Making PCBs - Silicate Developer

[Devil_H@ck]

I just want to inform everyone that I updated my tutorial on how to make PCBs with info about silicate developer.

Normally I wouln't make a new thread just to tell you about an update to my site, but this silicate developer is fantastic and I think that everyone who makes PCBs should know about it (for those of you who don't make them theirselves yet, start doing so right now !).

Anyway, here's the link: http://members.lycos.nl/anthonyvh/index.php?page=pcb
Scroll down to the sentence "Now it's time to make the developer." to read about the silicate developer.

Oh, and if you notice anything wrong, tell me please.

[OliverD]

I will definitely try this developer! It was always the weakest link in my home PCB production...

In turn, you might want to try a different etchant, which is faster, cleaner and cheaper than ferric chloride.

Check here

[Devil_H@ck]

Yes, lately I had a lot problem with my PCBs. Tracks where thin and thin tracks weren't even there at all, so when I read about the silicate developer I decided to try it. Finaly I can make PCBs with small tracks again .

I'm pretty happy with the ferric chloride so far. Except for the fact that it stains everything it comes into contact with, I like it a lot. It doesn't overetch, which is pretty handy . Tell me, does this etchant of you overetch? If it doesn't I might give it a try (although with all the warnings it looks a bit dangerous).

[richie00boy]

The developer I have is Sodium Metasilicate. Do I need to do something with this or do I already have the nice stuff?

PS. As for etching I have used Sodium Persulphate with fantastic results (after sorting out an exposure/developing problem!).

[till]

anybody who could tell me a good printer/ transparency combination to make really sharp and fine lines?

[Devil_H@ck]

Originally posted by richie00boy
The developer I have is Sodium Metasilicate. Do I need to do something with this or do I already have the nice stuff?

PS. As for etching I have used Sodium Persulphate with fantastic results (after sorting out an exposure/developing problem!).

Consider yourself lucky, you have the nice stuff . This is supposed to be the formula of the concentrate: sodium metasilicate pentahydrate (Na2SiO3*5H2O) (of course the numbers should be subscript).

Originally posted by till
anybody who could tell me a good printer/ transparency combination to make really sharp and fine lines?

Hm, I don't know. I use a really crappy Epson Stylus Color 800 and the standard inktjet transparencies I can get at the store. I can make 10 mill lines, probably smaller if I really wanted to. The printer used to be good, but after 4-5 years of use it has become somewhat not so good . The lines are always a bit smeared when I print, but the UV light seems to go right through it and I can never see the smearing on the copper traces.

One thing I noticed. The black of my Epson Stylus Color is really opaque but it prints a bit smeared. At work, my father's got a laser printer and it prints much sharper, but the black isn't as opaque. However, both give perfect end results (I always put 2 printsouts above each other), so I think any inktjet/laser printer should be OK. So, I suggest you don't try the fancy PCB transparencies right away.

[OliverD]

Tell me, does this etchant of you overetch? If it doesn't I might give it a try (although with all the warnings it looks a bit dangerous)

I never had problems regarding overetching. The etchant is very fast and won't eat up your thin traces.

The warnings are there to aid the unexperienced not to hurt themselves and to comply with forum rules - pretty much the same warnings apply for ferric chloride.

[Devil_H@ck]

Then I guess I'll try it .

[jackinnj]

I'll also give it a try -- I use lab grade NaOH and if you aren't precise on the timing the board is a disaster

I have been using FeCl, but will try the peroxide HCl H2O also -- the bad thing about byproduct peroxides is that they are extremely unstable, can be explosive -- all of these etching processes release byproduct hdrogen so don't smoke!

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

What is "water glass"?