The Shop > Electronics & IC Programing

How do you do your PCBs?

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John Rudd:
Guys,
In order to speed up the etching process, I warm my ferric chloride in the microwave oven....depending on the wattage of yours( 'er indoors I should say)...for 10 secs a time...and agitate the board in your etching bath....
It does make a difference.....

John.....pcb etching dept.

awemawson:
Mine not only warms the Ferric Chloride, but agitates it by pumping air bubbles from below'

Made by Mega, it has a developer tank, etch tank and tin plating tank, with water rinsing slots in between making it all very convenient - has a handy sink built in as well.

Amazing what you can pick up on eBay.  :lol:

 This is the second one I've owned. The first one got sold when I moved to reduce volume of the move itself, but this is an improvement as the last one didn't have the sink.  :thumbup:

CrazyModder:
Yes, if I am in a hurry (and the wife is not around), I simply put my etching container into a hot water bath in the kitchen. Careful not to over-etch, then.

I've made myself a bubbling device as well, but *that* was messy indeed and I just don't need that step to go fast.

But as the OP is hesistant about the method, I'd just like to point out that both of these things are completely optional and just speed things up.

John Rudd:
I ought to point out that overheating the ferric chloride is not good....
It will turn to ferrous chloride....


John....pcb etching lab services..

philf:
One method I don't think has already been mentioned is pcb transfers. Similar to Letraset you have pads, tracks etc which you rub down onto bare copper. The transfer is etch resistant. I have some of these in a drawer that I must have had for 40 years so I guess mine won't work now. Electronics magazines often used to include rub-down transfers of a whole pcb for their projects. They were printed by a local guy in Stockport.

I wouldn't like to do a very complex circuit with this method. I used it for doing pcb artworks on drawing film. We had a setup like Andrew's at work so etching was no problem.



Phil.

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