PCB Board: Fibre or not?

Started by LucifersTrip, February 04, 2011, 12:21:46 AM

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LucifersTrip

I've been using the standard (or is it?) PCB for pedals:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-X-PROTOTYPE-PCB-13-25-13X25-cm-Universal-Board-/320536845485?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa17c1cad

I didn't notice before the slightly more expensive choice of fibre:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-X-PROTOTYPE-PCB-13-25-13X25-cm-Fibre-Universal-Board-/320536845889?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa17c1e41

Am I going to see any benefits when used for a simple vintage fuzz circuit?

Is it carbon fibre? Here's a detailed explanation of benefits:
http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/fibre.pdf

On a side note, is this a decent deal for PCB? I need a 3 x 3 grid for my pedals. Since the PCB I linked to above is an 18 x 9 grid, I can get 6 times 3 = 18 pedals out if it, which is 22 cents per pedal...

thanx
always think outside the box

PRR

Most all circuit board is binder and fiber. What KIND of "fiber"?

Long-comb virgin Egyptian cotton fiber has the smoothest sound...... nah, I'm not selling it so I won't try to pull the wool-fiber over your eyes. As long as it holds the parts and does not leak electrons, board is board.

The "standard" PCB is paper-type fiber. Often a kraft-paper like material slathered with phenolic liquid and heated-pressed until cured.

If you are going to wreck it, soak it, or burn it, Fiber-Glass board is tougher. If you are doing 7-layer boards, fiberglass seems to hold dimension better and may warp less (though I had a severely kinked Hercules card).

If VERY high-impedance low-leakage work, paper "can" make problem. But audio impedances are rarely that high. And the classic Fender tube amps with impedances over 200K used slightly hygroscopic board and it isn't a real problem.

> I can get 6 times 3 = 18 pedals

Personally, I don't like cutting fiberglass. People do, easily and without problem. But it's rougher to cut, and on bigger fiberglass work I've had breathing problems.

> Is it carbon fibre?

That's new to me. Last I looked (in the last century) CF was for golf-clubs, costly surfboards, car trim (in imitation of exPENsive racing cars) and racing brake disks. That paper cites high thermal conductivity, in sight of Copper, but at much lower weight. Many too-dense power PCB designs ask the PCB to carry the heat. A large (CPU) chip on 6-layer board can move as much heat through the PCB as through a small heatsink. I really doubt you are doing anything like that.

Also the CF is supposed to be electrically conductive, but they do not give numbers. A solid board of conductor is totally wrong for most PCB designs. They are selling boards made to YOUR layout with traces (usually the ground plane) done in CF. I bet they won't even talk to you for a thousand dollars.... this is severe high-end. What used to be rocket-science, but we don't make many rockets these days, wonder what their market is.
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LucifersTrip

Quote from: PRR on February 04, 2011, 01:23:15 AM

The "standard" PCB is paper-type fiber. Often a kraft-paper like material slathered with phenolic liquid and heated-pressed until cured.

What is the difference between the universal board in my 1st link above and the 2nd described as fibre? Is the first standard and the 2nd some type of fiberglass?

Quote
If you are going to wreck it, soak it, or burn it, Fiber-Glass board is tougher.

The only thing I've done is occasionally burn off or lift off (by bending an attached component) one of the copper solder points. I guess if
those were less prone to destruction in a certain board, I'd consider it...

Quote
> Is it carbon fibre?

. this is severe high-end. What used to be rocket-science, but we don't make many rockets these days, wonder what their market is.

I had a feeling with that type of presentation, it might be a high end product.

thanx much for all the info
always think outside the box