First attemp with pnp blue. (pic)

[jmdfd415]

Ok so this was my first attemp at making a pcb with pnp blue.  I have to say im pretty pleased with the results. 
http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q45/jmdfd415/?action=view&current=PICT0132.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1
The pic is kinda blury bc my camera sucks, but all the lines are perfect and very dark and nothing needs to be touched up.  Even the little letters are perfect.  I am pretty stoked about this and how easy it was.  I will post another pic tomorrow after I etch it. 

[markm]

Good job!
Gives one a sense of accomplishment huh 

[axeman010]

And so another Tube Screamer is born !!!!

Well done !

Axeman.

[zjokka]

very nice, but wait until the copper start rippling off in the etch tank after you first think nothing's happening.
and soon you're addicted, and no way back to counting out perfboard holes.

congrats
zj

[jmdfd415]

Ok just got done etching!!
Here is the pic after
http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q45/jmdfd415/?action=view&current=PICT0133.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch2

And here is the pic of the nice shiney copper after removing the pnp blue.
http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q45/jmdfd415/?action=view&current=PICT0134.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1

Sorry again for the pics being blurry.

I was suprised to see how perfect the traces came out.  Even the little words came out perfect. I think im hooked on making my own pcbs now! Now all I gotta do is drill and put the components in this weekend and add a few mods of course. 

[zjokka]

Now all I gotta do is drill and put the components in this weekend and add a few mods of course. 

now watch it, that where I succeeded in still messing up the first time. do find a way to hold the board very steady and try a heavy drill if you cannot mount it in a drill press. If you hold a heavy drill by hand it's impossible to hold it steady and the 1mm bit you need wil surely break.

I now use, as suggested on this forum, a dremel tool with 0,8mm engraving bit. You can hold it like a pen so it's relatively steady. Maybe finding a way to prepunch the holes into the copper with an icepick or so will help guide the drill and keep it in place. Keeping it in place during the initial contact is the hard part..

good luck

[markm]

I was suprised to see how perfect the traces came out.  Even the little words came out perfect. I think im hooked on making my own pcbs now!  

I'm not big on perf so IMO, this is the best way to go. 

[Barcode80]

yeah, can't wait until i don't suck at etching!

[jmdfd415]

Ive got a dremel and a #59 bit from small bear so it shouldnt be too bad and I also have a vice for the pbc to be held in.  Ive got the dremel multi pro with the variable speed.  Which speed do you guys like best for drilling pcbs?

[Dragonfly]

Ive got a dremel and a #59 bit from small bear so it shouldnt be too bad and I also have a vice for the pbc to be held in.  Ive got the dremel multi pro with the variable speed.  Which speed do you guys like best for drilling pcbs?

if i were you, i'd take the bit and "start" each hole by hand...just get a little "divot" in each place where you'd like to drill through....dremels can skip around a bit, and this will help you control the bit when drilling...

that being said, a drill press is way better, and these days can be bought for "cheap" at places like harbour freight....definitely worth the $$$ if youre gonna be doing pcb's with any regularity...

AC

[$uperpuma]

and I found the drill press bits with the larger shafts and wire size tips at drillbitcity.com ... I have gotten two packs of resharps and I am more than pleased with them

[zpyder]

quick question...
curious, why do you have 6 gnd pads on there?

zpyder

[jmdfd415]

I used an automatic centre punch on the holes and it went in pretty deep so it should be alot easier to drill now.

[jmdfd415]

I used an automatic centre punch on the holes and it went in pretty deep so it should be alot easier to drill now.

I got the layout from ggg and thats how theirs are. I think its so you dont have to have multiple wires going to jacks and stuff.  It just puts all the grounds together.  Seems like it would be easier than to have like 3 wires connected to one jack.  This way you can have one wire for your jack go to there and have all the other grounds there too.

[zpyder]

hmmm.. star grounding???  I guess....

I've just been grounding my jacks via the chassis.  Just bolt em down hard (I use Switchcraft unenclosed) with a locking washer and connection is made.  I'm sure my technique can lead the way toward ground loop issues, but I've yet to have on...

cheers,
zpyder

[Snuffy]

Wheres a good place to go get stuff printed if you don't have a laser printer?

[zpyder]

Wheres a good place to go get stuff printed if you don't have a laser printer?

I've only read this - but apparently most xerox machines use laser-printer-like toner.  so just print with inkjet or whatever, and photocopy it.  viola

i'd do a search on this forum for xerox pnp or xerox transfer or something

zpyder

[Snuffy]

I've only read this - but apparently most xerox machines use laser-printer-like toner.  so just print with inkjet or whatever, and photocopy it.  viola
zpyder

I've tried this where I had about a 3x5inch PnP rectangle taped over the right spot and when the copy came out the ink was perfect on the right side and got worse to the left, making it unusable....
Maybe it was a dud machine, though.

[sfr]

The more complicated feed mechanisms of photocopiers tend to prefer being fed a whole sheet, rather than a piece taped to paper, at least in my experience.  (The older photocopier in my house will actually jam up bad if I try and do that, and worst case scenario, you get half-melted tape stuck to the hot parts in the copier!)

I centerpunch a lot of my boards, but I've found with the boards that have a heavier copper layer on them, that if you make sure that the etchant has etched away the little holes in the center of the pads, (that part always seems to etch away last for me) that with a newer drill bit in a dremel tool, that can often act as enough of a "divot" to center the drill bit for a good etch. 

[Seljer]

I arrange all the transfers I want to print into one big PnP size page in Photoshop (have to spend some time getting the DPI right), print that then get them to photocopy it onto the entire sheet of PnP at once