Homebrew PCBs

What is the best way to align side two before etching both sides?  I 
cant seem to get them to light up no matter what i do.

My only thought was to etch one side while coating the second side in 
resist.  Once the first side is etched drill a few holes and then use 
them to align the second side?

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "matt clement" <buckeyes1997@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2005 12:50 AM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] aligning 2 layer boards?


> What is the best way to align side two before etching both sides?  I
> cant seem to get them to light up no matter what i do.
>
> My only thought was to etch one side while coating the second side in
> resist.  Once the first side is etched drill a few holes and then use
> them to align the second side?

I align the two transparencies and make them into a sort of envelope with 
masking tape. It works quite well, but the alignment isn't perfect.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
leon.heller@...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller 

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matt clement wrote:

>What is the best way to align side two before etching both sides?  I 
>cant seem to get them to light up no matter what i do.
>
>My only thought was to etch one side while coating the second side in 
>resist.  Once the first side is etched drill a few holes and then use 
>them to align the second side?
>
>  
>

  Similar idea, but drill holes for side one then iron the second side 
aligned before you etch.  Iron/laminate one side.  Drill two of your 
holes near opposite corners, get it as accurately in center as 
possible.  Flip board, push 2 drills through same holes in sheet for 
other side, and stick into holes.  Tape edges and laminate, or iron the 
2 corners without drills until sticking, then take out drills and iron 
the whole thing.

  If your holes go off a bit, push through the second side paper off a 
bit to correct, etc.  A bit more work than just aligning both sheets and 
putting the board between, but since you can make small corrections for 
the second side you usually end up with pretty good alignment.  May take 
a board or two to get the hang of it, but reasonable enough after that.

Alan

On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 20:56:32 +0100, Leon Heller  
<leon.heller@...> wrote:

>
> I align the two transparencies and make them into a sort of envelope with
> masking tape. It works quite well, but the alignment isn't perfect.
> Leon
> --


when i align the two sheets, put PCB in, and laminate, it will be offset.
HOWEVER, when i put the two aligned pieces into a folded-over sheet of  
thin cardboard/thick paper, hold the stack together at the folded edge  
(leave layout paper a bit longer at this edge), insert PCB, laminate, no  
offset.

When you make a single sided board, with one side copper and one side  
component legend in one go, do mind the copper side and put it towards the  
traces, it is not clever to etch the component legend.

ST

Stefan - Follow up questions

You mention to not etch the component legends.  I think I understand 
part of the reason the outlines often line up with the pads shorting 
everything out.  However, I have just started etching some of the 
textual matter on the PCBs as it is easiest for me with what I have 
to work with.  Is it okay to do this?  

Realizing to be certain I am not shorting out any traces :-)

Chris




> When you make a single sided board, with one side copper and one 
side  
> component legend in one go, do mind the copper side and put it 
towards the  

> traces, it is not clever to etch the component legend.
> 
> ST
>

On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:25:30 +0100, lcdpublishing  
<lcdpublishing@...> wrote:

> Stefan - Follow up questions
> You mention to not etch the component legends.  I think I understand
> part of the reason the outlines often line up with the pads shorting
> everything out.  However, I have just started etching some of the
> textual matter on the PCBs as it is easiest for me with what I have
> to work with.  Is it okay to do this?
> Realizing to be certain I am not shorting out any traces
> Chris


yea 'course that's ok.

What i meant is, if you make a single sided board, make sure to transfer  
the traces onto the copper and the legend onto the empty side, otherwise  
it isn't much fun. I messed that one up a few times.


Text and other stuff in copper can be useful, especially if you don't make  
a separate legend transfer.

I really ought to fix that keyboard, the b doesn't work properly.

ST

Okay good!  The reason I am using the copper legends for text etc. 
is that my PCB layout software can't mirror image the text for the 
silk screen information. To work around this I have two options, 

either print it normal, scan it back into the computer as an image 
and mirror that and print again. 

OR

Use "copper lables" which can be mirror imaged - it's goofy.

Chris



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Stefan Trethan" 
<stefan_trethan@g...> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:25:30 +0100, lcdpublishing  
> <lcdpublishing@y...> wrote:
> 
> > Stefan - Follow up questions
> > You mention to not etch the component legends.  I think I 
understand
> > part of the reason the outlines often line up with the pads 
shorting
> > everything out.  However, I have just started etching some of the
> > textual matter on the PCBs as it is easiest for me with what I 
have
> > to work with.  Is it okay to do this?
> > Realizing to be certain I am not shorting out any traces
> > Chris
> 
> 
> yea 'course that's ok.
> 
> What i meant is, if you make a single sided board, make sure to 
transfer  
> the traces onto the copper and the legend onto the empty side, 
otherwise  
> it isn't much fun. I messed that one up a few times.
> 
> 
> Text and other stuff in copper can be useful, especially if you 
don't make  

> a separate legend transfer.
> 
> I really ought to fix that keyboard, the b doesn't work properly.
> 
> ST
>

On Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:20:26 +0100, lcdpublishing  
<lcdpublishing@...> wrote:

> Okay good!  The reason I am using the copper legends for text etc.
> is that my PCB layout software can't mirror image the text for the
> silk screen information. To work around this I have two options,
> either print it normal, scan it back into the computer as an image
> and mirror that and print again.
> OR
> Use "copper lables" which can be mirror imaged - it's goofy.
> Chris


that's too bad. But there's another option. Install a "fake" printer, like  
cutepdf, that creates a windows printer that really sends stuff to a pdf  
file, of which you can copy it out and mirror.
There's plenty of "fake printers" for different formats, and probably the  
easiest method is installing any windows printer that understands post  
script (newer lasers) and check "print to file". The output is a normal  
postscript file many image editing programs can open.


I would be angry with the pcb software maker, no mirror is silly.

Oh, if you can use windows fonts, you could always edit one to look  
reversed, but you need type reversed then too ;-)

ST

try gEDA ?
http://www.geda.seul.org/
<<Note from moderator: please don't forget to trim extraneous text>>

--- lcdpublishing <lcdpublishing@...> wrote:

> Okay good!  The reason I am using the copper legends
> for text etc. 
> is that my PCB layout software can't mirror image
> the text for the 
> silk screen information.