Homebrew PCBs

Jan Kok wrote:
> 
> Weird, I had the exact opposite experience. I put a 16 oz bottle of
> fairly fresh FeCl3 in a microwave (with no turntable). Within a couple
> seconds of turning on the microwave, the etchant was boiling around
> the meniscus, and started to melt the plastic bottle. Fortunately I
> stopped the microwave before the bottle had a chance to spring a leak.

I too use the full strength FeCl3, but I don't think that will make it 
less conductive. My oven has a turntable, so maybe that makes all the 
difference. It could also be you have a fair more powerful oven, as mine 
is a fairly old 700W. I've never seen a domestic microwave oven without 
a turntable. The etchant does get hotter at the meniscus , but I've 
never witnessed boiling. I usually do it in 30 second bursts followed by 
a quick stir just to make sure I don't run into those troubles.