I’d very much like to encourage projects and think each one should have its own design thread that can be linked to here but having them mixed up here would be a mess. Matt is good at this and these are great topics for general forum discussion as they can be very inclusive, stimulating a lot of input. I think battery carriers and switch plates are am excellent idea. Try and be specific when labeling them so that those using them later get the right ones.
Yeah I need to improve my 'finishing'. Labeling, revision status etc. Because of the numerous versions of the same designs I got a little lost with where each was at and thats why we ended up with a few boards missing rear ground points.
You know what they say - practice makes perfect :)
+1 on the 4 x aa battery carrier as per RBD. Serial and parallel. I could probably sketch something up with rough dimensions in DraftSight. Its the boards I would not know how to tackle.
There are too many layers in the EAGLE you are switching here and there. It is very possible you will omit somethings. After finished my layout design, I always transfer it to Gerber Files and then double check the layout layers by Viewplot ( Gerber Viewer ).
Check again… they have a free version that is limited to small-ish two layer boards and a single page schematic.
It is the same program file. If you do not purchase a license, it is a free version. Some restrictions will be released for the full version after you purchase a license.
Battery carriers? I can throw up a couple carriers.
4 x AA serial battery carrier - top plate. (masked vias)
4 x AA serial battery carrier - bottom plate. (masked vias)
4 x AA serial battery carrier - top plate. (exposed vias)
4 x AA serial battery carrier - bottom plate. (exposed vias)
I have not done a test order. I don’t really need a 4 x AA carrier myself.
12 awg wire should fit through the vias to connect the boards. Four around the edge and one in the center. The vias (on the topside of the top plate & bottom-side of the bottom plate) should then be covered in a thin layer of epoxy (kapton or packing tape even) just to prevent anything in the host from shorting top to bottom through the supports. Silkscreen is used for extra abrasion resistance in some places.
Masked vias look cleaner to me but those need to be soldered from the inside. Its soldermask + silkscreen. If in doubt, get exposed vias, easier to solder.
Again, untested. Only order one to try them out. Oshpark provides three copies anyway. $9.05 for three (34.2mm diameter). I could push the size down a bit to save a little on cost.
I don’t know if a simple 4xAA carrier deserves a thread. Let me know if you prefer it moved. Somewhere. Into the void. 
Perhaps we could use an “Oshpark request / suggestion thread”?
Agreed, this should be the “production” listing of the project, the workups/revisions would be better in their own threads
MUCH less confusing
Thanks, Texaspyro!
I think I was overly ambitious with my first eagle project and it stalled last fall. I’ll have to try again after tax time is done.
Eagle feels user-interface wise like a time travel in the early 90s (or worse )
I’d give diptrace a go: http://www.diptrace.com/
It also has a free non-profit version (2 layers, 300 pins. you can request a 500pin version for non-profit hobbyist or academic use) and a big upgrade/ui overhaul is coming in the next months.
Thanks for drawing these carriers Helios, although the design would not have been as time-consuming as making a circuit board, it must have taken some effort to make them.
I think the pace at which ideas come up for Oshpark designs would justify such request/suggestion thread, perhaps you could start one, or Rdb or Mattaus?
Did you see Hikelite's carrier? He may still have some left over, but if not, let's see if his design can join the list.
Good on ya, just keep it up. Another I have no idea what to do with it, but I just have to have it item. Very pretty.
Helios’ new 4 x AA boards now in op. How about a 2s2p version?
Will OSH cut those boards in square or round shape?
Ok, I’ll send him a pm to see if he can list it on Oshpark.
EDIT I pm’d him and he is still selling them so for the time being he is the place to get those triple carriers. The idea of this thread is to collect and index open sourced DIY projects that are listed on Oshpark not to pirate anyone else’s work and post it here. It’s bad karma.
I went ahead and listed Scaru’s board. I hope he doesn’t mind since it’s already shared.
Hikelite still has these boards for sale. I did enquire not long ago but I really want 4 x battery carriers.