Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 3Getting Started
For these boards, I took my schematic and predrilled the pcb before I drew the traces. This gave me a little more flexibility when drawing. It works well for one sided board but once you start the two sided boards, it can cause problems.
I used a dremel and a 1/32" bit and hand drilled them. As long as you're careful and make sure you aren't driling at an angle, you can hand drill your holes contrary to popular belief.
I knew I'd be making more of these so I took an old broken jewel case from a CD and used it as a drilling template.
Once you have the schematic and your traces routed, transfer or draw it on the board. I used the drawing method due to the simplicity of the circuit. For a more complex circuit or for a more streamlined process, you might look into the toner transfer method. Anything you draw on the copper will not be dissolved by the acid. I drew the traces and then filled all of the "dead space" with more ink. This was to speed up the etching process. The more copper you're etching, the longer the etch takes.
Once you're all inked up, step outside with our acid and our peroxide.
I used a dremel and a 1/32" bit and hand drilled them. As long as you're careful and make sure you aren't driling at an angle, you can hand drill your holes contrary to popular belief.
I knew I'd be making more of these so I took an old broken jewel case from a CD and used it as a drilling template.
Once you have the schematic and your traces routed, transfer or draw it on the board. I used the drawing method due to the simplicity of the circuit. For a more complex circuit or for a more streamlined process, you might look into the toner transfer method. Anything you draw on the copper will not be dissolved by the acid. I drew the traces and then filled all of the "dead space" with more ink. This was to speed up the etching process. The more copper you're etching, the longer the etch takes.
Once you're all inked up, step outside with our acid and our peroxide.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
 |
Add Comment
|
