DIY Arduino or "The DIY-Duino"

THIS ENTIRE TUTORIAL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON MY WEBSITE AT
http://www.theparsley.com/arduino/diy/

To quote the Arduino website:
"Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments."

I got one a while ago and life has never been the same. Here is the official website for Arduino: http://www.arduino.cc/

There are a bunch of tutorials that show you how to build your own Arduino on a breadboard, called Hack-duinos or something similar. While these are handy, I prefer to use more solid electronic devices. So I build them with a home made PCB and solder all the components on there myself.

Some may say, "This task seems time consuming and a tad expensive... Why not just kerplunk the 30-some-odd bucks for an REAL Arduino?" Well, some of us enjoy the craziness of making something completely from scratch -- and in doing so, learning more about the device you are using.

This tutorial will take you through all the steps of making your own printed circuit board(PCB), building an Arduino or "DIY-Duino" and loading your own programs/sketches onto the board you have built.

Step 1 Materials List -- For All Steps

COMPLETE MATERIALS LIST
You will find detail on these materials throughout the specific steps of this instructable.

// ------- PCB MATERIALS LIST ------- //
Copper Board: 12" x 12"
You can buy a smaller board, if you want.
I buy the 12x12 because I use it for a lot of projects.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=055-140 

DIY-Duino Pattern sheet
Click here to download the Pattern file
You must use this file to ensure the proper resolution and size of the image.

Photo Paper
High-quality photo paper with a glossy finish is the best to use.

Laser Printer
Or copies from a place like Kinkos or Staples.

Fine grain sandpaper
To rough up the board and make it able to absorb the pattern better.

Common, houshold tape
For securing the pattern to the copper board

Piece of scrap cardboard
This will be your makeshift ironing board.

Paper towels
To put over your board before ironing.

Clothes Iron
Use one you don't mind being ruined.
Chances are, it will get funky.

Plastic container
To bathe your board in warm water after ironing.

Tweezers
Not necessary, but can be helpfull for peeling off transfer remnants.

//------- ETCHING MATERIALS LIST -------//
Jug of Muriatic Acid
You can get this at the hardware store.

Container of Laquor Remover
Removes the toner once the pattern is etched.
Also useful if you make mistakes on transfering your pattern.
You can remove the toner and try again.
You can get this at the hardware store

Container of Hydrogen Peroxide
Any Grocery Store

Standard kitchen paper towels
Use for the ironing, agitating the acid solution, and removing the toner with the lacquer remover

(2) Plastic containers
(1 for the acid mixture, one to rinse, one to bathe the PCB in hot water)

Acid disposal container
Size this, depending on how much you're using.

Pair of plastic dishwashing gloves
You can often find a better, more durable pair of gloves at the hardware store -- right near the muriatic acid oddly enough.

Other Protection
Breathing and eye protection.

Package of photo paper
I if you have access to a laser printer or laser copier. Otherwise, skip this.

1/4 Cup Measuring Cup
Use one that you don't mind being destroyed. Once you use this to measure out the Muriatic Acid, It should only be used for this purpose. NEVER use it to measure food again.


//------- DIY-DUINO COMPONENTS LIST -------//
(3) Little bits of wire

DIP Sockets Solder Tail - 28-Pin 0.3"
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/7942
$1.50

ATmega328 with Arduino Bootloader
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9217
$5.50

Basic LED - Green (or whatever color tussles your vessel)
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9650
$0.35

Resistor 330 Ohm 1/6th Watt PTH
-- 220 Ohm will work fine too if you have one
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8377
$0.25

Resistor 10k Ohm 1/6th Watt PTH
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8374
$0.25

Mini Push Button Switch
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/97
$0.35

(2) Electrolytic Decoupling Capacitors - 10uF/25V
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/523
$0.45x2=$0.90

Voltage Regulator - 5V
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/107
$1.25

(2) Capacitor Ceramic 0.1uF Crystal 16MHz
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/536
$0.95

(2) Capacitor Ceramic 0.1uF
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8375
$0.25x2=$0.50

(3) Female Headers
You'll need to cut them, and it's a little trickey...
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/115

(4) Standoffs
From Radio Shack or
From Sparkfun

//------- PROGRAMMING MATERIALS LIST -------//
FT232RL USB to Serial
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/718
$14.95

A breadboard
4 short wires
4 longer wires
An LED-- to test if your upload was a success

//------- TOOLS LIST-------//
Dremel or Hacksaw
I suggest buying a Dremel or other rotary tool for this instructable, you will probably need a Dremel to drill the holes.

1/32" Drill bit
I don't know of one of these for a normal drill, neither did the lady at Lowes -- again... Dremel

Metal-cutting disc for Dremel
To cut out the copperboard

Solder
Flux
Desoldering braid -- for errors!
Soldering Iron
Soldering Gripper

Comments

[jpr3]

This was a GREAT tutorial. Your web site had each and every step documented! Great work!!!!!

[max1zzz]

Are the pin numberings on step 18 the same as on the actual arduino? (i don't have a arduino to compare it with)
also do you know if i could use a 168 chip rather than a 328? (i have seen a few design's using the 168 on the net, and it is easier for me to get)

This is by far the best design i have seen on the net, and with a few little tweaks it will be perfect for my needs :)

thanks

[robonerd]

Hi there! Yes the pin structure is the same as the actual arduino. Check out this image:

http://arduino.cc/hu/Hacking/PinMapping

The DIY board follows this diagram.

I'm not sure if it will work with a 168 or not. I have not tried that.

If you have one, test it out and see what happens.
You'll have to select the board from the arduino program's "tools" >> "boards" menu.

Thanks for the compliment, I hope this helps and hope it works for you.

[max1zzz]

ok, thanks ;)

i will try with a 168, if it doesn't work i can always get a 328 later

[edz29]

thanks sir for this nice tutorial.. i was now able to upload sketches..
my circuit is good the only wrong thing i've done is with the connection of tx,rx of usb to ttl and your DIY arduino when uploading.
MorE power!!
thanks

[robonerd]

I'm glad it worked for you. share a photo if you feel like it.

[devilinops]

am i able to use 10uf16v capacitor ? cuz im not finding any 10uf25v anywhere and last thing i wana do is order it online and pay shipping for 2 parts

[edz29]

avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51

i encounter this problem =( could you help me please

[robonerd]

The program is not able to communicate with the chip...

Check this first:
Chips come with the "Blink" sketch loaded.
Wire an LED to pin 13.
Give power to your board.
If the LED doesn't flash theres something wrong with the setup of the board -- like crosses over lines of copper or bad solder.

next:
Do you have the correct chip selected in the arduino program?
Click "Tools" slect "board" and then make sure you have the proper chip you bought. I think sparkfun stopped selling the 328 and are now just selling the UNO.

[edz29]

i haven't check if my program have Blink sketch. i'll check it first
i think i solder my board good enough and it has no pin short circuited.
i have follow the steps on your tutorial except with the breakout board i use PL-2302 usb to serial since ft232rl was not available here.. but still i follow the connection of rx,tx,vcc,gnd


i have selected the correct board like in your tutorial
thanks for your help

[edz29]

Installing drivers for the Arduino Uno with Windows7, Vista, or XP:

Plug in your board and wait for Windows to begin it's driver installation process. After a few moments, the process will fail, despite its best efforts
Click on the Start Menu, and open up the Control Panel.
While in the Control Panel, navigate to System and Security. Next, click on System. Once the System window is up, open the Device Manager.
Look under Ports (COM & LPT). You should see an open port named "Arduino UNO (COMxx)"
Right click on the "Arduino UNO (COmxx)" port and choose the "Update Driver Software" option.
Next, choose the "Browse my computer for Driver software" option.
Finally, navigate to and select the Uno's driver file, named "ArduinoUNO.inf", located in the "Drivers" folder of the Arduino Software download (not the "FTDI USB Drivers" sub-directory).
Windows will finish up the driver installation from there.

-- i think i have a problem with installing my arduino application. when i connected my breakout board with the diy arduino it detects prolific chip usb to ttl and not the arduino \uno

[robonerd]

oh boy, now this one is beyond my scope of knowledge. Sorry! maybe you can get some help in the arduino forum at www.arduino.cc Sorry, I wish I had an answer for you. I installed my arduino software using the store bought arduino.

[edz29]

hello sir .. once again i have a question
i tried uploading the blink sketch
when i press the button the pin 13 led lighted for a second then the error from my ide was seen..

how long should i press the reset button??

[robonerd]

i usually just press and release quickly.

[edz29]

i have read one of the comments here that step 18 has a short ceramic capacitor .. is you drawing already fixed? so i can start on making it
here's the link http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/F3S/7PNI/GKS0SJIA/F3S7PNIGKS0SJIA.MEDIUM.jpg

thanks.. i'll be posting my board and project once i have made it

[robonerd]

Yes I set them up wrong on the photo! they should go horizontal, instead of vertical. The graphic has the correct placement. I also replied to your previous question on my website.

[edz29]

thanks for your early response.. =)
your such a great help!

[robonerd]

my pleasure. If you can, I would seriously suggest getting a regular arduino and tinkering around with that first. It's VERY easy to get something wrong on this board, and I'd hate for you to become discouraged because you cant get this to work on the first shot. It took me several attempts ((and several scrapped boards!)) before I got it right. And I had been working with arduino for a while... thats just my opinion, of course! The ardiono forum is also a good place to read up on arduino. Most of the people there are VERY friendly. Well, best of luck to you my friend. Please feel free to contact me anytime here or at my website if you have any questions and I'll do my best to help.

[robonerd]

I have edited the board design to eliminate the three wires.
And have also designed one that uses the 16mHz crystal resonator, as suggested by pepehdez below.
A barebones board is in the works too.
If anyone is interested getting a copy of either of these modifications, let me know.

[edz29]

can i have the copy of your modified board? so i can compare it and help myself in building this arduino.

[edz29]

sir i made my decision and i want to use your board for my project instead of buying an arduino board since your tuutorial is great. however i find some difficulties in recognizing the analog pins, digital, etc. Since it is my first time to deal with this project. Could you send me the pin configurations or even the schematic diagram of your arduino board. it will be a great help for a first timer like me=) thanks in advance

[edz29]

what software did you use to make the pcb layout as well as the pcb layout with component designation.. want to know the software for my project..

DIY arduino project looks awesome. i think i should also try to construct this.
thanks!!

[robonerd]

oh, also the component drawings i basically just threw together on photoshop.

[robonerd]

Howdy, I used PCB123. Its a free program. There are better ones out there that do more, but I basically just needed to get the deisgn to print. cheers!

[joe342]

i feel good danana danana

[robonerd]

I knew that you would

[ondrikczech]

great tutorial!

[PyroMonger]

I already own an arduino uno. could i use that to program the atmega328 and then put it into the diy-duino? rather than buying the usb to serial chip?

[robonerd]

you need to make sure, though that you select the right board from the tools menu in the arduino software.

[robonerd]

yes, thats actually what I do most of the time. I just use the 232 if it's built into something and I cant pop out the chip. its easier to just use the arduino.

[robonerd]

Click "Tools" and then "Board"

[kraj6]

yes i selected the correct board.... when i try to upload the sketches TX led on FT232 blinks not the other led....

[kraj6]

hi,
I've built the same board w/ atmega168 also burnt the bootloader to it via USBasp. But i'm unable to burn the program using FT232 breakout board and Arduino software.... I'm getting avrdude errors... Pls someone help me to fix this problem ASAP

[robonerd]

Are you selecting the right board with ardunio software? Click and select from list?

[kraj6]

yes i did that.... the same error shows up even when there is no connection b/w ft232 and controller board.... Is it really possible to burn the programs by using FT232?

[stephin99]

BEST TUT EVER!!!!!!! very clearly explained. ill post a pic. of mine when i get a camera

[robonerd]

:-)

[stephin99]

>=-)

[wcrooks]

How big is the board when finished?

[robonerd]

small, but not tiny. it fits in your hand.