Homebrew PCBs

DIY is great but at some point the use of affordable products makes sense. Pulsar paper and foil are two examples of this.

At $15 for 10 sheets the material cost for using the pulsar paper is $15/((8.5*11)*10 sheets) = $0.016 per square inch.  Add the foil and you are still under 3 cents per square inch.  

Frank, the brains behind pulsar, stands behind his existing products and works to improve the process for better results.  

The pulsar technology also allows for toner transfer silkscreens in color other then black, and with some modification to the method decals that are just colored toner.  

I do not work for Pulsar.

Daniel Johnson
aka 3v0


--- On Wed, 6/24/09, Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...> wrote:

From: Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...>
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: “Dragon’s Blood” resin reduces undercut?
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 4:22 AM

You could add starch to your own paper.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q="spray+starch"&btnG=Google+Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/colthing/r/Spray_Starch.htm






      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I switched from ferric chloride to sodium persulphate (MG Chemicals).  It is a much easier to handle are requires somewhat less care.  

I often etch single PCBs in a glass bread pan sitting on a foam rubber block while read mail.  A slight rocking of the pan is enough to keep the etchant moving.   I heat the etchant to about 130 degrees prior to starting.  Depending on how worn out the etchant is I may have to reheat.

One of these day I should make a real etching tank. 

The heavier the copper is the more you will have undercutting. This post on Electrotech has some images of a PCB I was working on a while back.  Compare the edges to what you are getting.

http://www.electro-tech-online.com/chit-chat/86683-cricut-2.html#post674243

--- On Thu, 6/25/09, jc805sb <jc805sb@...> wrote:

From: jc805sb <jc805sb@...>
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: “Dragon’s Blood” resin reduces undercut?
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009, 3:58 AM





Yes thanks - I got all the Pulsar stuff recently and have

finished etching 2 boards using the starch paper and the

Green laminating paper.  Also I got the pulsar-recommended

laminator which is amazing, I should have tried it sooner.



The results so far look much better esp. using the 

Green plastic, the resulting copper is very solid, no 

pock marks.  Though the edges are quite jagged.



I am using HCl + H2O2 etchant and have so far not tried

the sponge method.  My etch times are definitely too slow

considering these are very small boards.



> 
	 
	
	








	


	
	


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Daniel Johnson <a3v03v0@...> wrote:
>
> I switched from ferric chloride to sodium persulphate (MG Chemicals).  It is a much easier to handle are requires somewhat less care.  
> 
> I often etch single PCBs in a glass bread pan sitting on a foam rubber block while read mail.  A slight rocking of the pan is enough to keep the etchant moving.   I heat the etchant to about 130 degrees prior to starting.  Depending on how worn out the etchant is I may have to reheat.
> 
> One of these day I should make a real etching tank. 
> 
> The heavier the copper is the more you will have undercutting. This post on Electrotech has some images of a PCB I was working on a while back.  Compare the edges to what you are getting.
> 
> http://www.electro-tech-online.com/chit-chat/86683-cricut-2.html#post674243
> 


How are you heating the etchant?


Have you tried "sponging" the surface or not bothered with
trying it?


Also, do you keep your boards etching copper up, or copper down.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Daniel Johnson <a3v03v0@...> wrote:
>
> I switched from ferric chloride to sodium persulphate (MG Chemicals).  It is a much easier to handle are requires somewhat less care.  
> 

You should really try copper chloride.
http://members.optusnet.com.au/eseychell/PCB/etching_CuCl/index.html
Im currently making some. An extra upside is that you can use the HCL (muriatic acid) + hydrogen peroxide to etch as part of creating the copper chloride. The stuff is MUCH less scary than fcl, you can actually see your board , its environmentally friendly and it recycles itself. 7 bucks for muriatic acid and a couple bucks for hydrogen peroxide and youre set pretty much forever

Maybe I will give it a try when the SP is gone.   I like the SP because
I can etch indoors without a hood.
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Charles" <lancedulak@...> wrote:

> You should really try copper chloride.
> http://members.optusnet.com.au/eseychell/PCB/etching_CuCl/index.html
> Im currently making some. An extra upside is that you can use the HCL
(muriatic acid) + hydrogen peroxide to etch as part of creating the
copper chloride. The stuff is MUCH less scary than fcl, you can actually
see your board , its environmentally friendly and it recycles itself. 7
bucks for muriatic acid and a couple bucks for hydrogen peroxide and
youre set pretty much forever
>