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making PCBs without an inkjet printer

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so do i sharpe on a piece of photo paper with my tracks and then iron on to the copper.............or do i just sharpie onto the copper clad than use the ferrous choride
 
so do i sharpie on a piece of photo paper with my tracks and then iron on to the copper.............or do i just sharpie onto the copper clad than use the ferrous chloride

Figured somebody ought to post a few safety and sanity points to consider...

Your ferrous chloride usually comes as crystals, and needs to be mixed with water. READ instructions and warnings completely. This can be very dangerous if you don't. Use a container with a wide opening. I use glass, rectangular baking dish, might be for bread (don't cook much). Plastic might melt, metal will corrode, use glass to mix. Measure the water you need, put it into the glass container first. Slowly add some of the crystals, just a little at a time, stir with a plastic spoon. Take your time, the faster you mix in the crystals, the more heat it generates. I let it cool off before doing anything more with it, after all the crystals are desolved. Maybe not the best storage, but I use the bottle from a quart of oil (cleaned out well), know it'll not breakdown. I use the glass baking dish for my etching tank, and nothing else.

Ferrous Chloride is poisonous. Keep it contained, clean up spills quickly (water/baking soda).

It stains everything! No known way to fix that. Choose your work space and clothing with that in mind. Will save you some grief later.

Highly corrosive, it'll eat pretty much any metal! Definitely don't dump any down the sink, even diluted. Any woman in the house will want to kill you for screwing up the chrome or stainless. Probably not too good for the pipes.

Clean up... Figure I ought to share, although not the most responsible, but really not that bad for the couple of small board a month I do. Anyway, I etch on my back porch. Use a plastic forks to handle the boards, small plastic funnel to pour the solution back into the bottle. I usually just rinse everything off out in the yard, with the garden hose and lots of water. Really shouldn't be doing that much damage to the environment. A pint of spent solution is another story, which I'm not going to expand on...
 
dont i have to do it backwords the more i think about it i think the sharpie would have to have the circuit in reverse

Yes, with through-hole components (that is, the components are on the side opposite the copper) you should print the mirror image and copy that. If none of your components has more than 3 leads (3 leads in a plane; if staggered, you will need to bend them or do the mirror image), you can probably get by without printing the mirror image. The board may look reversed to you from the component side, but should still work.

John
 
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I hate to be one of those technical jackasses, but everyone is repeating "ferrous chloride" (FeCl2) while it's ferric chloride (FeCl3) you're requesting. I've only seen it used in photolithograhy, so I'm uncertain whether it's compatible with etch resist pens. If it is, someone step in and tell us.

One chemical that is no-doubt compatible is Ammonium Persulfate. Details aside, it's etch pen compatible, clear, and doesn't form an insoluble layer of copper waste salts that other etch chemicals leave behind. Cost: $21.65 USD per 1 Liter. MGchemicals.com
 
So reading this thread, am I right in thinking it's possible to use an inkjet to print onto transparencies for UV PCB exposure?
 
So reading this thread, am I right in thinking it's possible to use an inkjet to print onto transparencies for UV PCB exposure?
I feel that the ink when tried to print on transparencies will creap and would not remain where it t was injected by Inkjet printer.

The simplest is to take the file as PDF and then get it printed at any near by facility by paying fraction of a $.
then one can follow up the toner transfer method.
David ball may perhaps re-think from this angle.
 
So reading this thread, am I right in thinking it's possible to use an inkjet to print onto transparencies for UV PCB exposure?

Absolutely. That is what I have done for years, and it used to be the preferred method (maybe still is) to avoid the tiny holes/breaks that laser printing can have.

Just be sure to use a transparency designed for Inkjet. They are different from the ones for laser only.

John
 
Yes, with through-hole components (that is, the components are on the side opposite the copper) you should print the mirror image and copy that. If none of your components has more than 3 leads (3 leads in a plane; if staggered, you will need to bend them or do the mirror image), you can probably get by without printing the mirror image. The board may look reversed to you from the component side, but should still work.

John

yeah thats what i thought
i will start off with my first board will be a basic 555 LED flasher
 
yeah i made one on a perf board but it took a long time and i know the circuit my heart. and after that i would make a 555 4017 "led chaser"
but i think i will do the toner transfer methode because i just got a laser printer. do you know of any god programs to make a schematic and turn it into a PC board.also could i just use glossy photo paper
 
i dono i have seen other ones besides eagle
i can find the free version i have a like 5 day trail

I don't think you'll find better than Eagle for free. Just download the free version; there is no time limit. The only limits are that you only get 2 layers (not a problem for most home hobbyists) and a limited board size.

The interface is a bit weird but you'll get used to it.


Torben
 
I don't think you'll find better than Eagle for free. Just download the free version; there is no time limit. The only limits are that you only get 2 layers (not a problem for most home hobbyists) and a limited board size.

The interface is a bit weird but you'll get used to it.


Torben

are there common parts(ei. LEDs common ICs transistors)
i am at school right now so i will have to wait
 
are there common parts(ei. LEDs common ICs transistors)
i am at school right now so i will have to wait

Yep. It's got a huge library of parts, and you can make new ones for any that it doesn't include by default.


Torben
 
There are lots of parts available. The only problem is finding them, as the organization is mostly by vendor. But, there are libraries of common parts, such as capacitors, resistors, diodes, etc.

Most important, any question about Eagle on this forum will get you an almost immediate answer. *

John

Edit: *Clearly evident from the cross-post by Torben and me.
 
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