What size do I print this board at?

[gutsofgold]

I'm etching my first board and I highly doubt this needs to be the 7" x 5" size that it prints out at. 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/timie/HidrosisPCB.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/timie/HidrosisOverlay.jpg

How do I know the 'proper' size to print this so the solder pads are the correct size?

[GREEN FUZ]

On the overlay diagram it indicates that the width should be 2 inches. Whether this refers to the overall size or the line under the diagram I really couldn`t say. Reducing it to 2 inches certainly gets you in the ballpark. I suggest printing it out at this size then matching components to the holes to see how closely they compare. You can then tweak it slightly if it`s too far off. You`ll probably have to increase the resolution of the jpeg while you`re at it to preserve detail. 600 ppi should be acceptable. Good luck.

[Sock Puppet]

If you can get it into Photoshop then simultaneously adjust the image size to 110% and 300d.p.i. then that should work.

FWIW, the line underneath then measures 2.05 inches & the pads line up perfectly on the 0.1 inch grid.

S.

[gutsofgold]

I appreciate the help, could you explain how to change the dpi in photoshop? I can change the resolution but I think thats different.

[GREEN FUZ]

I appreciate the help, could you explain how to change the dpi in photoshop? I can change the resolution but I think thats different.

resolution/dpi/ppi, same difference.

....adjust the image size to 110% and 300d.p.i.....

Doesn`t that just make the image bigger?

[gutsofgold]

Doesn`t that just make the image bigger?

That's what I thought (and thats what it did too).

[snoof]

check this thread out for resize info...

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=44838.msg415909#msg415909

[tranceracer]

If you don't have photo shop you may want to try and open it up in Microsoft Paint. 

Go to File>Print Setup> and adjust the resolution. Adjust to: 100% and work your way from there.  "Fit to Page" will enlarge the pic to the size of the page.

-tR

[gutsofgold]

I appreciate the help but that doesn't really answer my question.

Sock Puppet told me to size the image to 110% with a resolution of 300 dpi. That makes my already too big image even larger.

[Sock Puppet]

O.K. Here's what I did.

Open the PCB image in Photoshop then click on Image>Image Size

With constrain proportions checked, click the drop down menu on "Width" and select Percent.

Change this from 100 to 110%, the Height will adjust too.

Now edit the resolution to 300 pixels/inch and click OK.

The image size should now be 704 by 523 pixels or 2.347 by 1.743 inches.

S.

[tranceracer]

Just tested the Microsoft Paint method:
1. down loaded the image to PC
2. open image in MSPaint
3. go to File, Print Setup...
4. Adjust to: 25%

You can change the size of the trace to match the componets by adjusting the percentage (Adjust to:___) field.
See print out below...



That's an AA battery for scale.

Did this in less than 3 minutes.

-tR

[slacker]

Sock Puppet's method should work. When I open the image on my machine and check its properties it's at 72 DPI and is 640 pixels wide, if you print it at 72 DPI then it will be 640/72 = 8.8 inches wide.
If you resize it to 704 pixels wide and print it at 300 DPI then it should be 704/300 = 2.34 inches wide. It might look bigger on the screen but if you print it at 300 DPI it will come out the right size.