Author Topic: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?  (Read 2247 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline dazz1Topic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 857
  • Country: nz
Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« on: January 10, 2025, 07:46:10 am »
Hi
I designed an extender card for my Electro-Metrics EMC30 emc test receiver.
I was planning to have a card (or 5) made by one of the Asian PCB manufacturers, but the price is eye-watering, or at least more than I'd like to pay.
I now have at least one fault that would be a lot easier to fix if I had an extender card.

I sort of feel that I have to get gold plated edge connectors so I don't contaminate the instrument edge connectors that are MilSpec gold.

Is there a cheap way to get extender cards made?
Dazz

Over Engineering: Why make something simple when you can make it really complicated AND get it to work?
 

Online tooki

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 13278
  • Country: ch
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2025, 08:40:21 am »
Cheaper than the Chinese PCB houses?!? That sounds… impossible.
 
The following users thanked this post: Smokey, thm_w

Offline Chalcogenide

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 179
  • Country: it
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2025, 08:48:07 am »
If you don't plan on connecting and disconnecting the extender more than a couple of times, you could get away with ENIG plating on the edge connector instead of hard gold.
JLC makes edge connectors with ENIG plating for quite cheap. I can't see the size of the board, but a 200 x 200 mm board with 2U'' ENIG, edge connectors with edge chamfer is 100$ shipped for 5 pcs. It won't get cheaper than this.
 
The following users thanked this post: Kean

Online Kean

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 2544
  • Country: au
  • Embedded systems & IT consultant
    • Kean Electronics
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2025, 08:59:46 pm »
I don't know if the edge chamfer adds much cost - easy enough to do yourself for a one (or two/five) off.
 

Offline dazz1Topic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 857
  • Country: nz
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2025, 02:05:50 am »
Hi
I am repairing vintage gear so the cost of proper extender cards is close to the value of the gear.  What is worse is that I may only ever use an extender card once, and never again. 
I looked at the JLCB option, but they only seem to stock the female edge connectors, not the pcb side.  I can get suitable connectors as a low price from Aliexpress. 

OK so it seems I will just have to keep making do without  extender cards.
Dazz

Over Engineering: Why make something simple when you can make it really complicated AND get it to work?
 

Offline Matt-Brown

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 43
  • Country: us
 

Offline dazz1Topic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 857
  • Country: nz
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2025, 11:31:57 pm »
Would this work
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/vector-electronics/3690-2/134137
That is exactly what I need, but at $NZD142 (~$USD80)  the price kills it. 
Dazz

Over Engineering: Why make something simple when you can make it really complicated AND get it to work?
 

Offline themadhippy

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 3322
  • Country: gb
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2025, 11:53:26 pm »
bodge idea,make 2 small boards with the wanted edge connector on,join the 2 boards with wire,use a bit of plastic to space the boards apart and give it rigidity
 

Offline coppercone2

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11447
  • Country: us
  • $
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2025, 12:03:52 am »
i have a feeeling greased mirror polished copper is gonna contaminate less then whatever they come up with.
 

Offline dazz1Topic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 857
  • Country: nz
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2025, 04:53:12 am »
i have a feeeling greased mirror polished copper is gonna contaminate less then whatever they come up with.

I have considered double sided veroboard, but that is even more expensive than custom pcbs.
https://nz.rs-online.com/web/p/stripboards/0434122
Dazz

Over Engineering: Why make something simple when you can make it really complicated AND get it to work?
 

Offline edpalmer42

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2357
  • Country: ca
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2025, 06:21:51 am »
There's a guy on ebay who makes extender boards.  They look rather basic, but might be worth considering.  He says that if he doesn't already have the ones you need, he can make them. YMMV.  :-//

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ssn=sparko6079&store_name=sparko6079
 

Offline dazz1Topic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 857
  • Country: nz
Re: Is there a cheap way to make extender PCBs?
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2025, 08:35:23 pm »
There's a guy on ebay who makes extender boards.  They look rather basic, but might be worth considering.  He says that if he doesn't already have the ones you need, he can make them. YMMV.  :-//

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ssn=sparko6079&store_name=sparko6079

On close inspection, these look like home made DIY boards with no gold.

For comparison, PCBway will make 5x extender cards 150mm x 115mm including shipping
  • bare copper  $77
  • immersion gold  $86
  • hard gold $284

So custom PCBs are the cheapest option, and for light duty work, immersion gold would be the best value for the money.
I'd never need 5x extenders and it is unlikely I would be able to sell any of the unwanted 4x. 

These prices make the DIY e-bay seller, and all other options look really expensive. 
Dazz

Over Engineering: Why make something simple when you can make it really complicated AND get it to work?
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf