Homebrew PCBs

On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 07:59:54 -0000, dgrant_79 <david.grant@...>  
wrote:

>
> Any suggestions for starting up a little hobby setup for making PCBs?
> I was thinking of getting the MG Chemicals 416-K kit. Comes with 3
> sensitized copper-clad (single-sided boards), developer, ferric
> chloride, foam brushes, rubber gloves. Any reason to not use ferric
> chloride, and maybe sodium persulfate instead? I'm thinking of
> something economical to make little boards for PIC microcontrollers
> and some peripheral circuitry.

I would not advise buying a kit, because IMO none of the kits has _any_  
components you will use later  (when you get more experience). I still  
have the ferric chloride and some photoboard around which i won't use  
anymore.

Best is to inform yourself as much as possible. Investigate all methods of  
etching (chemicals, tanks/tools), also investigate all methods of resist  
transfer. You might decide you do not want to use what comes with the kit.

I do believe CuCl and toner transfer is possible to start with, even with  
zero experience.

> And for cheap DIY stuff, what is the smallest package types that are
> feasible? Can you do smaller than SOIC? like SSOP or TSSOP?
> If you don't know answers but know websites, those are appreciated as
> well.
> Thanks,
> David

The soldering is the limit, not the board, usually.
If you want to use toner transfer instead of the more complicated  
photoprocess you might be limited to 8mil tracks or so.

You can find loads of good links in the links section of the group.

ST