Homebrew PCBs

This was bounced back so I am posting it here.


Sean
I actually purchased my tank at Circuit Specialists.
Here is the spec sheet on it.
http://www.web-tronics.com/lowcosetsysw.html
As you can see it uses a standard fish tank heater and pump. The air is
pumped into the side at the top and it travels down the side to small holes
in the bottom its that simple.
You just want gentle agitation of the ferric chloride. Pick up the FeCl at
any radio shack. The heater need to be set till the tank is warm to the
touch. It takes only about 3-5 mins to etch the board. Use gloves and other
safety equipment.
Hope this helps
Derek

-----Original Message-----
From: duzallcnc [mailto:duzallcnc1@...]
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2002 2:29 AM
To: High Tech
Subject: Re: How I make Pcbs


Hi Derek,
   I made a tank like you described with a heater. while I was at the
store buying the heater I wondered about the pump. Is there a
particular arraingement for the output? Can you give detials of your
solder tank and its operation.
Thanks
Sean




- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "High Tech" <hightechsystems@a...> wrote:
> Hi everyone
> I thought I might share how I have been making circuit boards for
years.
> I have made 1000's of boards using a method that some do not like
but I have
> had excellent results with. First I design the board on my computer
using an
> old program that runs in dos but is very easy to use.
> I then print this out on my HP970 ink jet and make multiple copies
of the
> board.
> Then I use the blue sheets from Techniks Inc. using a copier to lay
the
> final trace to the blue sheet.
> Iron on the copper board using a setting on my iron of 3 yours
might very,
> for 1min. till the traces can be seen through the back of the blue
sheet.
> Use little pressure let the iron do the work if traces are smearing
or
> spreading then the heat is too high or your applying too much
pressure.
> You then peel the blue sheet off when it barely warm not yet cold.
If you
> have a bad trace such as a cross over this can be corrected very
easily by
> using a dental tool to scrape off the connected traces.
>
> After that I just put it in the tank that has a heater and aquarium
pump
> 3min. and you have a board.
> I dip my finished boards in a solder tank to coat the traces never
had a bad
> board.
> My boards are used on lots of equipment you don't need fancy
lettering or
> green coating, my boards are put in a box and never seen. They have
been
> working for 7years on equipment so I must be doing it right.
> There are other things I do to protect the trace such as electrical
coating
> etc.
> Hope this helps some out there get started.
> Derek B.
> High-Tech Systems