Brown Eye 100W PCB boards

[nickb]

Are there actually board manufacturers that make double sided PCBs without through plating on the holes? Single sided, yes. Maybe DIY stuff that's etched and drilled at home... But I can't imagine a professional PCB fab house making boards with copper on both sides but not plating the holes.

Putting nationalism aside for a moment, it's possible to get very high quality PCBs in reasonable quantities for very good prices from China. Depending on quantity, there can be up to 8x difference in price compared to fab houses in the USA. Quality can be variable, so you need to specify tolerances where they matter. One thing I've learned when dealing with vendors in China (not just PCBs) is that they're willing to apply any level of QC you ask for (within reason.) If you don't specify you'll get lowest cost, but possibly lower quality than you want. OTOH, if you ask for it explicitly, they can make a high quality product. You'll pay more, obviously, but still often much less than vendors in other countries.

You can have NPTH's wherever you want them with any number of layers. You just specify it in your gerbers / drill files.

[Helmholtz]

It makes a difference if legally guaranteed vacation days are taken in a planned/organized way spread over the whole year or if most export/import business is interrupted for up to a whole month (as in Italy).

[Tony Bones]

You can have NPTH's wherever you want them with any number of layers. You just specify it in your gerbers / drill files.

Well, of course. My semi-rhetorical question was about fab houses that are too lazy/cheap/shabby to plate holes that we would want plated.

[J M Fahey]

I make my own PCBs and have of necessity learnt all the processes.

That said, I try to simplify and cut costs as much as possible so in general keep them simple.

PTH can be made, even homemade, but adds quite a few steps and time (not so much direct actual cost in $$$)

Basically you work backwards: drill all holes first (of course using CNC so position is very acurate and can be repeated later with precision), mask everything but holes and pads, apply a solution which deposits colloidal graphite or silver on exposed surfaces, plate "everything" with a lead solution depositing a thick layer of lead including inside holes, remember all pads are still interconnected, because you have not removed any copper yet, then remove auxiliary masking and continue with "normal" PCB process.

PTH can take as much or more as the other processes combined so at least doubling process time.

Personally I avoid double face boards, up to 20 or 30 top links are acceptable (check typical peavey, laney and generic Oriental products), and if needed, simply solder on both sides.

No big deal in small run production, and I thought the Russian boards were made that way, which is quite functional of course for small scale or home/DIY assembly, which is the case here.

[nosaj]

I make my own PCBs and have learnt all the processes.

That said, I try to simplify and cut costs as much as possible so in general keep them simple.

PTH can be made, even homemade, but adds quite a few steps and time (not so much direct actual cost in $$$)

Basically you work backwards: drill all holes first (of course using CNC so position is very acurate and can be repeated later with precision), mask everything but holes and pads, apply a solution which deposits colloidal graphite or silver on exposed surfaces, plate "everything" with a lead solution depositing a thick layer of lead including inside holes, remember all pads are still connected, you have not removed any copper yet, then remove auxiliary masking and continue with "normal" PCB process.

PTH can take as much or more as the other processes combined so at least doubling process time.

Personally avoid double face boards, up to 20 or 30 top links are acceptable, and if needed, simply solder on both sides.

No big deal in small run products, and I thought the Russian boards were made that way, which is quite functional of course for small scale or home/DIY assembly, which is the case here.

Juan, is there anything you don't know how to do?

nosaj

[Tony Bones]

I make my own PCBs and have of necessity learnt all the processes.

That said, I try to simplify and cut costs as much as possible so in general keep them simple.

PTH can be made, even homemade, but adds quite a few steps and time (not so much direct actual cost in $$$)

Basically you work backwards: drill all holes first (of course using CNC so position is very acurate and can be repeated later with precision), mask everything but holes and pads, apply a solution which deposits colloidal graphite or silver on exposed surfaces, plate "everything" with a lead solution depositing a thick layer of lead including inside holes, remember all pads are still interconnected, because you have not removed any copper yet, then remove auxiliary masking and continue with "normal" PCB process.

PTH can take as much or more as the other processes combined so at least doubling process time.

Personally I avoid double face boards, up to 20 or 30 top links are acceptable (check typical peavey, laney and generic Oriental products), and if needed, simply solder on both sides.

No big deal in small run production, and I thought the Russian boards were made that way, which is quite functional of course for small scale or home/DIY assembly, which is the case here.

I can see that making a lot sense depending on where you live. I take for granted fast/easy/reliable shipping and generally low tariffs. If I didn't have that luxury then I'd need to rethink how I do a lot of things.

[J M Fahey]

Juan, is there anything you don't know how to do?

nosaj

Oh,TONS of things.

ZERO knowledge on digital stuff, even less on programming languages.

Something I should be ashamed of: canīt even **simulate**

Neither Spice type circuit simulation nor speaker cabinet one.

Nor record using Pro Tools type stuff

Nor play any instrument, not even a few basic chords to test stuff.
Full or important lack of knowkledge on many other areas many might take for granted.

Some are surprised by some things I had to learn, but that happens because of 2 main reasons:

1) Iīm "wide focused" (which sounds like an oxymoron ) on many non-strictly-Electronics aspects because I needed them for actual manufacturing and lots of stuff are either plain unavailable or demand very high volume purchases which I couldnīt afford.

And many of those processes (such as making my own reverb tanks) are not complicated at all, just nobody could compete either with Accutronics because they tightly defend their patents (they successfully sent all infringers into bankruptcy) or with Belton because of their cheaper-than-peanuts price.

Now in Argentina we fly below Accutronics radar, too small a market to worry about, and every single imported tank carries a $50 fixed markup because of Freight and Tariff so even if they were *free* they canīt be sold for less than, say, $60.
I can make them for about $15 so numbers are on my side.

Same with PCBs, transformers, speakers, chassis,etc.

2) some may be surprised but Iīm VERY interested in many other aspects: Chemistry, Mechanics, Metallurgy, etc. plus I am not an EE (although I studied 2 years worth of it) but basically an Industrial Engineer (4 years worth) and MBA (1 full year) both of which explain the wide range and focusing on cost and efficiency .... which saved my skin until today.

We are currently (since last Saturday) into yet another deep crisis , USD increased in value from 42 to 61 pesos , a 45% increase (so 42% devaluation) in 1 (one) day


Oh, and Stock Exchange, a.k.a. "The Market" fell by about 46% (not a typo) ... US is deeply shocked because Dow Jones fell by 6 or 7% , Nasdaq 4 or 5% and S&P around 3%


Whatīs my point?: we are shielded against radiation, like cockroaches are, we developed different coping mechanisms such as "producing under one roof" , getting suppliers who accept small orders (they also need many small orders to survive so we help each other) and so on.

IF US Down Jones had dropped 46% in *one* day, States would be Nuking each other trying to survive.

Here? ... business as usual.

[aaelectronics]

Just checked it for you, sadly aa electronics last visit was in January 2018 so not sure heīll read any PM anybody sends him.
Also found 2 requests from Forum members about chassis and PCBs, both look unanswered since early 2018

That said, chassis is silkscreened AA Electronics Italy so maybe you can straight google that.

Admittedly the stuff shown looks nice. and well made.

Hey guys! I'm still alive

Sorry to answer so late (only 5 years), but never logged in here since 2018! If anyone is interested, I have a proper business now that creates high quality PCBs, and the Brown Eye is still in the catalogue (I have more than 10 products now ). The Brown Eye was my first board and is still one of the best sellers.

https://www.aaelectronicspcb.com/products

Posting some pics down here:

[xtian]

I dig your boards, Andres! (Did I get your name right?) Def recommendo!

[tedmich]

Those are some very pretty boards, a bit heavy on the (rapidly disappearing) axial caps, but otherwise sweet!