Cheap and Easy Toner Transfer for PCB Making

Step 3 Etch It !

Use any kind of etchant to etch your copper board. I use Ferric Chloride. Put Ferric Chloride into Water and wait until it dissolve. Put the Copper Board into it and Wait Until All Uncover Copper Disappear.

Comments

[nightmissle]

A home-made etchant of 1 part Muriatic Acid (common 28%) to 2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide (common 3%) can be used. If Ferric Chloride is used check for it at www.jamco.com p/n 70201.
CAUTION etchants creates harmful fumes, best done outside, using proper protections.
A suggestion about how to dispose of used Ferric Chloride etching solution. A current law prohibits disposal of those chemicals in the sewer.
Before you pour it in to the sink, pour it in a plastic tank (I used a sealable freezer bag) and drop in some scraps of old steel nails, screws, small, nuts, bolts, etc., and let it stay for a few days. It will turn the hazardous mix of copper chloride and Ferric Chloride (FeCl3) into copper powder (sludge) that settles on the bottom, and a non-etching and non-corrosive solution of FeCl2.
After separation of solution of FeCl2, mix it with solution of soda (Na2CO3 used as detergent) in a flat tray lined with plastic film. It will turn FeCl2 into Fe(CO3) (insoluble rusty mud) and NaCl (harmless cooking salt). After drying outdoor whole dry rusty powder could be wrapped in plastic film and disposed of in the normal trash container.

[tomtortoise]

I was wondering where you got your ferrum chloride if you got it at a store or online and also what are some other etchants that can be used?

[ziggalo]

do you have a MarVac's store nearby? the one by my house carried ferric chloride