Any love for presensitsed/photosensitive PCBs?

[Ettore_M]

hey Hector. im still using the annoying tonetransfer method. in my case, I have no much place for an extra UV lamp.
look, do you add a solder mask on your boards?
cheers

No, I don't. I would, but it was quite expensive to buy. Maybe in the future!

Hector

[haveyouseenhim]

Where do you guys buy the photo boards? I would like to try em.

[angrykoko]

I use the photosensitive stuff too, easy as pie.  The most expensive part (for me) is the transpancy stuff for inkjet printers.
Warming the ferric chloride made the biggest difference for me getting really great etches.

[Stomptown]

I don't know if I would have boards fabbed for me, because as I said, I got into this, because I love DIYing.

It seems like a lot of people feel this way! I personally love the feeling of getting my own board fabbed and it still feels like DIY to me, because in the end, I did the PCB design myself. I also feel a lot more confident about the quality of my builds when they are on fabbed PCB's. With etched boards I always wonder how long it will work for. Most likely a very long time, but that question always looms for me. I do love etching my enclosures though and having etches a good number of PCB's I definitely respect those who do it!

[Ettore_M]

Where do you guys buy the photo boards? I would like to try em.

Mike, I buy them locally, so I don't know any online shop. But if anyone knows where to get reasonably-priced boards, please tell us.

I use the photosensitive stuff too, easy as pie.  The most expensive part (for me) is the transpancy stuff for inkjet printers.
Warming the ferric chloride made the biggest difference for me getting really great etches.

Exactly. You couldn't have been more spot on! Indeed, the transparencies are quite expensive. Something like $0.70 -$0.80 per sheet here in Greece.
And indeed, warm ferric chloride is pretty essential. Also, developing your board really well is an important step.

Hector

[Ettore_M]

I don't know if I would have boards fabbed for me, because as I said, I got into this, because I love DIYing.

It seems like a lot of people feel this way! I personally love the feeling of getting my own board fabbed and it still feels like DIY to me, because in the end, I did the PCB design myself. I also feel a lot more confident about the quality of my builds when they are on fabbed PCB's. With etched boards I always wonder how long it will work for. Most likely a very long time, but that question always looms for me. I do love etching my enclosures though and having etches a good number of PCB's I definitely respect those who do it!

That's a quote from me, but nevermind! 
Yes, I know what you mean. Of course, the design is yours and getting fabbed boards in your pedals makes a huge difference (at least for the customer, if there is one). But for me, I want the end product to be a result of my own making, as far as I can. But then again, I can't insist of that, because I have never used fabbed boards in a pedal of mine. At the moment, it's an extra expense and I can't afford it. 

Hector

[Gledison]

hey Hector. im still using the annoying tonetransfer method. in my case, I have no much place for an extra UV lamp.
look, do you add a solder mask on your boards?
cheers

No, I don't. I would, but it was quite expensive to buy. Maybe in the future!

Hector

Im using a UV curable paint! It works pretty well! I posted a thread here on how to use it if u are interested...
Cheers

[rullywowr]

I don't know if I would have boards fabbed for me, because as I said, I got into this, because I love DIYing.

It seems like a lot of people feel this way! I personally love the feeling of getting my own board fabbed and it still feels like DIY to me, because in the end, I did the PCB design myself. I also feel a lot more confident about the quality of my builds when they are on fabbed PCB's. With etched boards I always wonder how long it will work for. Most likely a very long time, but that question always looms for me. I do love etching my enclosures though and having etches a good number of PCB's I definitely respect those who do it!

This. I feel exactly the same!  Having your own boards made still feels DIY to me plus you have the advantage of sharing what you made easily. Once a board is good to go its a matter of "how many would you like".


Also, warming up my hydrogen peroxide/muriatic acid etching solution works very well. I usually etch in a small plastic container and float it in a slightly larger container filled with hot water. The heat speeds up the etching process significantly.

[Gledison]

I don't know if I would have boards fabbed for me, because as I said, I got into this, because I love DIYing.

It seems like a lot of people feel this way! I personally love the feeling of getting my own board fabbed and it still feels like DIY to me, because in the end, I did the PCB design myself. I also feel a lot more confident about the quality of my builds when they are on fabbed PCB's. With etched boards I always wonder how long it will work for. Most likely a very long time, but that question always looms for me. I do love etching my enclosures though and having etches a good number of PCB's I definitely respect those who do it!

This. I feel exactly the same!  Having your own boards made still feels DIY to me plus you have the advantage of sharing what you made easily. Once a board is good to go its a matter of "how many would you like".


Also, warming up my hydrogen peroxide/muriatic acid etching solution works very well. I usually etch in a small plastic container and float it in a slightly larger container filled with hot water. The heat speeds up the etching process significantly.

Hey,
I do the same with ferric chloride! It etches quite quick using hot water as a warming bath!

[davent]

Where do you guys buy the photo boards? I would like to try em.

Mike recently had the same discussion on another forum. Small Bear has the boards plus...

Circuit Specialists also sell the MG Chemicals Developer where Small Bear points you to the lye route.

Amazon is another source for boards and developer AND free shipping on orders over $25.
http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Positive-Developer-Liquid/dp/B005T8QLCY

Mouser shows the developer for US addresses, Allied show it, haven't found it at Digikey.

Google gives a bunch of sources. https://www.google.ca/search?q=mg+chemicals+positive+developer&oq=mg+chemicals+deve&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0l3.19057j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

If you're in Canada and need to mail order developer Electrosonic is one source.
http://www.e-sonic.com/acc/products.aspx?partID=418-500ML&partIDExt=281&command=detail


A few more photo pcb's for tube and solid state projects. 2oz and 1oz boards. My toner transfer attempts at best were pitted with ragged edges to the etched traces, very nasty, ugly, ugly, ugly... but they did work.








A very good tutorial on this process:
https://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/PhotoPCBoards/PhotoPCBoards.htm

Some links for materials:
http://www.smallbearelec.com/servlet/Detail?no=1065
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5pc-Photo-coat-One-Side-Fibre-10x15-PCB-w-Accessories-U30-/380699549902?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58a37620ce
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/printed-circuit-board-fabrication
https://www.acehomecenters.net/products/acid-muriatic-qt%7C12786.html

dave

[Ettore_M]

That are some nice links you got there, Dave. Thanks!

Hector