Free PCBs
This article is about free FR4/Aluminum PCBs. If you need cheep acrylic cutting services, see Home#elecrow.
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New! Use
ERGOGENcode on PCBWay for 5% off (500 uses, granted by Absolem, discord). - No more free PCBs on ALLPCB. ALLPCB stopped free PCBs in Jan 2022 (see #15, https://redd.it/rmsh8b).
Up to 100x150mm, 5 pcs allowed (enough for 5 Сorne v2 PCBs). It's totally free, with FREE SHIPPING. You pay nothing!
- https://www.allpcb.com/activity/free-pcb-prototype-2021.html (since June 2021, 1 coupon/month for each user).
Size shouldn't exceed 0.015 m^2 (0.075 for 5 pcs), sqrt(0.015) ~122x122 mm, quote form is limited to 100x150mm.
- You can't select more than 5 pcs per order, but you almost always get +1 extra PCB as a bonus (I got 11 pcs once).
You may register with my referral link, though it's NOT required, you allegedly get $30 welcome coupons so it's a win-win:
You may use different emails with the same shipping address to get more free orders, though I'm not encouraging it.
Go to this address: https://allpcb.com/online_pcb_quote_new.html
- Do not upload gerbers just yet. You upload gerbers in the very end when you add the order to the basket.
- Enter PCB dimensions (up to 100x150), 5 pcs, choose PCB mask color (limited to "Cold white" and "green" only).
- Click "Quote" it should bring you to the "free" order with the "order now" button. Click the button.
Shipping is free also (use HK shipping). Now you can upload your gerbers, submit the order and wait for the approval.
- Since 2021-11-17 they started rejecting boards >150 mm (fixed the form also). Try submitting as 100x150 and start arguing, write in the description that you won't pay because your boards fit the area limitation of 0.015 m^2. They could eventially give up, depending of the reviewer. If you don't feel like arguing, order smaller boards like Corne.
- If upload form says "Upload failed. Please do not split same PCB design into two orders", add an extra file to the zip (e.g. readme.txt) to change the file crc. They require a few days for the same file to be submitted by the different users.
- Since 2021-10-10 there's a popup in the end "According to tariff regulations, Free Prototype orders also require the recipient to pay customs clearance fees of about $25. Please confirm that you can accept the order". Just accept it (you won't be charged, customs never charge for the small batches).
- If you're ordering Corne/Jorne with plated holes on the slots, they could ask "The hole is on the slot. Should we make as PTH or NPTH?". Just add a note that you don't need plated slots: "I don't need extra metallization on the slots, just cut them through the holes (you may remove metallization from holes on the slots if necessary)."
FR4 works up to 100x150 (or 150x100, up to 0.015 m^2) 5 pcs (it's specified that you can't order more than 5 pcs).
Only "Cold White" and "Green" masks are available for ordering for free.
Example Gerbers available for ordering, I recommend Corne 2.1 (V3 PCBs are too large, also no panelization supported).
| Front | Back | HxW (mm) | Comment |
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93x134 | corne-classic-gerber.zip Corne-classic 2.0. 42 keys. Needs a note about plated slots. |
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93x134 | corne-cherry-gerber.zip Corne-hotswap 2.1. 42 keys. Needs a note about plated slots. |
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93x154 | jorne-classic-2.1-gerbers.zip Jorne-classic 2.1. 44 keys. >150mm |
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93x154 | jorne-cherry-2.1-gerbers.zip Jorne-hotswap 2.1. 44 keys. >150mm |
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88x108 | ferris-sweep-compact-gerbers.zip Sweep aka Ferris. 34 keys. Non-reversible but supports solderless headers (0.8128 mm). Sweep GitHub Unchecked. |
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86x108 | sweep-half-swept-gerbers.zip Sweep Half Swept (same as Compact but with On/Off switch). 34 keys. Sweep GitHub. Passed. |
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98x115 | fifi-keeb-gerber.zip. 36 keys. Fifi GitHub. Passed. |
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93x154 | jorne-si-2.1-wl-gerbers.zip >150mm Jorne wireless space invaders mod |
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93x154 | jorne-top-plate-plated-gerbers.zip jorne top plate with plated cutouts >150mm Tell to remove squares. |
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109x137 | Sofle gerber-pcb.zip. 58 keys. Sofle GitHub. Version 1.1 passed (RGB/v2 versions are too big, 112х143/114х144). Just set height to 100 mm, it processed as 109.25 x 137.2 mm without complains. |
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93x134 | Chocorne gerber.zip. 42 keys. Chocorne GitHub. Needs a note about plated slots. |
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106x142 | Lily58-gerbers.zip. May need cutting/arguing. Lily58 Github. 58 keys. Barely fits by area (0.106*0.142=0.015052). Upd. ALLPCB wanted $27, order cancelled. |
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106x142 | Lily58_Pro-gerbers.zip. 58 keys. Same issues as non-pro Lily58. |
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130x95 | a-dux-jp-mod-gerbers.zip Architeuthis Dux (A.Dux) 34 keys. A.Dux GitHub. Doesn't need diodes, it's a direct key matrix. My gerbers use 0.8128 holes for JP headers. Passed. |
(Rendered with https://github.com/gregdavill/kicadScripts)
Other 40% keyboards worth looking at:
- Samoklava https://redd.it/rea8g7 https://github.com/soundmonster/samoklava
- Dao Choc BLE https://github.com/yumagulovrn/dao-choc-ble/ (unfortunately non-symmetric)
Coupons look like this, they are listed under https://allpcb.com/newmember/coupon. You get one coupon a month, they recharge in the beginning of each month, e.g. this got recharged at 2-nd of August.
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2021-09-02 I didn't get a free prototyping coupon for September 2021 (but I got it for October). Apparently there's a new rule, at least one payment for the last 6 months. New accounts still get coupons. May be a bug. See 1, 2.
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2021-10-04 I got October 2021 coupon today. Apparently the spending rule works (I've spent $35 from the account credit in September). We'll see if spending really resets the free limit for 6 months.
| Image | Comments and ordering details | Ordered date | Shipped date | Received date | Pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Jorne Space Invaders | 2021-07-28 | 2021-08-02 | 2021-08-13 | 6 |
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Jorne Classic 2.1 | 2021-08-28 | 2021-09-02 | 2021-09-18 | 11 |
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Sofle 1.1 | 2021-10-28 | 2021-11-01 | 2021-12-11 | 5 |
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Corne Cherry | 2021-11-22 | 2021-11-23 | 2022-01-04 | 6 |
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Sweep Half Swept | 2021-11-27 | 2021-12-01 | 2022-01-04 | 5 |
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A.Dux (0.81mm holes mod) | 2021-12-23 | 2021-12-26 | 2022-01-22 | 5 |
Started assembling some boards. ALLPCB tolerances seem prety good, choc switches hold pretty reliably.
Choc caps look yellow-ish, probably better buy black ones, see https://github.com/joric/jorne/wiki#bill-of-materials
Jorne Classic with FR4 Plate and Backlit ABS Keycaps
I'm using standard JLCPCB capabilities: 0.127/0.127 min trace/spacing (I usually just go 0.2/0.2), 0.6 mm vias, 0.3 mm drill.
It's been confirmed you can even order plates with full metallization for free, see someone's custom plate from ALLPCB:
Upd. I've added plated cutouts version, haven't tried yet. Used jiran plate for example.
- jorne-top-plate-breakoff-plated-gerbers.zip (93x154mm) jorne top plate with plated cutouts
- 2021-10-26 Be careful what you wish for! (You better add a note that you need those squares removed).
| Plated Cutouts | Success | Fail |
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- "Upload failed, please do not split same PCB design into two orders" - try to repack gerber files or rename them.
- "The hole is on the slot. Should we make as PTH or NPTH?", say "you may remove metallization from holes on the slots".
The reason they ask for extra metallization is this, they need to cut over the foil of the PTH (Plated) hole and it needs to change the milling cutter and it's expensive so it's cheaper to make those holes NPTH (Non-Plated).
Just tell them "I don't need extra metallization on the slots, just cut them through the holes (you may remove metallization from holes on the slots if necessary)."
- They sometimes allow cutting over PTH but I guess it depends on reviewer. Boards below made with no charge.
- Also free PCB from another user, didn't even ask for anything. I guess it varies from person to person.
| Example 1 | Example 2 |
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Aluminum is apparently limited to 100x100 mm by size (not by area), see https://allpcb.com/aluminum-pcb.html
It's single sided with a dielectric layer, copper and a mask, it doesn't support isolated through-hole pads, so SMD only.
Upd. I got an answer from ALLPCB support about free Aluminum: This is a problem with our system that it's not free for 100*150. I am so sorry for inconvenience and we are solving the problem. So you have a good chance of getting 100x150 aluminum for free if you ask support.
Haven't tried, but they have $0 option for the first order (only for 100x100mm PCBs). Shipping kind of kills it, it's $26 (looks like there's a shipping coupon for the first order also, so it may be $0 overall). Only green mask allowed.
Sub-100x100 gerbers allowed (only green mask allowed for the free order):
| Picture | HxW (mm) | Comment |
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100x100 | SU120 https://github.com/e3w2q/su120-keyboard Looks like NextPCB asks for additional $89 after checking/approving/charging $1 ("too many gongs and grooves") so be warned. Upd. reportedly NextPCB now makes su120 for $1 (at least it's shipped now) so you may try that too, just don't agree to pay $89. Upd. ok it was confirmed by 3 people that they received that for $1. |
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100x100 | https://github.com/sadekbaroudi/bgkeeb Baby Groot Keyboard, reversible 100x100. Passed. |
- https://github.com/reversebias/mitosis
- Also check out https://www.40percent.club
Free PCBs considering PCBgogo branding. Shipping is NOT free, about $7 for 100x100 5 pcs.
Rules:
- Free PCB is only applicable for FR-4 within 100*100mm, 1..2 layers, and 5..10pcs.
- Kindly note that PCBGOGO logo will be printed on the silkscreen layer of the free PCB.
- Each user can order free PCB only once.
- The final interpretation of this promotion belongs to PCBGOGO. If there is cheating or bucketing, PCBGOGO has the right to disqualify the user from the discounts. Any questions please feel free to drop a message to service@pcbgogo.com.
- Related issue: https://github.com/joric/jorne/issues/12