Finally etched my own pcbs....

[davent]

Now if I could just find a way to print out that tremulous lune  pcb PDF from tonepad.... the security on the download doesn't allow printing or copying any of the doc. So I can't scale it to do the toner transfer.
I thought it was supposed to be free to use? Hmmmm.

So I guess my next move would be to design my own board. I don't feel right doing in-production boards, those need to be supported by buying them. Some of the guys around here and their self-designed boards are inspirational.

You can use Inkscape to modify Tonepad documents. Open up Inkscape find and open the Tonepad pdf doc with Inkscape, save the document as an .svg file and you can have your way with the whole document. I've redrawn their boards to accomodate components i wanted to use, moved traces around, relabeled, with Inkscape you can do anything you want to the Tonepad documents. (Not so with Madbean's but there are other's pdf's that can be manipulated with Inkscape.)

I am puzzled by the scaling issue you're having, as long as you set your printer to print the pdf at 100%, it should printout the correct size.

Reworked Rebote 2.5 doc. Original colour coded layout is on the left, redraw right.


Redrawn pcb art.

dave

[ch1naski]

Now if I could just find a way to print out that tremulous lune  pcb PDF from tonepad.... the security on the download doesn't allow printing or copying any of the doc. So I can't scale it to do the toner transfer.
I thought it was supposed to be free to use? Hmmmm.

So I guess my next move would be to design my own board. I don't feel right doing in-production boards, those need to be supported by buying them. Some of the guys around here and their self-designed boards are inspirational.

You can use Inkscape to modify Tonepad documents. Open up Inkscape find and open the Tonepad pdf doc with Inkscape, save the document as an .svg file and you can have your way with the whole document. I've redrawn their boards to accomodate components i wanted to use, moved traces around, relabeled, with Inkscape you can do anything you want to the Tonepad documents. (Not so with Madbean's but there are other's pdf's that can be manipulated with Inkscape.)

I am puzzled by the scaling issue you're having, as long as you set your printer to print the pdf at 100%, it should printout the correct size.

Reworked Rebote 2.5 doc. Original colour coded layout is on the left, redraw right.


Redrawn pcb art.

dave

good to know, and thanks for the layouts!

it's not that I couldn't scale it, I couldn't print or copy the layout from it  with acrobat. But the inkscape method, I didn't try.

The owner of the document has security settings on it, and a password.

[ch1naski]

Nice first etch..  very rewarding job.... Put it at light and let it shine

My first try on etching was with photo paper.... Didn't came out so good..

After that I'm using magazine paper with excellent results. A good laser print, I use the job printer that allows to chosse cad quality
For the paper I choose more thicker paper, not the thinner

I don't use the iron at max power because sometimes it smudges the traces... Ho and don't apply to much pressure on the iron.... After a fews minutes I put the board on warm water that helps to peal.

The last boards I star using a product to tin the board and the differences are amazing.. It's a stuff called pratex heehe people use this to clean the silver

A fews days go a I had to take some parts from a reverb project that I did a time a go. I think it was the 3 build I did. Didn't treat the board and didn't use Nail polish to cover it and man the copper was with a very bad look

But as George said find the best solution that fits you... And enjoy the hobby

Sérgio

is Pratex available in the US?

[slimtriggers]

Another tip that might be helpful: Lately I've been drilling before I remove the toner from the etched board.  I can see the holes easier and it protects the traces from my sweaty, grubby hands.

[hammerheadmusicman]

i always drill with the toner on too.. so hard with the toner off! too shiny!

[davent]

MG Chemicals makes a product called Liquid Tin that's easy to get over hear and easy to use but i find a quick spray with lacquer looks and works better, (after you buff up the copper nice.) The touch of the soldering iron vaporizes the lacquer on the pad when you solder to it.

dave

A tip on holes/pads, when you start making your own layouts use pads with very small holes, i use 20mil no matter the size of the pad or the size of the needed drilled hole.  When you go to drill, the tiny center etch of the pad acts as a center punched hole and the drill easily finds the center of the pad, self-centers the drill. If i'm using someone elses art i'll use Inkscape to lay in my new pads over the orignal pads so they meet my preferences.