Homebrew PCBs

I can drive past Circuit Specialists  in Mesa, Arizona, almost every week.
They sell chemicals and photosensitive boards. I doubt they have the lowest
prices on the entire web but they are convenient and I pay no shipping.
Yesterday I was looking at their selection of boards. They had 3" x 5"
single sided boards for $6.64. That is 44.3 cents per square inch. But they
also had 4.6" x 6.6" single sided boards for $4.49. That is 14.8 cents per
square inch. The lower priced boards come from a variety of suppliers so I
figure they are getting rid of old stock. They sure have a lot of them.

 

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/pp114.html

 

 

Rick 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On 14/02/2013 12:34, Rick Sparber wrote:
> I can drive past Circuit Specialists in Mesa, Arizona, almost every week.
> They sell chemicals and photosensitive boards. I doubt they have the lowest
> prices on the entire web but they are convenient and I pay no shipping.
> Yesterday I was looking at their selection of boards. They had 3" x 5"
> single sided boards for $6.64. That is 44.3 cents per square inch. But they
> also had 4.6" x 6.6" single sided boards for $4.49. That is 14.8 cents per
> square inch. The lower priced boards come from a variety of suppliers so I
> figure they are getting rid of old stock. They sure have a lot of them.

Photo-resist goes off after a few months, which could cause a problem 
with old stock.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:32 AM, Leon Heller <leon355@...> wrote:
>
> Photo-resist goes off after a few months, which could cause a problem
> with old stock.

When making PCBs at home, I use Kinsten pre-sensitised board.  I
haven't had a problem with photoresist going off, because I seal the
bag tight after I've cut off as much as I need, and store it in a
lightproof box.  I haven't had luck with developer though.  It seems
that once it's made up into a liquid, it doesn't keep for more than a
few weeks.

(Re the Circuit Specialists prices, their prices are about the same
for blank stock as I sell professionally made double sided, routed
silkscreened board for, including shipping :-) )

Mitch.

Mitch,

Where do you have your boards made for that price?

Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mitch Davis
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 7:35 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] relatively good prices

On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:32 AM, Leon Heller <leon355@...> wrote:
>
> Photo-resist goes off after a few months, which could cause a problem 
> with old stock.

When making PCBs at home, I use Kinsten pre-sensitised board.  I haven't had a problem with photoresist going off, because I seal the bag tight after I've cut off as much as I need, and store it in a lightproof box.  I haven't had luck with developer though.  It seems that once it's made up into a liquid, it doesn't keep for more than a few weeks.

(Re the Circuit Specialists prices, their prices are about the same for blank stock as I sell professionally made double sided, routed silkscreened board for, including shipping :-) )

Mitch.


------------------------------------

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On 14/02/2013 14:34, Mitch Davis wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:32 AM, Leon Heller leon355@...
> <mailto:leon355%40btinternet.com>> wrote:
>  >
>  > Photo-resist goes off after a few months, which could cause a problem
>  > with old stock.
>
> When making PCBs at home, I use Kinsten pre-sensitised board. I
> haven't had a problem with photoresist going off, because I seal the
> bag tight after I've cut off as much as I need, and store it in a
> lightproof box. I haven't had luck with developer though. It seems
> that once it's made up into a liquid, it doesn't keep for more than a
> few weeks.

The NaOH developer I use (2 tsps per litre) lasts indefinitely.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

Leon,

I have some marked June 2011. I'll have to test it to see if it is ok. I did
not see a "use by" date on any of my packages.

Thanks,

Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Leon Heller
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 6:33 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] relatively good prices

On 14/02/2013 12:34, Rick Sparber wrote:
> I can drive past Circuit Specialists in Mesa, Arizona, almost every week.
> They sell chemicals and photosensitive boards. I doubt they have the 
> lowest prices on the entire web but they are convenient and I pay no
shipping.
> Yesterday I was looking at their selection of boards. They had 3" x 5"
> single sided boards for $6.64. That is 44.3 cents per square inch. But 
> they also had 4.6" x 6.6" single sided boards for $4.49. That is 14.8 
> cents per square inch. The lower priced boards come from a variety of 
> suppliers so I figure they are getting rid of old stock. They sure have a
lot of them.

Photo-resist goes off after a few months, which could cause a problem with
old stock.

Leon
--
Leon Heller
G1HSM


------------------------------------

Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links

On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 2:22 AM, Leon Heller <leon355@...> wrote:
>
> The NaOH developer I use (2 tsps per litre) lasts indefinitely.

I believe my home-use developer is Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate.

Mitch.

Three people have asked me where I got Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate:

On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 2:33 AM,  someone wrote:
> Hi Mitch,
> Could you please tell me where you get the Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate. I'm having a hard time locating some.
> Thanks

I believe it's what you get when you buy Kinsten DP-50 developer.
Here's an example:

  http://www.ebay.com/itm/170952538750

Mitch.

Sodium metasilicate pentahydrate is also known as waterglass and sodium silicate. That stuff is available at many pharmacies and some farm supply stores.

Donald.
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----- Original Message -----

> From: "Mitch Davis" <mjd@...>
> To: "Homebrew PCBs" <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 10:48:13 AM
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: relatively good prices
> 
> Three people have asked me where I got Sodium Metasilicate
> Pentahydrate:
> 
> On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 2:33 AM, someone wrote:
> > Hi Mitch,
> > Could you please tell me where you get the Sodium Metasilicate
> > Pentahydrate. I'm having a hard time locating some.
> > Thanks
> 
> I believe it's what you get when you buy Kinsten DP-50 developer.
> Here's an example:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/170952538750
> 
> Mitch.
> 
>

On 15/02/13 02:22, Leon Heller wrote:
> On 14/02/2013 14:34, Mitch Davis wrote:
>> On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:32 AM, Leon Heller leon355@...
>> <mailto:leon355%40btinternet.com>>  wrote:
>>   >
>>   >  Photo-resist goes off after a few months, which could cause a problem
>>   >  with old stock.
>>
>> When making PCBs at home, I use Kinsten pre-sensitised board. I
>> haven't had a problem with photoresist going off, because I seal the
>> bag tight after I've cut off as much as I need, and store it in a
>> lightproof box. I haven't had luck with developer though. It seems
>> that once it's made up into a liquid, it doesn't keep for more than a
>> few weeks.
>
> The NaOH developer I use (2 tsps per litre) lasts indefinitely.

I use 10g/Lt NaOH as *stripper*. What do you strip with?

I use Na2CO3 sodium carbonate as developer.

On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 11:00 AM, Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...> wrote:
> On 15/02/13 02:22, Leon Heller wrote:
>> The NaOH developer I use (2 tsps per litre) lasts indefinitely.
>
> I use 10g/Lt NaOH as *stripper*. What do you strip with?
>
> I use Na2CO3 sodium carbonate as developer.

Curious.  This seems to suggest that the developer is Na2CO3:

  http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130690362878

Mitch.

I use the Na2CO3 Sodium carbonate (washing soda) for both developer and stripper. 

For developing, I use a weak solution with warm water. For stripping, a stronger solution with hot water. Just don't mix them up!


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Mitch Davis  wrote:

>
> On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 11:00 AM, Russell Shaw  wrote:
> > On 15/02/13 02:22, Leon Heller wrote:
> >> The NaOH developer I use (2 tsps per litre) lasts indefinitely.
> >
> > I use 10g/Lt NaOH as *stripper*. What do you strip with?
> >
> > I use Na2CO3 sodium carbonate as developer.
> 
> Curious.  This seems to suggest that the developer is Na2CO3:
> 
>   http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130690362878
> 
> Mitch.
>