Question about printing the arduino shield

[pgleghorn]

Hi, apologies for submitting an issue for this, but I didn't see another way to get in touch. I'd like to try constructing this but I dont have the means to print the arduino PCB shield myself. Can I ask, would you recommend any particular sites that can print the PCB at reasonable cost?
Thx
Phil

[keithgh1]

I didn't look very closely, but are you sure the gerber files are made available here? I'm not seeing them offhand.

There are plenty of sites that do this now. I've personally used these two:

https://www.itead.cc/open-pcb/pcb-prototyping.html

and

https://www.elecrow.com/

It looks like you're in the UK. In the US, unless you are very patient (I, for one, am not) then the slow shipping service FROM CHINA is pretty slow for all the carriers. I usually select DHL express, which gets me PCBs from either of those guys in about 1.5 weeks from the time I order them. Fair warning that the shipping costs as much as the PCBs sometimes. Again in USD, I usually pay around $40 for (10) PCBs (Even if you need one, 10 is about the same price) and another $35 in shipping.

Hope this helps

[pgleghorn]

Hi, thanks very much for the advice. The eagle files are here https://github.com/imqqmi/FloppyControl/tree/master/ArduinoDueVersion/Eagle/FloppyControllerDueShieldMolexConnector which I assumed I could use when getting the shield printed, though less common than Gerber format. The board and schematic files seem to load fine in the free version of Eagle.

I had worried it might be a bit too expensive to get the PCB printed. I presume this shield would be far too difficult to print and etch at home, being two-sided and very precise? (I've only done this one time before, at school, about 30 years ago :) )

Alternatively I wonder if you think it might be possible to build this on top of a basic Due-compatible prototyping shield? Having said that, I dont seem to be able to find any shields that are explicitly sized for the Due.

Thx
Phil

[imqqmi]

Hi Phil,
I've still got 5 spare PCBs (screw terminals for 12V power input), I can send you one for the cost of p&p. Hopefully I can get it to you before brexit ;) Please send an email to imqqmi at yahoo dot com.

It can be done manually with single layer and doing the other layer with wire bridges but it won't be pretty. And you won't have the solder mask which makes soldering a bit easier.

If you want to get them done there are zip archives with gerber files, the screw terminal version was used with PCBWay, sometimes first print is done with free shipping:
Shield with molex connector
Shield with screw terminals

Kind regards
Josha