Good Day,
There is an alternative method to the two methods of manufacturing printed circuit board you mentioned, and that is the draw by hand method. I used that method to make my two amplifiers (stereo). It's a relatively time-consuming task and requires a fair bit of patience. But you can correct a mistake before etching the board. All you need is a permanent ink marker. Just draw on the board the tracks and place the board in Ferric Chloride solution.
There is an alternative method to the two methods of manufacturing printed circuit board you mentioned, and that is the draw by hand method. I used that method to make my two amplifiers (stereo). It's a relatively time-consuming task and requires a fair bit of patience. But you can correct a mistake before etching the board. All you need is a permanent ink marker. Just draw on the board the tracks and place the board in Ferric Chloride solution.
Yahoo has a PCB Bulletin board/group --
I have done small boards on an HP Plotter -- but you have to own a plotter! You can do the same by hand as suggested above -- you need a water-proof marker.
you can also "dead-bug" your designs -- tack the IC's to the copper with a bit of hot-melt adhesive and wire the components in the air -- in fact this method results in very low parasitic capacitance and ham radio operators use it for prototypes of all sorts of equipment even into the VHF region.
I have done small boards on an HP Plotter -- but you have to own a plotter! You can do the same by hand as suggested above -- you need a water-proof marker.
you can also "dead-bug" your designs -- tack the IC's to the copper with a bit of hot-melt adhesive and wire the components in the air -- in fact this method results in very low parasitic capacitance and ham radio operators use it for prototypes of all sorts of equipment even into the VHF region.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Hi jackinnj
I am considering building a phono stage, maybe "dead bug"[ interesting and comical expression. I have some thin copper sheet, also that thin brown [fiberglas?] board. Would these be suitable for the dead bug method? There will be an opamp socket to attach.
cheers
doggy
I am considering building a phono stage, maybe "dead bug"[ interesting and comical expression. I have some thin copper sheet, also that thin brown [fiberglas?] board. Would these be suitable for the dead bug method? There will be an opamp socket to attach.
cheers
doggy
Attachments
Note: I have no connection whatsoever with the companies mentioned in the following post.
I use to use the Peel'n'Press Blue paper and to good results, but often not very consistant from one time to the next.
http://www.techniks.com/
I recently switched to Toner Transfer System from Pulsar and the results are even better. Really consistant. And I also bought the toner applicator (A GBC plastifier I modified following their instruction) and it cut a lot of the guess work about the ironing part of the process.
http://www.pulsar.gs/
With this method and a DIY etching tank I get PCB's in around half an hour turn time including the tank warm up time.
Hard to beat and incredibly cheap!
Hope this helps!
Sébastien
I use to use the Peel'n'Press Blue paper and to good results, but often not very consistant from one time to the next.
http://www.techniks.com/
I recently switched to Toner Transfer System from Pulsar and the results are even better. Really consistant. And I also bought the toner applicator (A GBC plastifier I modified following their instruction) and it cut a lot of the guess work about the ironing part of the process.
http://www.pulsar.gs/
With this method and a DIY etching tank I get PCB's in around half an hour turn time including the tank warm up time.
Hard to beat and incredibly cheap!
Hope this helps!
Sébastien
I've have used the laser printer & inkjet paper way for years with excellent results.
See my link at Head-fi forum
http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1050161&postcount=3
See my link at Head-fi forum
http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1050161&postcount=3
I use the toner transfer method too, but I have found it to be very sensitive to the type of photo paper. I had to try many types before I found one that worked well. Most of them either wouldn't transfer well or the paper stuck too hard to the PCB after transfer. I eventually settled on a very cheap paper, which turned out best.
If you have problem with this method, have patience and try a few different types of papers. Use the same piece of PCB for the experiments. you don't have to etch it when you are experimenting with papers. After each transfer, just scrub off all paper and toner and try the next paper, or the same again, using different temperature and pressure.
If you have problem with this method, have patience and try a few different types of papers. Use the same piece of PCB for the experiments. you don't have to etch it when you are experimenting with papers. After each transfer, just scrub off all paper and toner and try the next paper, or the same again, using different temperature and pressure.
Another suggestion
Hello everyone,
After reading a lot, this is my first post on DIYaudio. I have been experimenting a lot with homemade PCB's and I found it is not worth the hassle. I ended up buying a non-profit licence for Eagle PCB from Cadsoft. It took a while to get familiar with the program, and generally learning the trade of decent PCB design, but I found it to be well worth the time and effort. The completed layout can be emailed to a boardhouse. Olimex has very competitive prices, for $33 you have a double sided Euro PCB with metallized via's, solder mask on both sides and a component print (silkscreen). A single side board with the same features costs about $26. The results are superior to anything you can make at home, and additionally, you don't have to mess with chemicals that can stain your skin, clothing of furniture.
It took me a while to realize this, but unless you really enjoy pattern transfer, etching, drilling and mucking around with chemicals, having them made professionally is the better way IMHO. The added bonus is that a double sided PCB now enters the realm of possibilities.
Regards,
Jurgen
Hello everyone,
After reading a lot, this is my first post on DIYaudio. I have been experimenting a lot with homemade PCB's and I found it is not worth the hassle. I ended up buying a non-profit licence for Eagle PCB from Cadsoft. It took a while to get familiar with the program, and generally learning the trade of decent PCB design, but I found it to be well worth the time and effort. The completed layout can be emailed to a boardhouse. Olimex has very competitive prices, for $33 you have a double sided Euro PCB with metallized via's, solder mask on both sides and a component print (silkscreen). A single side board with the same features costs about $26. The results are superior to anything you can make at home, and additionally, you don't have to mess with chemicals that can stain your skin, clothing of furniture.
It took me a while to realize this, but unless you really enjoy pattern transfer, etching, drilling and mucking around with chemicals, having them made professionally is the better way IMHO. The added bonus is that a double sided PCB now enters the realm of possibilities.
Regards,
Jurgen
demons_wing said:
Well, I obviously don't know where to get it in Australia. However, the brand they sell here is the British made Electrolube. Checking their site, it seem they don't have a sales office in Australia though. But there ought to be some other brand available, I think. Hope the other australians here can help you.
We've built up quite a good system here for Press'n'Peel.
Its a temperature controlled hotplate (old electric frypan thingy sanded dead flat), attached to a vacuum pump, with a silicone baking sheet that seals over the top. You heat the hotplate (130C works for us), lay on a sandwich of cloth / PnP+laminate / cloth, then add the silicone sheet and turn on the vacuum! The vacuum gives a nice even 15 pounds / sq.in. over the whole board. When the heat comes through the silicone (to about 90C) the board is cooked. Then its peel and etch as usual.
We regularly use this for making doublesided Kapton flex PCBs with 10 mil track / space (because its way faster and way cheaper than commercial prototypes).
Just last week I had a crack at a paste stencil, using thin brass sheet. It worked, but needs some refining.
Its a temperature controlled hotplate (old electric frypan thingy sanded dead flat), attached to a vacuum pump, with a silicone baking sheet that seals over the top. You heat the hotplate (130C works for us), lay on a sandwich of cloth / PnP+laminate / cloth, then add the silicone sheet and turn on the vacuum! The vacuum gives a nice even 15 pounds / sq.in. over the whole board. When the heat comes through the silicone (to about 90C) the board is cooked. Then its peel and etch as usual.
We regularly use this for making doublesided Kapton flex PCBs with 10 mil track / space (because its way faster and way cheaper than commercial prototypes).
Just last week I had a crack at a paste stencil, using thin brass sheet. It worked, but needs some refining.
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