Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kamal Shankar" <kbshankar2000@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 6:32 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Etching Tips and Tricks


> Guys
>
> I have been facing a problem in getting 15x10 sq.cm
> single side boards etched under 5 mins. I use
> commercial grade FeCl3 and heat up the water to
> boiling point. Then add it in a plastic tray having
> FeCl3 and after mixing thoroughly, drop the boards.
>
> I keep enough solution in the tray to just have the
> board below the surface at an uniform 4mm.
>
> But I have to heating mechanism due to which the
> solution cools down after 2 mins. I also constantly,
> manually rock the tray a little to remove "dust"
> formed on the boards.
>
> Currently this is taking me more than 20 mins for the
> etching to complete !
>
> I think I am wasting too much time behind an
> ineffective/inefficient etching process - the
> equipments I am using ssem to be far from optimal..
>
> Any tips on ultrafast (sub 10 mins) etching ?

I use a similar technique (the etchant is deeper, though), and my boards
take less than 10 minutes to etch. Have you got the right concentration for
the FeCl3?

Leon