Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Home made PCBs

P

Periproct

Jan 1, 1970
0
I guess this topic has probably been thrashed out many times here
but........

I'd really like to move away from Veroboard and make my own PCBs.

I have fallen in love with Marix Multimedia's Technodrill, a sort of mini
three axis CNC machine which mills the copper from the board but the price
is way out of my league.(
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/articles/Engineering.pdf page 9)

Bearing in mind I'll probably only be making the occasional small board I
seem to have two choices. Press and Peel and photo resist boards.

Having read the instructions on the back of a pack of Press and Peel in
Maplins (I'm in the UK) it warns of the tracks 'spreading' if you press too
hard with the iron so it doesn't sound like a foolproof method. It also
mentions 'topping up' the tracks with a etch resist pen if they don't adhere
to the board. I also wonder if you can send a sheet of Press and Peel
through a laser printer a second time if you've only used a small portion of
the sheet.

Photo resist sounds good as (I assume) you can print onto easily available
overhead projection film but (again I'm assuming) will need another chemical
to etch the photoresist from the board before you etch the copper. More
trips to Maplin only to find they are out of stock, unless you can get the
right stuff from the chemist.

Any tips from the PCB makers on here?

Regards
 
C

CWatters

Jan 1, 1970
0
Periproct said:
Any tips from the PCB makers on here?

Look at the prices of some of the on-line PCB fab houses. Much less hastle
to have the boards made for you. You can get very good deals on single sided
or double sided Eurocard (160 x 100) PCB. Even double sided PTH boards
aren't that expensive. Bit more if you want solder resist and silkscreen. If
your board is smaller you can fit several onto one blank etc. You don't need
fancy CAD systems. Several will give you one free and there is even one
that's extreemly simple to use..

Just a few examples I had to hand..

http://www.pcb-pool.com/ppuk/info.html?PHPSESSID=ee986719fa5ee6ba43cccc8158649fbe

http://www.expresspcb.com/index.htm
 
T

Tomi Holger Engdahl

Jan 1, 1970
0
Periproct said:
I guess this topic has probably been thrashed out many times here
but........

I'd really like to move away from Veroboard and make my own PCBs.

I have fallen in love with Marix Multimedia's Technodrill, a sort of mini
three axis CNC machine which mills the copper from the board but the price
is way out of my league.(
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/articles/Engineering.pdf page 9)

Bearing in mind I'll probably only be making the occasional small board I
seem to have two choices. Press and Peel and photo resist boards.

Having read the instructions on the back of a pack of Press and Peel in
Maplins (I'm in the UK) it warns of the tracks 'spreading' if you press too
hard with the iron so it doesn't sound like a foolproof method.

This is not a foolproof method, but can work acceptably on some
cases where circuit boards are not too demanding.
It also
mentions 'topping up' the tracks with a etch resist pen if they don't adhere
to the board. I also wonder if you can send a sheet of Press and Peel
through a laser printer a second time if you've only used a small portion of
the sheet.

I have not tested this myself. I have my doubts on that.
Most propably running this kind of sheet through the laser
printer second time is not a good idea.
Photo resist sounds good as (I assume) you can print onto easily available
overhead projection film

Photoresists is good method that I have used many times.
With proper tools it works very well and is a reliable method.
but (again I'm assuming) will need another chemical
to etch the photoresist from the board before you etch the copper.

Yes.

The chemical to "etch" the photoresist from the circuit board
is NaOH. You can get that from chemistry shops.
Also many "drain pipe opener" chemicals I have seen in my countru
(I live in Finland) consist mostly of NaOH and water (plus small amount
some other chemicals). Some people have used those also as
this photoresist "etch" chemical (suitable mount of water
and "pipe opener").
More trips to Maplin only to find they are out of stock,
unless you can get the
right stuff from the chemist.

You can get NaOH from chemist. It is a very commonly used chemical.
Any tips from the PCB makers on here?

Check information and links at
http://www.epanorama.net/links/basics.html#pcb



Here is my older posting on making circuit boards posted
May 9 2005:

Newsgroups: sci.electronics.misc
Subject: Re: Home made PCB
References: <[email protected]>

Dan Messenger said:
Hi,
I've been making electronic circuits for a while, mostly using Vero
Board / Strip Board for final construction. I really wanna move on
and start making my own PCBs.

For information on this field take a look at
http://www.epanorama.net/links/basics.html#pcb
How expensive is the equipment for this? My boards will probably be
no bigger than a few inches square.

This depends on the process you plan to use, how good equipment
you want etc..

Tou can start making simple circuit boards with tools
that cost less than 100 Euros. But using those you can't
get best quality, there is lots of hand work and slow process..

For best quality you need much more expensive tools.
What is the cheapest way to get me started in this? Can anybody
recommend any UK suppliers of equipment? What equipment do I need?

I do not have a recommendation for cheap UK supply.
You can get all the needed thigns from RS Components
http://www.rs-components.com/index.html but this is not
a cheap place to buy many things. But they have
a very good selection of all kinds of electronics items.

For ideas what tools you need read article links on circuit
board making at http://www.epanorama.net/links/basics.html#pcb

Tools for normal "photocopy" method are the following:

- photo sensitive circuit board material
- suitable UV light source for transfering image from "film" to
the cirucit board
- suitable development solution (typically NaOH) and suitable
thigns where you can do the development and store chemicals
- suitable etchant (Ferricloride, etc..) and suitable container
where you ca do the etching
- small drill with sutiable bits to drill tho holes to circuit board
(a suitable drill holder is a good idea to have)

Those are the basic tools.
And the "film" can be for example a cirucit board layout on
maghazine page, circuit board image printed to paper,
printed/photocopied to transparency film etc..
 
P

Periproct

Jan 1, 1970
0
Tomi Holger Engdahl said:
This is not a foolproof method, but can work acceptably on some
cases where circuit boards are not too demanding.


I have not tested this myself. I have my doubts on that.
Most propably running this kind of sheet through the laser
printer second time is not a good idea.


Photoresists is good method that I have used many times.
With proper tools it works very well and is a reliable method.


Yes.

The chemical to "etch" the photoresist from the circuit board
is NaOH. You can get that from chemistry shops.
Also many "drain pipe opener" chemicals I have seen in my countru
(I live in Finland) consist mostly of NaOH and water (plus small amount
some other chemicals). Some people have used those also as
this photoresist "etch" chemical (suitable mount of water
and "pipe opener").


You can get NaOH from chemist. It is a very commonly used chemical.


Check information and links at
http://www.epanorama.net/links/basics.html#pcb



Here is my older posting on making circuit boards posted
May 9 2005:

Newsgroups: sci.electronics.misc
Subject: Re: Home made PCB
References: <[email protected]>



For information on this field take a look at
http://www.epanorama.net/links/basics.html#pcb


This depends on the process you plan to use, how good equipment
you want etc..

Tou can start making simple circuit boards with tools
that cost less than 100 Euros. But using those you can't
get best quality, there is lots of hand work and slow process..

For best quality you need much more expensive tools.


I do not have a recommendation for cheap UK supply.
You can get all the needed thigns from RS Components
http://www.rs-components.com/index.html but this is not
a cheap place to buy many things. But they have
a very good selection of all kinds of electronics items.

For ideas what tools you need read article links on circuit
board making at http://www.epanorama.net/links/basics.html#pcb

Tools for normal "photocopy" method are the following:

- photo sensitive circuit board material
- suitable UV light source for transfering image from "film" to
the cirucit board
- suitable development solution (typically NaOH) and suitable
thigns where you can do the development and store chemicals
- suitable etchant (Ferricloride, etc..) and suitable container
where you ca do the etching
- small drill with sutiable bits to drill tho holes to circuit board
(a suitable drill holder is a good idea to have)

Those are the basic tools.
And the "film" can be for example a cirucit board layout on
maghazine page, circuit board image printed to paper,
printed/photocopied to transparency film etc..

Thank you both for the advice.
(I missed a UV box on Ebay earlier this week because I didn't think I'd have
any use for it).
I think I may start with the Press and Peel method. It cuts out the
developer so one less chemical.
 
C

Christopher

Jan 1, 1970
0
Bearing in mind I'll probably only be making the occasional small board I
seem to have two choices. Press and Peel and photo resist boards.

Having read the instructions on the back of a pack of Press and Peel in
Maplins (I'm in the UK) it warns of the tracks 'spreading' if you press too
hard with the iron so it doesn't sound like a foolproof method. It also
mentions 'topping up' the tracks with a etch resist pen if they don't adhere
to the board. I also wonder if you can send a sheet of Press and Peel
through a laser printer a second time if you've only used a small portion of
the sheet.

Photo resist sounds good as (I assume) you can print onto easily available
overhead projection film but (again I'm assuming) will need another chemical
to etch the photoresist from the board before you etch the copper. More
trips to Maplin only to find they are out of stock, unless you can get the
right stuff from the chemist.

Any tips from the PCB makers on here?


If you can draw your board layout and print it in reverse on a laser
printer then the method I use and show others is quick and flawless
once you understand the method. It can be just a thirty minute etch &
drill process.

http://www.oldtemecula.com/theremin/board-etching.htm

Good Luck,

* * *
Christopher

Temecula CA.USA
http://www.oldtemecula.com
 
M

Mike Harrison

Jan 1, 1970
0
I guess this topic has probably been thrashed out many times here
but........

I'd really like to move away from Veroboard and make my own PCBs.

I have fallen in love with Marix Multimedia's Technodrill, a sort of mini
three axis CNC machine which mills the copper from the board but the price
is way out of my league.(
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/articles/Engineering.pdf page 9)

Bearing in mind I'll probably only be making the occasional small board I
seem to have two choices. Press and Peel and photo resist boards.

Having read the instructions on the back of a pack of Press and Peel in
Maplins (I'm in the UK) it warns of the tracks 'spreading' if you press too
hard with the iron so it doesn't sound like a foolproof method. It also
mentions 'topping up' the tracks with a etch resist pen if they don't adhere
to the board. I also wonder if you can send a sheet of Press and Peel
through a laser printer a second time if you've only used a small portion of
the sheet.

Photo resist sounds good as (I assume) you can print onto easily available
overhead projection film but (again I'm assuming) will need another chemical
to etch the photoresist from the board before you etch the copper. More
trips to Maplin only to find they are out of stock, unless you can get the
right stuff from the chemist.

1) use precoated photoresist boards.
2) Laser print onto tracing paper, not OHP film
3) use a silicate based developer, not hydroxide.

More info and explanations here :
www.electricstuff.co.uk/pcbs.html
 
P

Periproct

Jan 1, 1970
0
Just a quick 'thank you' to all who have given advice.
 
Top