Circuit Boards - PLZZzzzzzzzz.......

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shearder

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Hi all

Man, one can tell we live in SOuth Africa - I am trying to get some circuit boards made for MYSELF!! NOT for economic or money making requirements but simply for my hobby!! I need 14 boards, possibly 15 and, yes, i can get them from europ for 9 Euro single side and 12 Euro double side.

I DON'T want fancy printing, masks, through-hole plating etc etc etc etc i JUST want tracks and drilled! I will even supply 0.8mm-1.00mm bits for this purpose. I am etching myself but I am not winning with time!!

Surely there is someone who is not going to ask me to bend over when i ask for a quote? I could build my OWN CNC machine for half of some of the quotes but TIME!!!

Then i hear sad stories abot setup etc etc etc etc... what do i need to supply whom ever can help me out! Hey, perhaps there is something i can help you with?? Building a 737 cockpit at home ;) (seriously) i can help you out!! Computers at COST!! I can help you out.

Come one guys, this is a hobby i am building the boards for - not to make a profit!!

I can supply .lay files, PDF files, Gerber files, drill files etc etc etc etc - help a man out South Africa!

One cannot tell me that they make boards differently in Europe LMAO - the process is really the same - compare 9Euro (+/- R90) to (quotes) R230, R340, R540, R790 a board ONE FRIKKEN board!!!!!!!!

Anyways - I will be surprised if there are reasonable guys out there who are willing to do this for me on their home CNCs ;) I will supply boards, bits etc...

Thanks in advance.
 
There was a company here in Cape Town that welcomes sample board manufacture. I can't recall the name, but I'll see if I can find it this evening. Not sure of pricing.
 
Maybe try a local technikon/university. We used to make our own boards while I was studying.
 
So let me get this straight.

You want circuit boards, with your design etched out on them?
14 - 15 boards?

Maybe try these guys: http://www.trax.co.za/

If you can get to a university, they usually don't mind if you
use their facilities for a couple of boards.
 
TheRift said:
There was a company here in Cape Town that welcomes sample board manufacture. I can't recall the name, but I'll see if I can find it this evening. Not sure of pricing.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rift.
 
Fudzy said:
Why would you run a circuit board on a CNC machine?
Click to expand...

Yeah, circuit boards can be milled with a small CNC machine. Even a laser CNC. I could build one but would rather spend my money on the boards LOL
 
I don't know where you are based but these guys in Cape Town specialise in that type of low volume market.

The idea is you "share" a panel with others which keeps the origination costs down, bringing the prototype board cost down. It is based on the PCB-POOL concept from Europe.

www.beta-layout.co.za

This works for the ones and two'sies, but will not be economic for 14 or 15. Where are you based?

I can't vouch for their service as they are relatively new (operating under this name) and I haven't gotten around to trying them yet.

Fact is there are a lot of origination charges that go into the manufacture new board done with any manufacturer locally, typically R600 for a double sided THP board, half that for single sided. Offshore these are a lot higher. And then if you are only ordering a few boards the per board price if still high, due to the process overhead per run for that board.
 
kayvee said:
I don't know where you are based but these guys in Cape Town specialise in that type of low volume market.

The idea is you "share" a panel with others which keeps the origination costs down, bringing the prototype board cost down. It is based on the PCB-POOL concept from Europe.

www.beta-layout.co.za

This works for the ones and two'sies, but will not be economic for 14 or 15. Where are you based?

I can't vouch for their service as they are relatively new (operating under this name) and I haven't gotten around to trying them yet.
Click to expand...


I am in Midrand. Like i said, i can order them from Europe/Netherlands i believe, and it is much cheaper - perhaps I should just do that and wait...

I will check that site out. Thanks.
 
What size is your board?

15 X 12 euro + shipping = R2K+

You should be able to do it a lot less here, size of PCB dependent.

PM sent.
 
Last edited:
I got a cnc... don't use it much anymore...
I'm in joburg. let me know what you need, maybe we can make a plan.
 
kayvee said:
What size is your board?

15 X 12 euro + shipping = R2K+

You should be able to do it a lot less here, size of PCB dependent.
Click to expand...

I would have thought it should be less. Shipping would be around R200 from there - according to the guy.

Anyhow, the boards are 180mm x 120mm - I can re-size within reason.

Yep, R2k - MUCH cheaper than here. Even a company called C Boards is too expensive. I think 330 per board setup and there are around 4 different ones. So that already is R1320 for setup and one of each then it's another R170 x 11... - so over R3K
 
shearder said:
Hi all

Man, one can tell we live in SOuth Africa - I am trying to get some circuit boards made for MYSELF!! NOT for economic or money making requirements but simply for my hobby!! I need 14 boards, possibly 15 and, yes, i can get them from europ for 9 Euro single side and 12 Euro double side.

I DON'T want fancy printing, masks, through-hole plating etc etc etc etc i JUST want tracks and drilled! I will even supply 0.8mm-1.00mm bits for this purpose. I am etching myself but I am not winning with time!!

Surely there is someone who is not going to ask me to bend over when i ask for a quote? I could build my OWN CNC machine for half of some of the quotes but TIME!!!

Then i hear sad stories abot setup etc etc etc etc... what do i need to supply whom ever can help me out! Hey, perhaps there is something i can help you with?? Building a 737 cockpit at home ;) (seriously) i can help you out!! Computers at COST!! I can help you out.

Come one guys, this is a hobby i am building the boards for - not to make a profit!!

I can supply .lay files, PDF files, Gerber files, drill files etc etc etc etc - help a man out South Africa!

One cannot tell me that they make boards differently in Europe LMAO - the process is really the same - compare 9Euro (+/- R90) to (quotes) R230, R340, R540, R790 a board ONE FRIKKEN board!!!!!!!!

Anyways - I will be surprised if there are reasonable guys out there who are willing to do this for me on their home CNCs ;) I will supply boards, bits etc...

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Where are you located / situated?
Do you have gerber files or artwork printed to scale on film?
Single sided or double sided?

One of the best PCB fabs in the world actually is TRAX interconnect in CT.

In joburg you could try BOSCO circuits in Edenvale also.

But if you're getting one of the BIG guns involved then be prepared to pay a grand at least for the priviledge. Unless you go bare bones: no mask, no legend, no thru-hole plating, single sided.

However there are "little garage" shops willing and able to make simple single sided no thru-hole plated boards but you gotta do / provide most of the art work etc yourself.

I forgot PM me and if you're in the Joburg area I could maybe ask one of the "Garage Shops" I know to see if they can help you.
 
Last edited:
Okay so there are 4 different ones, I thought there were 14/15 of the same board. It's always the origination that's the killer, but try beta-layout, it may still work out the most economical way to go.
 
EffKay said:
Where are you located / situated?
Do you have gerber files or artwork printed to scale on film?
Single sided or double sided?

One of the best PCB fabs in the world actually is TRAX interconnect in CT.

In joburg you could try BOSCO circuits in Edenvale also.

But if you're getting one of the BIG guns involved then be prepared to pay a grand at least for the priviledge. Unless you go bare bones: no mask, no legend, no thru-hole plating, single sided.

However there are "little garage" shops willing and able to make simple single sided no thru-hole plated boards but you gotta do / provide most of the art work etc yourself.

I forgot PM me and if you're in the Joburg area I could maybe ask one of the "Garage Shops" I know to see if they can help you.
Click to expand...

NO - i don't necessarily need "big guns" lol - i just want some boards for my own use. Barebones is all i need. just tracks and drilling - even just tracks and i will drill myself. The boards I need done are 2 sided but again, i don't need THP - i can do that myself and it is minimal. In fact, they are so simple in terms of 2 sided i could even forgo the 2nd side and just use wire but too messy considering there will be enough wire already lol
 
EffKay said:
One of the best PCB fabs in the world actually is TRAX interconnect in CT.

In joburg you could try BOSCO circuits in Edenvale also.
Click to expand...

One could debate the Trax point... but I won't, except to say they will not be cheap.

Bosco do a great job, but you will be in for R600 for origination for each board, plus the wrong end of the price curve for low volume.

Have you considered merging the gerber files onto one panel and supplying as one bigger board gerber file, thereby reducing panel origination costs? Then just ask them to V-score between boards for you and you can break them up yourself. Some manufacturers will do this for you if you are on a tight budget.
 
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