So I need help, I’m trying to start my own crazy DIY Synth journey Starting with the Super simple oscillator. Things is I’m shit with strip an perf board. I was trying to take the Schematic and run it through PCB maker, but the lack of Vactrols and I’m having trouble location the 1/4 in mono jacks. Does anyone have experience with PCB maker or know of an easier program to use…cause I’m losing my mind. I’m doing the 9v transistor fyi. thank you
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I would recommend building an Atari Punk Console first. The super simple OSC is simple for components, but has many things that are tricky to troubleshoot. I would also recommend either getting an APC kit, or just building it on strip/perf board.
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I think most people here use EasyEDA or KiCad. I found the former too limiting but the latter can be a little overwhelming — google for tutorial videos.
I tend to feel similarly about stripboard and perfboard, I use them for small simple things but most of the time, I’m more comfortable with PCBs and find them easier to troubleshoot and understand.
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thank you for the input it’s nice to have a moderator weigh in, however, if I wanted to make the APC I would have. It’s not an obscure synth project. I liked the sound from the SSO.
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Hey I get it. My first project was a 3340 osc voice with an fm mod on strip board. Just letting you know that this particular project is rife with problems that you may not consider worth the trouble.
That said, do what you want, and whatever you do just build. Don’t be scared to try it, and feel free to post pics and make a thread if you have issues, or when you get it working!
KiCad, Been using it since march.
You may not find the footprints or components you need. But making them really is quite simple.
thanks I will. It’s just anoying that all the help I get from the software company is a shrug…
What’s “PCB maker”? Google has a ton of hits for that phrase, none of which is an EDA tool.
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Pcbmaker is another small app like fritzing. It’s not brilliant at all but easy to use. I’ll chuck my tuppence in on easyEDA as the learning curve is shallow and the support and reference out there is huge.
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sorry PCB Creator, https://bayareacircuits.com/pcb-design-layout-software-custom/
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oh dear gods thank you. trying easyEDA and it has Both vacrtols and the jacks…cannot express the amount of gratitude I feel.
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Oh I forgot to ask, any advice on places to go for small batch PCB manufacturing? Favorite sites and such…thanks
PCBWAY or JLCPCB, i use the latter and have no complaints at all other than my own stupidity.
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If your board is extra small, OSHpark can be cheaper and faster ($5/sq in, delivered)
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If you want to comparison shop (including shipping, your location can be significant) and see a few reviews, head over to https://pcbshopper.com/
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EasyEDA is real easy to get in to.
I wish I had the patience to learn Kicad. But once you know one program, I find it hard to motivate myself to go and figure out something else.
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Which is why I don’t like choosing applications based on how easy they are to get into. That only matters for the first couple weeks; the interface and feature set matter forever.
I like KiCad’s interface and feature set more.
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thank you all, time to start looking around. 
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I started one morning with Fritzing, by the afternoon I was struggling with KiCad.
After a day KiCad was OK, After a week KiCad was doing a LOT…
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I would like to thank everyone who helped me, the PCB’s came today but I will have to wait till later to see if I did it right. I have a bunch to do for the next week.
thanks
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