Anyone know any cheap PCB manufacturers?
 

OK, the scenario. I'm looking to make a modifided version of a project I did not that long back. I have the new circuit diagram, and I've tested the functionality fine. But I can't buy things until I know the final size of the PCB. I could go with a breadboard, but that's more succeptable to failure in the environment it's going to be used (the case will need waterproofing etc).

So, does anyone know any PCB manufacters that do one-off's pretty cheap, or possibly a run of something like 10 of them.

The circuit itself is a 555 timer linked to a 4000 series counter and a NAND gate, running on 12v. So a couple of capacitors, resistors, and the IC's, nothing major.

Have you done the artwork yourself, or is it in a pc format like autoroute?
I remember having some pcb's made 20 years ago, and they cost £15 each back then for a batch of 10. It was so expensive I bought a uv light box and made the next lot myself. However, just after that wire wrapping became the new sliced bread. You could look at the range of stripboards, there are a lot more designs out there than just plain veroboard.

I've got various PC format spec's of it. Circuit diagrams, test schematics (that I can run & toggle switches etc so I know it works right), PCB layouts (in autoroute sytle and simple jpg's) etc.

The cheapest I've see so far is around the £23 mark for one, dropping to, as you said, £15/ea for 10. There is a chance I could make more of the devices, but at the moment, it'll only be for my use, so maybe one for use & one for spare. Because of this, I don't really want to be messing with the PCB etching kit I have at home, if I can find somewhere cheap enough to do it for me.

Copperplated stripboard is an option I've looked at for the prototype stage.

Re: Anyone know any cheap PCB manufacturers?
 

Does it involve explosives??? :shock:

Re: Anyone know any cheap PCB manufacturers?
 

Now there's an idea! That might work better than the original function idea. But I can't possibly comment on that!

EDIT: I'm also drawing up plans for a motion tracking projectile targetting system, but that's probably going to be on the drawing board & no-where else :(

Aha! PCBs are my game :D

I use these guys for prototypes and small runs...

www.pcbpool.com


Good luck!