The Saltwater etch process

Step 15: Errors can be corrected

Any changes can be made to the layout at this stage.

Just paint over the scratches, and you have a fresh canvas to practise your art.

Now I decided that the board can be made more compact if the programming socket is relocated, so it was done.

One final necessary step is to place dots of paint so that all pads are connected together - this is necessary for electrolysis.

In my board, the pads are all connected along the left and bottom edges. The scratches in the paint stop short of the edge. They will be cut apart after the etching is completed.

Now the board is ready to be etched.

Comments

[mbluett]

"One final necessary step is to paint over a line connecting all pads" What line is being painted over? This is not clear. An arrow pointing to the line in the picture would help. "In my board, the pads are all connected along the left and bottom edges." I cannot discern anything connecting the pads along the left and bottom edges. Again arrows pointing this out would help.

[neelandan]

The offending text has been re-worded.

[neelandan]

You will note (if you look carefully) that the lines scratched on the paint do not reach the edge, but stop rather short. Wherever the line is drawn, the copper gets etched away. Thus the pads remain connected along the bottom and left hand edges in this layout.

[Jimmy Proton]

why is this necessary that they be connected on the edges, what is you have isolated connection, will it still work?

[stayputnik]

if any of the pads aren't connected, they won't have electricity running to them, thus they won't necessarily etch all the lines you need to etch. does that answer your question?