Any good source for inexpensive small metal stencils?

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vputz
 
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 5:43 am

Any good source for inexpensive small metal stencils?

Post by vputz »

I'm doing OK with nice inexpensive PET stencils, but they never seem to clean as nicely, and most of the places I could order a metal stencil offer a large framed version--which is swell, but only if I panelized my tiny board (it's about 1"x2")... which I admit is a good idea but my volumes are still very low indeed so one-at-a-time works just fine.

When I taught a reflow workshop at the local hackspace, a fellow had a nice tiny metal stencil (about 3"x3") that he'd ordered, that got excellent results but I wasn't able to ask where he'd ordered it before he left. Any ideas?


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john444
 
Posts: 443
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 2:42 pm

Re: Any good source for inexpensive small metal stencils?

Post by john444 »

Hi Vputz,
Check out this guys web-site.
He makes his own small stencils.
http://lowpowerlab.com/blog/tag/stencil-making/

Good Luck, John

bmw330i
 
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 9:59 pm

Re: Any good source for inexpensive small metal stencils?

Post by bmw330i »

http://www.EuroCircuits.com ... really ... I've tried quite a few places and by far the service and professionalism is the best I could hope for.

http://www.eurocircuits.com/

I order their steel stencils with my PCBs. Not very expensive when you add in the estencil kit and the ease of using the two.

I upload the Eagle file directly. In a minute it has the PCB definition available to view in a browser. To get panels and simply tell them now many I want X, Y direction. They convert it to a panel for me and soon there is an imagine viewable of my panel.

I do the 10 day service and from order to in hand in California is usually about 12-13 days. Boxed and packaged incredbily well.

I take advantage of their eSTencil Fix jig for doing solder paste. Again so easy now. No need for giant stencil holders or giant stencils. With little stencils holding them is always a challenge. Here's a video how easy it is using their 25 dollar kit and ordering PCBs with this option. http://youtu.be/HBWtqZro_fg

Seriously crazy easy now to do professional paste application and panels.

I really can't say enough good things about them. I've used a Canadian based PCB company in the past. I thought that was ok until I found Eurocircuits. They blew me away just how reasonable the cost was and how good the service is.

mikeselectricstuff
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:21 pm

Re: Any good source for inexpensive small metal stencils?

Post by mikeselectricstuff »

http://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/
http://www.laser-stencil.com/ (part of PCB-pool, who offer free stencils on some of their PCB services)

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