Homebrew PCBs

Both sides were practically perfectly aligned.  YAY!!!

It's tinned (sloppy job, have to redo it tomorrow), drilled and ready to get
silkscreened.  I hope my Mouser order arrives tomorrow so I can finish
assembly.

I've started using a <container within a container> for etching; hot water
in the larger container, a bit of etchant in the floating smaller one.  I
have to be a bit careful not to spill the etchant into the water, but it
works really fast.

I used to have to pass that green scrub pad a LOT of times to etch 1 oz.
PCBs when I used room temperature etchant.  Now it's done in under a minute,
I think (didn't time it), with very little scubbing, it's more like a wiping
action to clear the surface of used etchant.  Once the copper is all gone, I
just drop the PCB into the water to neutralize the etchant.

Then I pour the etchant into my 'used' tank and plop the small container in
the water too.  I rinse the PCB, gloves, container and pad in the water,
very convenient setup, no moving across multiple containers, no more
dripping everywhere.  And it's warm too, great for the hands.  :D

I've been using ferric chloride with very good results.  I store it in a
large jug (a 4 liter container of Slushie colouring).  The used etchant goes
into a large laundry soap jug, very large screw caps, easy to pour into.
All containers and jugs are plastic.

Once I finish the ferric chloride I'm moving over to ammonium persulfate (I
think that's what I bought).  I'm told it has less vapours and clear colour,
easy to observe the etching.

Robert
:)




-----Message d'origine-----
De : Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] De
la part de Robert Hedan
Envoyé : avril 9 2006 13:33
À : Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Objet : [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Best paper to use for toner transfer


...  But right now, I'm going to try and make something out of this PCB.

Robert
:)