Newbie PCB ques..

[Scott Gravenhorst]

I have used this, and with good success.  Use a new pen.  Old ones or used
ones can be left with insufficient solvent to allow the 'paint' to flow
well.  I've done this on boards of low to medium low density, including
some 16 pin DIPs (0.1 inch pin spacing).  Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol can
be used to erase errors.  I would clean the surface of the board with
alcohol as well.  Be cautious of the time that the board sits in the
etching solution.  Leave it just long enough to do the job.  If done
carefully, it can even produce reasonably nice looking boards.  Also, I
found that attempting to use a straightedge to make straight lines
inadvisable because capillary action can (and will) draw the ink under the
straightedge.  I could, however, make light scoring marks on the board to
help with straight lines.  And in my case, I not only made punch marks,
but also drilled the holes before applying the resist pen.  It was easier
to gauge the actual pad size I wanted.

Paul Perry <pfperry at melbpc.org.au> wrote:
>In a model engineering mag I found a hint on how to do
>simple ones with not much gear:
>
>you take the artwork drawing, and stick it to the raw PCB.
>Then get a pointed punch, and ding wherever there is a hole.
>Then take off the artwork, and use a 'resist' pen to 
>draw in the tracks. You cant go far wrong, as you have the dings to 
>guide you.
>Then drill the holes & etch the board.
>
>WARNING: I havn't tried this. But, for an uncrowded single side board,
>it looks likely.
>
>Another hint which I ***DO NOT*** recommend:
>To speed up etching,use a mixture of 40% hydrogen peroxide and
>hydrochloric acid. They say 30 seconds is a typical etch time!!!
>heat & fumes aplenty.. 
>
>paul perry Melbourne Australia
>
>

-- Scott Gravenhorst
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