Al--
    I don't totally disagree with what you stated in reference to the board
  shop, but phototooling DOES serve as a very useful and quick tool after 
  the pwb is in its assembly, test and debug cycle (not to be compared to a
  clean production pwb build). At work - military hardware -, we have a 
  contractual obligation to provide phototooling (old contracts) and many 
  different disciplines (incoming inspection, methods, electrical/mechanical/
  test/manufacturing engineers) use it as an aid. It is also very useful to 
  the circuit engineer when trying to figure out why something isn't working
  (relationship of clads to one another) and determines how to make a fix to 
  the hardware and what NOT TO DO on the next redesign. IMOP and in my work
  environment it serves a useful purpose--if we could only recycle the film
  when it has been replaced, then we would have the best of both worlds.

                                           Bob Vanech

PS: Please excuse any spelling errors, since we don't have SPELLCHECK
     with our MAIL TOOL.
PPS: Why do I not get all the questions/answers on many of the subjects? Is it 
     because of the way that the mail is addressed or what?