PCB advice...

[KamPutty]

Hi all,

I would like to create my own PCB's at home. I've created/designed PCB's and had the board created for me, but I would like to do the same, but at home.

Here is what I know about the subject.

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Okay, now that we have that clear...

Is there a setup where I can print my layout, then put this on a PCB, say some magic, or do something magical, and have a PCB all made?

What is a good starter kit? I want to make some single sided pcb's...

~Kam (^8*

[chopsuey]

Kam,

I have had success with this technique.

http://www.5bears.com/pcb.htm

[philba]

there are many many web sites on home fabrication of PCBs.

I have made a lot via toner transfer over the last couple of years. Your first one will probably not come out that well. But keep trying and you find that after a couple of boards, you can pop them out quite reliably. I've gotten to the point where I do dolble sided boards with at least an 80% success rate. I often make two so if the first one fails, the second one probably wont.

What i really like is I can design a board and be stuffing it the same day. sure there are some limitations but I've created some pretty complex designs.

Here are some links that are pretty good.
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
http://www.mnsi.net/~boucher/makepcbs.htm
http://www.solarbotics.net/library/tech ... rnsfr.html
http://www.headwize.com/projects/garbz2_prj.php
http://nedkonz.dhs.org:8080/Ned/56

what you will find is that there are a myriad of ways to do it. So don't worry if you are doing it right - there is no one "right" way.

[zotdoc]

try http:/www.pulsar.gs the site has a lot of info on quick and easy techniques that I have used and the work pretty well.

[zotdoc]

I just discovered today that you can get a plastic basting brush and using it to gently brush down the board while it is in the amonium perchlorate greatly reduces the time and cleans away the finest copper strips between the traces without messing up the mask. Thought I'd pass it on.

[zotdoc]

sorry, that's amonium persulphate. NOT perchlorate.

[philba]

oh, great, more diatribes on explosives...

I use a bubbler in my etch tank. Just a cheap aquarium air pump. It causes etcant circulation and speeds the etching along. I also use an aquarium heater (hacked) to heat up the etchant. AP at 120-130F etches pretty fast.

Phil