melbourne and from there is takes 4 days..... I read the tracking log and it has passed through 3 different countries in the two days
yet when it reaches AUS it takes 4 fucking days to travel 1/10th of the distance.

All of those components on that board are standard components, I would have thought that Jaycar would have had all of them in stock at any local store?

[Nicko]

While Jaycar may have them in stock, i'm buying 50 of each in preperation for making more down the track...

Jaycar is damned expensive for multiples of components. I'm paying 4 cents each for resistors through Futurlec. Price them through Jaycar to get the shock of your life (no pun intended)

[Nicko]

So Farking full of win ! This just landed on my desk. Thanks to everyone who helped! #winning

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/70058.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/1/70059.jpg

As I suspected, the Australian components should have been ordered earlier :P Waiting on stompboxen and resistors and pots...

I also paid for 5 and got 10... mahahahaha!!! *evil grunt*

[timbo]

cool beans. what brand pots did you order?