1st time etcher- need help

[jimbob]

Ok- Im going to go ahad and give making boards a try. Ive ben buying them and perfing- but now perfing has become a pain with so many components. So today i bought ratshack etcher and a copper plated board- but i noticed it is plated on both sides. Is this right? I thought it was just supposed to be on one side. Or does the etchent just eat the other side away- leaving a place for the components?
I found a great site showing how to do this
http://www.techniks.com/how_to.htm

any help or suggestions for a newbie at this?

[MartyB]

Jimbob, you can still use it for single side - you'll just have more copper to etch away (solution won't last as long).  Tonepad has a nice tutorial also.  There have been lots of threads here on tips/technique.  Just jump in and be fearless!

[jimbob]

Thanks- that is a great tutorial. What happens to the other side that has copper on it (the place the components sit? Since its double sided) Does the ferric solution just disolve it? Im clueless.

[MartyB]

Exactly.  You're gonna have your board immersed in etchant.  Any copper surface that isn't masked with your artwork will be etched away.  For your first few boards you might want to pick up some single-sided, but what you have should work.  Tips: Do this in your shed/garage/outside.   Etch the (cut and masked board) in a ziplock baggie.  Use about 20cc for a double-sided board (estimate).  Place the baggie in a larger tray/tub/pan - preferably plastic and of no further use to your wife - containing hot water.  About half-full of water so you can slosh to mix the etchant/reactant.  This'll speed up the etching.  Wear gloves.  You can pick up the baggie out of the water to see the progress.   When you're done pour out the etchant into a disposable glass container until you figure out how you want to get rid of it.  I use an Arizona Tea bottle. Pour some cold water into the just-emptyied baggie to dilute /stop any further etching.  After retrieving the board rinse it off completely a couple of times.  Now clean up your mess, young man - then have fun drilling.
MartyB

[guitarmonky55]

i scored a cheap 1ft square board of double sided.  i always just put my board in with the design down and ignore the back.  whenever my circuit is done i use 60 grit sandpaper to remove the copper on the back.

[jimbob]

I like that simple idea! thats the plan.

[Connoisseur of Distortion]

i remember trying to get that copper off with an emery cloth  :shock:

it's a bitch. 60 grit sounds alot better