For one-off PCBs, I've had good luck with www.batchpcb.com . They work by panelizing different orders together, so it can sometimes take a month or more to get your board back. That's especially true of 4-layer boards, since it takes longer for them to accumulate enough 4-layer orders to make a panel.
SMD is not hard to work with by hand, down to 0603 or thereabouts depending on eyesight and/or equipment. I find it easier to deal with than through-hole, frankly. There are plenty of different ways to solder SMD ICs, ranging from toaster ovens and heat guns to creating deliberate bridges which you clean up with solder wick. -- john, KE5FX > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Behalf Of Patrick > Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 11:31 AM > To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > Subject: Re: [time-nuts] PCB design questions thread II > > > Hi David and list > > I am quite interested in this post too. > > I have wanted to fabricate my own PCBs for several years now but I have > never made an attempt. I am set up here to do silk screening and I have > ovens and a hot-air soldering iron. Has anyone else tried to fabricate > their own boards or is the price of farming the work out just so low now? > > If anyone has farmed out work, could you please feedback as to the entry > level costs and if possible, some suggested companies? > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
