Homebrew PCBs

Les, I agree that that is the ultimate method of making PCBs 
but...you forgot to mention follwing problems:
1. You must have a good UV exposure box-- let's not start another 
dicussioon today what that means. It is not a trivial issue although 
for some it might be. The issue here is the resolution because I have 
seen a keproo UV box for $500 failing to give a good resolution on 
TSOP- it was all FUXXY! On quality PCB material, too.I will only 
state that depending what you are building, the uv light may or may 
not work for some or many applications. And let's not expose to sun 
light for a while either :)

2. Once you have the box you need to calibrate the bloody box and 
depending what light it uses the timing might be all over the map, 
depending on the preheated condition of the lamp. Depending on what 
you are using. Calibration alone is not for weak people either.

3. PCB material: buy ready made (expensive), use negative or positive 
(explain it to a nenwcomer), apply film, make your own secret 
emulsion, dry, spray, develop (how long, oops, lets strip it and do 
it again, and again... what teh hell is that today...). Then finally 
comes etching which is trivial..

Now, I am waiting for someone to say that he is happy with scratch 
and etch or printing directly on copper!

Overall, I know that UV is best, and I know it works fine because I 
have the whole process prepared when... when I get tired of TT-ing 
PCBs. So far I don't foresee it. Stick a secret Staples paper in the 
laser printer, hit 'print' and pull the paper out of the printer. 
etch it and remove the paper. Then you drill.  No adjustment process, 
no secret uv boxes.  Mike