Homebrew PCBs

Chris,

I don't think that you can much optimize your process by changeing the 
etchant. You easily can optimize the etching process itself though. You 
may want to optimize some other steps in your process too:

a) exposure. Use an exposure unit (self built if you want, there are 
plenty of projects/plans around) That way you expose the stuff in as few 
as 10 seconds. The key factor here is the light source which should be 
ultra violet.

b) The resist you use seems quite odd to me (requiereing wet 
application). There is dry film resist out there which should do much 
better. Simply laminate that one onto the brass. Should be a matter of 
~3 minutes and not fuzzing around with water etc.

c) Build a bubble etcher with a heater element in int. That way I'm sure 
you bring down your etching times significantly.

You CAN use alternative etchants (and others here surely will give you 
replies), but be warned that the alternatives are much more agressive to 
the envireonement or cost significantly more because you can only use 
the mixture for one (or very few) etch process(es). The nice thing about 
Fe3Cl is that it lasts very very long when compared to the alternatives 
and it's dirt cheap, and is also less dangerous. Other etchants are 
extremly agressive to all your metal stuff surrouding the area where you 
etch. I mean it, you would not be the first one using this stuff just to 
find out that all of a sudden a lot of things around you get an instant 
rust layer.... Natriumpersulfat on the other hand is compareably 
expensive and does not last very long.

Just my 2\ufffd

Markus