Photo tutorial on how to make Printed Circuit boards

[GREEN FUZ]

I must have been very lucky with my first attempt. Using a laser print on Inkjet paper the paper peeled away from the copper board with hardly any soaking at all. The impression left was almost perfect but needed some touching up with a cd pen.

[jrem]

you guys drill after etching?  I haven't had much success with that, as I end up peeling the copper off as the bit tries to cut.

I typically mark the hole-to-be with a center punch then drill.  The center punch keeps the drill from walking (no drill press).

[GREEN FUZ]

This will make you laugh! I don`t use a drill. I just use the bit and twiddle it between my thumb and forefinger in a drilling motion till it`s been worked through the board. Takes an age but it does the job.

When I purchased the bit the guy in the shop tried to sell me some sort of handle for making it easier. Wish I`d bought it now`

[John Lyons]

Oh man! are you serious. I can't imagine doing that. If you smoked that's like carring around a couple pieces of flint and a wad of wood shavings every time you light up.
It's about time you have yourself a small inductrial revolution and at least buy a drill if not a derill press.
And I though it took a while to drill a univibe board with the drill press...

The staples paper has a good bit of coating even on the back so soaking a while it is fairly crucial. Funny cause the old stuff with the same number had a plain paper backing and it soaked through right away.

JOhn

[GREEN FUZ]

buy a drill

Amen to that!!!!

[John Lyons]

Someone kick me until I use the spell checker!

Yes, I always drill after etching.
Keys to clean holes: Fastest rotation speed, sharp bits. drill press, slow drilling rate (how fast the hole takes to be drilled)
#65 bits are about standard. Larger (smaller number) for larger wires and fat diode leads. Smaller for resistor and small cap leads.

John

[QSQCaito]

John, thanks a lot. One more doubt, maybe I skipped it... But, I haven't seen around how much time do you iron it??

I ask this because in some tutorials I see 5 min, and in others 20. Which is quite a huge difference.

I'd like to know you, that made a zillion PCB's more than me, which is the time that gives the better results for you.

Thanks a lot

bye bye


DAC


Don't dispose it to were you wash your dishes, or something metallic. If it can eat copper, it'll probably eat your plumbing. I just dispose it to the ground, backyard.

Bye-

[John Lyons]

I iron for about 5 minutes or less. Linen setting. Making sure to iron every part of the board with the tip of the iron as well as the flat whole bottom of the iron. The paper usually is yellowed from the heat.

John

[davepedals]

Hi John,


Do you still have the tutorial available? sure would like to read it. Getting a 400 error on your page  . Looked on your homepage on the main stage still couldn't find any link to it. Thank you.   Yes I realize this topic is  10 years old ha ha!


Dave

[davent]

My old link must be the same because it's not working either but John still has this page on his site. I can't remember what i used to see as his tutorial.

http://www.basicaudio.net/how-to-make-pcbs.php

dave

[davepedals]

Thanks! I wanted to look it over to see how some other people do their own pcb's. I posted a mini tutorial myself today of the method I'm now using, which works for me better than anything I've ever tried. But nevertheless, always curious how other people develop and etch their boards.  I remember discovering how using a sponge on a PCB ferric chloride greatly speeds the etching, what I'm doing now I have no need for a sponge as my etching is even faster now. Thanks again . – Dave