While learning how to etch circuit boards it occurred to me that copper clad board would make a great artistic medium. The copper boards are cheap, easily available, durable, and look amazing.
If you're anything like me, you probably have a zillion projects all over the house, driving your spouse/girlfriend/monkey handler crazy. If so, I highly recommend using your geeky skills to make something nice for them every once in a while. The reasons being: it's a nice thing to do; it shows that your weird hobbies can have benefits for them too and not just make a mess of the house; and, it gets them off your back for a little while you try to get a workshop space set up elsewhere.
So, with that in mind, I'm going to show you how to use your electronics skills to make an incredibly cool and romantical Valentine's Day gift for your sweetie. It's inexpensive, looks great, and will make a great impression on your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband.
If you're anything like me, you probably have a zillion projects all over the house, driving your spouse/girlfriend/monkey handler crazy. If so, I highly recommend using your geeky skills to make something nice for them every once in a while. The reasons being: it's a nice thing to do; it shows that your weird hobbies can have benefits for them too and not just make a mess of the house; and, it gets them off your back for a little while you try to get a workshop space set up elsewhere.
So, with that in mind, I'm going to show you how to use your electronics skills to make an incredibly cool and romantical Valentine's Day gift for your sweetie. It's inexpensive, looks great, and will make a great impression on your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband.
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Signing UpStep 1: Supplies
To make this project, you will need:
An old glossy magazine
Laser printer
Graphics software (I used Adobe Illustrator)
6" x 6" copper clad board (single sided)
Extra fine sand paper - 220 grit
Rubbing alcohol
Clean lint-free cloth or rag (like an old cotton t-shirt)
Clothes iron
8.5" x 11" sheet of plain bond paper
Ferric chloride etching fluid (mixed from powder form)
Glass jar (to mix and store the etching fluid)
A decent weight plastic bag, like a zip-lock bag
A wooden chopstick or other disposable stick (to stir the etching fluid)
9" x 9" or larger pyrex baking dish
Dish scrubbing sponge
Fine point artist's paint brush
A tube of artist's acrylic paint (any color)
Rotary tool and tiny PCB drill bits
(10) Red LEDs
(1) 10-Position connector/right angle cable mount
(1) 10-conductor ribbon cable, about 5" long
(2) Male header pins - 5 pins each (cut long strip of pins in half)
Soldering iron and flux-core solder
Diagonal wire cutters
Clear spray acrylic or enamel (gloss or semi-gloss)
Arduino controller (I used the super-tiny RBBB kit from moderndevice.com)
Rubber gloves
Protective eyewear
An old glossy magazine
Laser printer
Graphics software (I used Adobe Illustrator)
6" x 6" copper clad board (single sided)
Extra fine sand paper - 220 grit
Rubbing alcohol
Clean lint-free cloth or rag (like an old cotton t-shirt)
Clothes iron
8.5" x 11" sheet of plain bond paper
Ferric chloride etching fluid (mixed from powder form)
Glass jar (to mix and store the etching fluid)
A decent weight plastic bag, like a zip-lock bag
A wooden chopstick or other disposable stick (to stir the etching fluid)
9" x 9" or larger pyrex baking dish
Dish scrubbing sponge
Fine point artist's paint brush
A tube of artist's acrylic paint (any color)
Rotary tool and tiny PCB drill bits
(10) Red LEDs
(1) 10-Position connector/right angle cable mount
(1) 10-conductor ribbon cable, about 5" long
(2) Male header pins - 5 pins each (cut long strip of pins in half)
Soldering iron and flux-core solder
Diagonal wire cutters
Clear spray acrylic or enamel (gloss or semi-gloss)
Arduino controller (I used the super-tiny RBBB kit from moderndevice.com)
Rubber gloves
Protective eyewear
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I can't stand the smell of acetone, so I wouldn't even have thought to use nail polish. :-)
Great idea!
But can you share the Black & white version of the project?
Thanks,
King regards!
I ZIP'd the file and uploaded it. Should be there now under Step 2.
This is my heart:
I'm hoping to do this project with a first time Young Maker friend of mine so she gains soldering experience. (And so do I!)
Kiki
My son shares my absurd craziness for electronics (especially anything with an led), so I HAVE to make him one of these! Ya got my vote ;-)
Have a look at the video clip I just uploaded and you'll see what I mean.
$10 for the LEDs, pin headers, connector, and ribbon cable
$15 for the RBBB Arduino clone
$10 for the copper clad board & ferric chloride powder
$2 each for the little drill bits (i broke 3 on this project)
$7 for a can of spray acrylic
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all told, about $40 or so
Hopefully you already have a Dremel, clothes iron, soldering iron and a glass dish, and access to a laser copier or printer. If not, your costs might be significantly higher!
i've been working with electronics for only about a year now, and this is one of the earliest soldering jobs i did. the quality of my soldering on this project was less than stellar, but it worked. :-)