While researching several PCB manufacturers, I ran into www.epecpcb.com - a US-based PCB manufacturer promoting a new on-line ordering system.
They have a $500 free offer for first orders. I emailed and one of their reps assured me the offer's legit and the value will go towards finished PCBs.
I'm finishing up a design to submit and see how everything works out. I'll post the results when I do. If you have them do work and like the results and find the offer's real, please post your experience too.
I just thought I'd mention epecpcb and if they are on the up-n-up, then we all score. If not, well that will be revealed too.
By the way, disclaimer, etc.:
I don't work for epecpcb and am not affiliated with them in any way. I won't profit, get free swag, or benefit if anyone here has them do work or not. I'm just a DIYAudio guy like everyone else here and I want to share a good thing and see everyone make way-cool audio gear. If we get a good deal on some pro PCBs, cool. If we find a good, pro PCB house, then cool too. If not, life goes on.
Regards,
Paul
They have a $500 free offer for first orders. I emailed and one of their reps assured me the offer's legit and the value will go towards finished PCBs.
I'm finishing up a design to submit and see how everything works out. I'll post the results when I do. If you have them do work and like the results and find the offer's real, please post your experience too.
I just thought I'd mention epecpcb and if they are on the up-n-up, then we all score. If not, well that will be revealed too.
By the way, disclaimer, etc.:
I don't work for epecpcb and am not affiliated with them in any way. I won't profit, get free swag, or benefit if anyone here has them do work or not. I'm just a DIYAudio guy like everyone else here and I want to share a good thing and see everyone make way-cool audio gear. If we get a good deal on some pro PCBs, cool. If we find a good, pro PCB house, then cool too. If not, life goes on.
Regards,
Paul
Just an update:
They are manufacturing my PCBs right now.
I submitted the Gerber and NC files from a free (pin-limited) version of DIP-Trace. Though the program is a little quirky, and I have replaced it, it was no problem outputting the correct file format.
www.epecpcb.com required an assembly drawing to proceed, so I took a screen shot, placed it into Open Office Writer, added measurements, added a list of board requirements and some design comments, and a table of drill sizes (which came from the DIP-Trace files) and they accepted it.
We had a couple email exchanges specifying the files I submitted, but otherwise it was pretty smooth.
I ordered 80 boards, plus their electrical testing, and thicker 2oz copper. It came to $523 and I was charged $23 making their $500 offer legit! SWEET!
So I'm getting 80 boards, double sided, with black solder mask, silkscreened (top side only), 2oz copper, all through-hole plated, with extra board thickness too all for basically $23. Quite a bargain.
Anyway, check out www.epecpcb.com if your looking for a board house.
Again, I'm not affiliated with them in any way. Just passing on a good thing.
They are manufacturing my PCBs right now.
I submitted the Gerber and NC files from a free (pin-limited) version of DIP-Trace. Though the program is a little quirky, and I have replaced it, it was no problem outputting the correct file format.
www.epecpcb.com required an assembly drawing to proceed, so I took a screen shot, placed it into Open Office Writer, added measurements, added a list of board requirements and some design comments, and a table of drill sizes (which came from the DIP-Trace files) and they accepted it.
We had a couple email exchanges specifying the files I submitted, but otherwise it was pretty smooth.
I ordered 80 boards, plus their electrical testing, and thicker 2oz copper. It came to $523 and I was charged $23 making their $500 offer legit! SWEET!
So I'm getting 80 boards, double sided, with black solder mask, silkscreened (top side only), 2oz copper, all through-hole plated, with extra board thickness too all for basically $23. Quite a bargain.
Anyway, check out www.epecpcb.com if your looking for a board house.
Again, I'm not affiliated with them in any way. Just passing on a good thing.
I received my boards from EpecPCB. Their offer is real and my boards are beautiful!
I haven't seen much activity on this post, so I guess not too many people are interested in FREE PCBs. Weird.
For $23 US, I got:
80 PCBs
2.5" x 5.5"
Double-sided
Through hole plated
Black solder mask (both sides)
White silk screen (top side)
2 Oz copper
Anyway, I now have 80 PCBs to be used for high-power output stages. Each is 1/2 of a triple-darlington, emitter-follower output stage. It will work for either NPN or PNP depending on how the board is loaded. The circuit has one TO-220 pre-driver, one TO-218/247/264 driver, and eight paralleled TO-218/247/264 outputs. It also has a 4-pin screw terminal for electrical connections, protection diode, and ten power caps to lower Vcc's impedance. Attached is a picture with a few different devices thrown in for looks and scale.
Ultimately, 4 of these are destined for my monster mono-block amps I'm designing. I will also play around with a number of them and may end up selling some on eBay to offset some project costs.
Regards,
Paul
I haven't seen much activity on this post, so I guess not too many people are interested in FREE PCBs. Weird.
For $23 US, I got:
80 PCBs
2.5" x 5.5"
Double-sided
Through hole plated
Black solder mask (both sides)
White silk screen (top side)
2 Oz copper
Anyway, I now have 80 PCBs to be used for high-power output stages. Each is 1/2 of a triple-darlington, emitter-follower output stage. It will work for either NPN or PNP depending on how the board is loaded. The circuit has one TO-220 pre-driver, one TO-218/247/264 driver, and eight paralleled TO-218/247/264 outputs. It also has a 4-pin screw terminal for electrical connections, protection diode, and ten power caps to lower Vcc's impedance. Attached is a picture with a few different devices thrown in for looks and scale.
Ultimately, 4 of these are destined for my monster mono-block amps I'm designing. I will also play around with a number of them and may end up selling some on eBay to offset some project costs.
Regards,
Paul
Attachments
My word, that's a fantastic deal! Another member laments the tyranny of distance... 
I think the main issue would be that people here don't know about your thread. As the main use for multiple identical PCB's would (at least in my case) be good power supply modules, I wonder if a cross-post 'heads-up' in the Power Supplies forum would be warranted.
Good luck to you!
Stuey
I think the main issue would be that people here don't know about your thread. As the main use for multiple identical PCB's would (at least in my case) be good power supply modules, I wonder if a cross-post 'heads-up' in the Power Supplies forum would be warranted.
Good luck to you!
Stuey
h_a said:
There's a number of free PCB CAD programs out there. I know CAD and pro-boards are pretty advanced (big $$$) for some DIY'ers, and that most just build one'sy/two'sy boards, but between free software, and occasional PCB fab deals, you can't go wrong.
For some free CAD, check out:
http://www.freepcb.com/
http://www.diptrace.com/download.php (free with pin-count-limited version)
http://tinycad.sourceforge.net/
http://www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/
And check here for many more links to free and license fee PCB CAD software:
http://www.olimex.com/pcb/dtools.html
It's a bummer they won't ship oversees, but there's lots of PCB fab houses out there looking for new business, so keep an eye out for other deals. Many fab houses are offering no/low set-up fees for small production runs - ideal for the DIY'er - so design with free CAD and maybe your next project will be with production boards.
DCPreamp said:
Tragically my "go to" boardhouse, CustomPCB in Malaysia have just had a revamp and all the old good deals for a couple of A4 panels with whatever you want on them (ie as many different designs as you can fit in the area) are a goneburger. No more single sided, only one design per board, high setup charges.
*<SOB>* I'm in mourning !
M
Hey Paul,
I'm glad to see you liked your PCBs. I actually work for Epec Engineered Technologies and I am one of the developers of InstantPCBQuote.
I came across this post and thought I could add some additional information. We have made some huge improvements over the past year, so please check back to our online pcb tool. Your feedback is always welcome.
Our newest change is we now do 24 hour quick turns. You can get pricing for 8 different lead times at 4 different quantities with one click.
Our current promotion, we are having a drawing for a free iPad. Check out our promotions page for all the details. No order necessary to win, you just need to log in/register at our site and use the promotion code when you create a PCB Quote.
Most people think of us as just a board shop, but we do much more than just circuit boards. Check out our website www.epectec.com for more information on our Engineered Products.
As for shipping to Europe, I am not 100% sure on our shipping policy, but feel free to give us a call on that.
Thanks
I'm glad to see you liked your PCBs. I actually work for Epec Engineered Technologies and I am one of the developers of InstantPCBQuote.
I came across this post and thought I could add some additional information. We have made some huge improvements over the past year, so please check back to our online pcb tool. Your feedback is always welcome.
Our newest change is we now do 24 hour quick turns. You can get pricing for 8 different lead times at 4 different quantities with one click.
Our current promotion, we are having a drawing for a free iPad. Check out our promotions page for all the details. No order necessary to win, you just need to log in/register at our site and use the promotion code when you create a PCB Quote.
Most people think of us as just a board shop, but we do much more than just circuit boards. Check out our website www.epectec.com for more information on our Engineered Products.
As for shipping to Europe, I am not 100% sure on our shipping policy, but feel free to give us a call on that.
Thanks
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