Re: Homemade PCBs!

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Ben McMillen <spoonman534-at-yahoo-dot-com> 

If you want to go even cheaper, it is possible to use the toner transfer 
method to get your artwork transferred to a baord.. They beauty of this 
system is that you only need some semi-glossy paper, a laser printer, and 
an old iron..

You'll have to exerpiment with different types of paper (and brands) to get 
one that works best, but once you find the right one, the results are 
excellent..

What you'll want to do is create your artwork with Eagle Cad as mentioned 
below, export an image, and then print it to a piece of the semi-glossy 
paper with the toner density turned up as high as it will go..

Then take a clean (must be very clean) piece of PC board cut to the size of 
the finished board.. Lay a sheet of paper over the clean board (copper side 
up) and heat with the iron (set to the 'wool' setting) for 3 minutes.. then 
remove the sheet of paper and apply your artwork pattern to the surface of 
the baord.. You'll want to be careful with this step.. once the toner comes 
in contact with the hot surface of the board, it will stick instantly.. 
once the pattern is in place, recover with the sheet of paper and heat for 
anohter 30 seconds.. Set aside to cool for about a minute or so.. then 
carefully peel off the paper once the board is cool enough to hold..

That's it!

This is a bit tricky for double sided boards, which I haven't quite 
mastered yet.. I usually stick to single sided boards and use jumpers on 
the layout to get everything routed properly..

You should be able to get excellent quality boards at no more than the cost 
of the paper, etchant, and board! (unless you don't have access to a laser 
printer)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.. I've made hundreds of boards 
this way..

Coiling In Pittsburgh
Ben McMillen


Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
Original poster: "Jim Mitchell"

Or for about the same price it costs to get all the materials and things to
do photo etching, you can have 10, 3X5 soldermask and silkscreened boards
for 65$....

Regards - Jim Mitchell
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list"
To:
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 8:53 PM
Subject: Re: Homemade PCBs!


 > Original poster: Matthew Smith
 >
 > Eric ("Hydrogen18") writes:
 > >I'm looking to make some homemade PCB's for a voltage multiplier, whats
 > >the best way to do this? I've seen those kits where you draw everything,
 > >but that seems pretty tedious. Is their a better way to do it at home?
 > >Also, what kind of circuit board do I want to buy? Thanks.
 >
 > Ma! tthew replies:
 >
 > I use PCBs for all prototypes - they are NOT hard to make once you get the
 > hang of it. I use a simple photolithographic process with all home-made
 > equipment.
 >
 > Note that a PCB will be more reliable and easier to trouble-shoot than
 > prototypes using solderless breadboard or ratsnesting.
 >
 > Now that I've got my technique down to pat and have got the optimum
 > exposure times, etc., I can throw a board together in very little
 > time. I'm even starting to use some SMD components now.
 >
 > Abbreviated steps are:
 > 1) Produce artwork on a transparency. This could be hand-drawn or
produced
 > by CAD software such as Eagle .
 > 2) Acquire PCB stock coated with positive photoresist.
 > 3) Cut stock to size if required.
 > 4) Contact print artwork onto PCB stock with UV source
 > 5) Develop board with sodium metasilicate solution (ea! sier to use than
NaOH).
 > 6) Wash board
 > 7) Etch with ammonium persulphate solution. This is far nicer to work
with
 > than ferric chloride.
 > 8) Wash board
 > 9) Drill (unless SMD ;-)
 > 10) When ready to solder, remove remaining photoresist with acetone. (It
 > protects the board in the meantime)
 > 11) - optional - flux and tin traces or use humungously expensive tinning
 > compound ;-)
 > 12) Assemble and solder
 > 13) Clean off flux residues
 > 14) Step back and admire your work :)
 >
 > Exposure, developing and etching can easily be done in under half an hour.
 >
 > One very important tip that I received from a member of this list (think
it
 > was Dan Mccauley) is: remember to put plenty of test points on your
 > artwork, especially if this is a prototype!
 >
 > Contact me off-list if you want to know any specifics, like how to make a
 > UV exposure unit, etc.
 >
 > Cheers
 >
 > M
 >
 > --
 > Matthew Smith
 > Kadina Business Consultancy
 > South Australia
 > http://www.kbc-dot-net.au
 >
 >
 >


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