• Easy PC Boards from Al Williams
• Surface Mount Devices

Try drilling the holes first. Then all you have to do is connect the dots if you are using a Dalo Pen. It's also easier to line up any artwork.

Make soldering as easy as possible and allow easy access to the pins to be soldered by:

• If you have components that need soldering on both sides but you cannot, on IC sockets for example, try creating a via as close to the component as possible. Just use a small piece of tinned copper wire and solder it on both sides of the board.
• Keeping a component raised off the board slightly so you can solder the top side
• Use a wire wrap socket with long pins.
• Bending IC socket pins at right angles to solder on the top side.
• Mounting components underneath the board.
• Create a through hole socket out of machined IC pins.

Device Programmers@

PCBCad@ PCBMill@

See also:

• Bill's Homemade Hobby Electronics Emporium
• Practical Surface Mount - ideas on mounting standard components using surface mount methods