PICstep PCB boards <where?>

[MrWild]

I've discovered as much as I like populating and soldering PCBs, I hate making the PCBs themselves. Is there anyone out there that has made a batch, is willing to make a batch, wants to go in on a batch, or can supply me with 3~4 boards? My eyes suck which makes drilling the boards a sucko process. I still don't have the iron on transfer method down well and continue to have broken tracks (not many, but enough to be a chore).

Linistepper kits would be easiest, but I'd like to run bipolar boards instead of unipolar.

Thanks

Bill

[vladdy]

I had gotten some earlier on from a user here, dberndt if I recall correctly..
they were the picstep version 2.1 as origionally designed from the fromorbit site..
got the parts [finally] last week, and have them assembled, no pic programmed yet, maybe test next week or two..
I think bare board was around $10 each cdn, parts were around $180 cdn from digikey [including shipping and taxes] for all three

[RTP_Burnsville]

Did you find a source for the PICstep PCB's? I have just picked up my new mini-mill and have the parts for a PICstep here on my desk. As you I hate making the actual PCB as well. Thanks Robert

[MrWild]

No. No one has stepped up. I ended up buying a three pack of Linisteppers. They have been building fairly easily with no problems. The Linisteppers are made for unipolar motors. I have an abundance of unipolars and would have had to go the half winding route to use them as bipolars. The extra torque of bipolar would be nice, but for my first system I decided tried, true, and easy will get me there faster. I suck at making boards.

[RTP_Burnsville]

That is what I had sort of concluded about PicStep PCB's. I am about to order some motors for my mini-mill and want to purchase bi-polar incase I decide I need (ok, want) a larger mill like the X3 in a few months. Not sure what I will do for drives as I hate making PCB's as well.

[Garfield2]

Originally Posted by RTP_Burnsville I hate making PCB's as well.

Then don't

Send the Gerber files to your local PCB house and pay a few dollars for them to make them with double layering and silk screens (no wire links).

I use http://www.custompcb.com/ and http://www.batchpcb.com/index.php

It's like $9 US each for a 2 board buy from CustomPCB.

Alan.

[RTP_Burnsville]

Alan,

Thanks for the links, I will check them out. I checked several places a few weeks back and most wanted around $50.00 a board or else they wanted a minimum order of 10-20 pcs for around $300.00.

Robert