First Etched Board. Pretty Good Job I Think.

[KerryF]

Hey guys.  I finally got to etching a board.  I had read up on everything on how to do it and got everything I needed.  The ironing took a while to get a good stick from the transparency paper, but it finally stuck.  Then I went over most of it with a sharpie to make sure it was good.  I heated up the etchant for 30 seconds and then got the board in it.  The etching went VERY fast, almost too fast (15 minutes maximum).  So check out the pictures:












My name, the circuit name, and the number all turned out pretty nice on there.
Kerry

[rockgardenlove]

My name is on there somewhat too.   

Anyways, get some PNP Blue man.  I used to use overhead sheets too.  No comparison.  It doesn't look like all your toner is transferring, that happened to me too.  PNP makes it work ever so much better.

[KerryF]

^-haha yea your name is somewhat on there.   

I will get PNP Blue when I order from Small Bear again.  I just wanted to do this nice and fast and it worked decently.  But I can see that the Blue stuff will work much better.

[dxm1]

I normally use ExpressPCB to layout simple boards. It likes to add that thin border strip that I see around yours. It may not be an issue, but sometimes that is an accident waiting to happen. Solder bridges are too easy... When I print to PNP, I resize the layout so that the border strip is about 1/2 inch from the nearest trace.

Congrats on a good first PCB!

[markm]

Congrats Kerry,
Welcome to the "DARK SIDE"......

[KerryF]

  Glad to join ya Mark!

[tjcombs]

That looks great!

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Holy crap! That turned out pretty damned neat. I had no idea you could use OHTs as a transfer method. That might make it a hell of a lot cheaper for me since PnP Blue costs $35 for 5 sheets here in Oz!

[KerryF]

^-Thanks.  Yea, you can use trancparencies.  I used the normal kind, not the laser jet kind.  But, after I ironed on the ink, I went over it all with a Sharpie just to be sure that the traces were good.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Yeah, I usually have to touch up mine with a circuit marker pen anyway. I seriously have to try this method

[KerryF]

Cool.  I drilled it and started putting the components in.  Anyone know a good replacement for an LM386?

[Meanderthal]

 Better add the LM386 to that smallbear order... it's not like an op-amp where you can plug in 500 substitutes. I think the substitute is LMC386 or NJM386, (JRC386) that's it.

[KerryF]

^-Yup, too bad crappy Radioshack sells 'em...

Progress picture:


Kerry

[KerryF]

Second etched board done today.  For another one of my designs.  The Vintage Boost.



Shouldnt take long to drill and populate.

[guyg]

Cool, looks good..

is that just regular transparent paper you pringted with a regular printer?

[KerryF]

its regular overhead trancparency paper printed with an ink jet printer.  which is laser.

[sfr]

When I have a large area of excess board around my circuit, I usually cut it off before etching, or if I want to keep it, mask it off with paintpen or something before etching.  Saves a bit of etchant not having to etch a few square inches of copper around the outside of areas of the board you aren't using.  Of course, now that area is all copper, so you have to be careful about bridging over to it by accident if you didn't mean to, and it coming into contact with pot, switch and jack lugs if the board isn't secure.  Whether it saves enough etchant for the extra effort I don't know, but I just thought I'd mention it.

Looks great, by the way.  PCBs make everything so much easier, IMHO, although when you start using a lot of ICs, drilling all those holes gets tedious.

[Barcode80]

um, a printer is EITHER ink jet or laser, not both.

[KerryF]

^-whatever, laser.  sorry. 

Ok, I finished the board I etched today, The Vintage Boost.  Sounds amazing!  The treble boost is great for sparkling up a clean sound, and the full gain boost is the best for Clapton, Floyd, and Santana tones.  It has the SMOOTHest overdrive, especially with the volume knob down to 8 and on the bass pickup.

Heres pictures of the finished product:



Kerry

[rockgardenlove]

While you're ordering those 386s grab a few of the Smallbear drill bits.  Soldering is much easier if the component leg fits the hole snugly.