DIY PCB >>> Best Practises >>> Clad Board / Ferric Chloride >>> Resist Pen

[slimplynth]

DIY PCB >>> Best Practises >>> Clad Board / Ferric Chloride >>> Resist Pen

I'm sure there'll be a bazillion ways to skin this cat; but as it's the first PCB I did't want to be just drilling here an there.

Used an eight pin IC socket and depressed it into the first transparent piece of plastic I could find - to make a template/guide. Using a 30cm shatter proof ruler the soft plastic took the pin impressions nicely... driled these impressions and then used this guide to drill the holes in the clad board.

It's not a perfect fit (needs some persuasion) but it works.

Just wondered if people had some top tips they'd like to add here, some of the pics on the forum of other's pcb's look very good.

I know this subject is a common one on the forum, Transfer/UV etc but just for a resist pen method; which I'd have thought would be many people's first effort.. thanks.

 

[eclectic]

Just wondered if people had some top tips they'd like to add here, some of the pics on the forum of other's pcb's look very good.
Snipped.
I know this subject is a common one on the forum, Transfer/UV etc but just for a resist pen method; which I'd have thought would be many people's first effort.. thanks.

Possibly use Veroboard as a drill-space guide?

 

[slimplynth]

damn why didn't I think of that.. that's perfect Ec, cheers.. just draw/write "relay(part number)" and jobs a good un.

 

[smeagol]

I print a 1:1 layout of the tracks and stick this to a bit of perfboard, veroboard works as well, then stick that to the bare PCB and use that as a drill guide. Works reasonably well.

Not having a page printer, I use transfers for the pads ( I just buy sheets of DIL transfers ), like letraset, and use cut strips of insulation tape for the tracks. When etched the holes in the pads act as perfect drill guides.

 

[russbow]

I do the same, Use diptrace PCB layout to design the cct. Print it out on plain paper and tape it to a bit of veroboard, lining up the holes. Tape that to the copper board copper side away from you, then using the vero as a jig, drill with a 1mm bit.

Print out again bigger and mirrored and use this to draw the cct on the copper. Oh, emery / wet n dry copper first. I use Decon Dalo pen, find other permanent markers only good for CD titles.

Etch in ferric chloride and then notice you've missed a track