Homebrew PCBs

This is actually exactly what I was using the first time around with
terrible results.

I've done a little experimentation, and gotten the industrial fine-point
sharpie pens to work perfectly - they seem to resist as well as the toner.

I found I was making two mistakes:

1) As has been pointed out by just about everybody on the list, I was
marking too lightly. Even a slightly darker line makes a significant
difference. I've gotten in the habit to retracing all my resist lines after
the ink dries - it doesn't take more than a few seconds.

2) I was originally etching using the "tankless" method of putting a few
tablespoons of room-temperature FeCL on a sponge and rubbing the copper off
the board.  This actually does work as advertised, but ONLY ON TONER - the
friction rubs every bit of resist ink off the board well before the etching
is complete.

It's also remarkably tedious and time consuming - I don't believe this
method is worth the trouble.

Using a simple hand-agitated etching tank, I couldn't tell the difference
between sharpie-resist and toner-resist.

-Andrew

On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 2:43 PM, Dave Bobb <dave.bobb@...> wrote:

>
>
> Yes, the ones we use at work are "red" label black sharpies. Ore
> specifically, industrial acid resistant. It takes forever to scrub
> these off with 91% alcohol.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 28, 2010, at 10:21 AM, "Tony Smith" <ajsmith@...<ajsmith%40beagle.com.au>>
>
> wrote:
>
>
> > > Has anybody had lucks using Sharpies as resist-ink? Are there any
> > > recommendations on something better?
> >
> > I think it's the red ones that work.
> >
> > Tony
> >
> >
>


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