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

Hello

I have been etching PCBs for years using ferrous chloride, but wanted to try cupric chloride. I mixed hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, put some oxidized copper in it to get it started, but never really tried it. I had some frustrating experiences because I had no idea that nylon should not be put into the solution. I made a bubble tank which used zip ties, and they dissolved and poisoned the solution. I made it again, but used a nylon string to lower the test board into the solution. The string dissolved. After some Internet research, I realized what was happening, but apparently this isn't a common problem. I had a lot of trouble tracking the issue down.

I put the solution and tank away for a few years and just used FeCl3 for the few boards I made at home. Today, I decided to get the solution out and try it. The air hose going into the tank was oily feeling, but I suspect it's silicone leeching from the hose (some of the solution was in the hose). The hose inside the tank was even worse. Also, a seal around the lid of the tank (essentially a water pitcher from Target) was degraded and crumbled away when I took the lid off. The hose was a plain fish tank type hose I got from Lowe's.

I'd like to hear some other experiences regarding this. I'm about to give up on cupric chloride and go back to ferrous or try sodium persulfate. It seems that the cupric attacks nearly everything, well almost everything except the tank itself.