Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Adam Seychell <a_seychell@y...>
wrote:
...
> I admit, its nice to see the PCB being etched when using AP. But I
don't 
> like fooling around with heaters/heating, so thats why I prefer a room 
> temperature etchant. If I had to included the time to heat my tank to 
> temperature, then it will take me a *lot* longer to etch a board.

My tank has a 1 L capacity so it doesn't take very long to heat up
with a hacked aquarium heater.  I'd estimate 20-30 mins depending on
ambient temp.  For me, fiddle f*rting with a heater and pump is
preferable to fiddle f*rting with chemicals.  ;)  For others it may be
the other way around.

It's not wasted time, though.  I set up the tank and heater, do the
toner transfer and prep the board for etch.   By then the tank is just
right and away I go.  Usually, I batch up multiple boards for a single
etch session so its even more efficient.

What it boils down is that there are lots of ways of getting the same
result with relatively the same level of efficiency.

One other thing I haven't seen discussed is the effect of etching
speed on pinholing with TT.  I think (though have no way to prove it)
that pinholing is proportional to etch time.  It seems to work out
that way.  The last batch (the one I mentioned) had almost no
pinholing at all.  I was very pleased with the result.  Even under the
microscope, it looked suprisingly clean for TT.