My dad is a tool and die and has a large shop. I am working on some prototypes and don’t really want to wait for a run at BatchPCB or the like. I have some 2 layer copper over fiberglass sitting around. We generally use Gibbs CAM in his shop (but he has other software too).
What’s the best way to get it onto the CNC? Do you think those machines will take something like a gerber (like a regular PCB shop will)?
You can get software to convert from Gerber to G-code.
Found it! Thank you.
And just for future reference (for other people)
Well, I figured out how to make the G-Code. Figured out how to view the G code to make sure it made sense before I loaded it in the CNC. But then realized…how do I deal with Vias? Normall a board house would plate these through for me, but how do I plate these through?
So guys…how do I plate through my own via?
Also, what about solder masking? Should I worry about it? Or should I just lay down all my components, solder them on, and then just spray the board with a coat of clear polyurethane?
You can buy kits for plating vias, but it’s difficult. Just use wire soldered on both sides. You don’t need solder mask.
leon_heller:
You can buy kits for plating vias, but it’s difficult. Just use wire soldered on both sides. You don’t need solder mask.
Ok, so in other words, each of my vias are going to have a little solder ‘bump’ on my finished product (from the wire sticking out both sides just a little). Which means I need to make sure there are no vias under chips. Does that sound right?
Lastly, Is there a DIY ‘silkscreen’ process I can do? It’d be really nice to have some labels on this board, but I don’t know how I’d lay them down. Any cool tips or anything I can do?
Can you link me to a good aerosol spray or something for me to coat these boards with so the copper doesn’t get all oxidized? From what I’ve read I just go to the hardware store and pick up a can of spray urethane coating. Is that right?
I’m looking forward to milling my first PCB, but I just want to make sure I have it all under control.
Thanks,
Greg
Yes, you need to make sure that you don’t have vias under SM chips. I’ve managed it with very thin wire, but it was tricky, and the chips couldn’t lie flat.
I don’t bother with silk-screen on my home-made PCBs, and I don’t spray them with anything. I use photo-etch and the residual resist stops the copper oxidising. You can buy a PCB lacquer aerosol, I used to use it. Spray the board before assembly, it’s easy to solder through it.
Join the Homebrew PCB Yahoo group, you’ll find it very useful.
Very cool. I see some messages posted by you on that group. Looks like you’re pretty active! 
Is there a real reason for me to do isolation milling? The end mills can take out large sections easily…so doesn’t really make a difference to me.
Maybe it’s more an issue for the people with home-brew CNC machines with just a pointy tip bit to do the milling. I’ll probably use an end-mill to do the job.
I’ve been making my own PCBs for about 40 years! I’d ask about isolation milling on the other group, I’ve never used CNC.
CNC isn’t a type of milling…it’s a machine. I think that’s what you guys are building yourselves out of routers and ball screws and the like. Same as what I have except mine has a $1,000,000 price tag and yours has a $5000 price tag.
Same thing.
I talked to my dad about milling out the traces using an end mill and he can only mill about a .015 trace minimum very easily without expensive stuff (using a standard flat end mill). However, by using a pointed mill like what the website I linked to, we can do smaller trace spacing.
It would be cool if I could plate through the holes…but it seems without special equipment it’s hard to do that well or reliably.
groggory:
leon_heller:
You can buy kits for plating vias, but it’s difficult. Just use wire soldered on both sides. You don’t need solder mask.Ok, so in other words, each of my vias are going to have a little solder ‘bump’ on my finished product (from the wire sticking out both sides just a little). Which means I need to make sure there are no vias under chips. Does that sound right?
Lastly, Is there a DIY ‘silkscreen’ process I can do? It’d be really nice to have some labels on this board, but I don’t know how I’d lay them down. Any cool tips or anything I can do?
Can you link me to a good aerosol spray or something for me to coat these boards with so the copper doesn’t get all oxidized? From what I’ve read I just go to the hardware store and pick up a can of spray urethane coating. Is that right?
I’m looking forward to milling my first PCB, but I just want to make sure I have it all under control.
Thanks,
Greg
For an easy DIY ‘silkscreen’, I’ve had success using the iron toner transfer method. Just do the same with your silkscreen layer.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Mostly- … een-layer/
I’ve seen better instructables on the topic, but hopefully that helps. The silkscreen comes out black, obviously, but it is still better than none at all!