[sdiy] larger sized home etched circuit boards

[David G. Dixon]

> I was wondering if anyone has made larger sized printed 
> circuit boards using the toner transfer and home etching 
> method. These would be single side boards, say 5 inches wide 
> and 13 inches long. Is this doable at home or is it 
> necessary/better to go to a pro pcb company?
> Any experiences or thoughts on this.

Hi Dave,

I find the larger boards a little harder to iron properly for even transfer,
but otherwise its OK.  I've never done one quite that big, though.  My
layouts are pretty compact (for example, the entire layout for the
Korgasmatron dual VCF with triple-input mixers is only 2.1" x 6.4").
Personally, I'd strive for the smallest layout possible.

Another thing to watch out for: I don't know where you are buying your blank
PCB material, but some is easier to drill than others.  The stuff from Small
Bear (6" x 8") is a dream to drill.  The stuff from MC Chemicals that Main
sells is pretty good.  However, the larger sheets that RP Electronics has
leaning against the wall will blunt a drill bit after about five holes.
It's kind of yellowish, and after you etch it, you see that it has a cloudy
appearance.  It's obviously a different plastic formulation than the other
ones.

(Sorry, Team, for all the Vancouver-specific content)