Photo Resist Coated PCB supply

[clockwork]

I am sure that members of this forum can answer this question.

Are there any UK suppliers of Photo Resist Coated Board that sell small quantities at reasonable prices?

I am at present using the Toner Transfer method to make PBCs for my PICAXE projects but whilst the method works it is fairly slow and it is easy to damage the resist mask (toner)when removing the paper that carried the toner originally.
I am now looking at making up a UV LED exposure box and using Photo Resist PCB material.

If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, first create your universe - Carl Sagan

Clockwork

 

[John O]

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=Photo+etch+PCB

John.

 

[hippy]

And from or own shop ...

http://www.techsupplies.co.uk/epages/Store.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Store.TechSupplies/Products/PCB020

 

[Dippy]

I'm quite a fan of 'Fotoboard' in both the economy version and pukka FR4.
(FR4 is a lot stronger and flatter , but economy is perfectly fine for most hobby uses).
The copper and photo-resist coatings are good and smooth (unlike some abs cheap crap I saw from Ebay which looked like the surface of the moon).

Also with Fotoboard the chemistry is cheap.
For quality development in 30 seconds use Seno. Half-strength if Fotoboard2. It works out pretty cheap.

In fact, so cheap I'm just about to do a home-brew PCB this afternoon.


In addition to Rev-Ed shop and Rapid we have Farnell and RS Components in UK. And many of your favourite quality (!) suppliers on Fleapay.

 

[premelec]

Seno?

@Dippy... search on Google for "what is Seno" produced nothing for the use mentioned... please describe product in more universal terms... thanks!

 

[eclectic]

Try a search using

Seno pcb

Here are some:
http://www.megauk.com/pcb_chemicals.php

e

 

[eclectic]

@clockwork

Possibly Maplin,
in Victoria St North?
Obviously check stock first.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/components/pcb/printed-circuit-boards

e

 

[Dippy]

Sorry.
As Ec says . About a third of the way down.

 

[WHITEKNUCKLES]

.
4 X 6" £2.06
Postage £3 under £30
Web or helpful telephone service.
Cheapest U/V ?

Dave

http://www.esr.co.uk/electronics/products/frame_pcb.htm

 

[Dippy]

"Cheapest U/V ?"

- dunno. Is it?
How many cockups does it take before a built-in timer suddenly seems good value?

Why do you lot always go for the cheapest?
Doesn't QUALITY count for anything?

The cheapest is sometimes a false economy.

 

[clockwork]

Eclectic mentions Maplin. They are fine for one off items but they are expensive.

Dippy wonders why most people go for "Cheap" rather than "Quality". As most of the things I build do not have to be ultra ultra reliable like aircraft navigation systems and the like why not. Providing cheap does not equal shoddy. You can produce well made items without spending a fortune.

The price of many things these days does not appear to connect with what they cost to make, transport and sell. I have seen UV LED's priced at £6.50 for 50 inc VAT and also at a whopping three pounds odd EACH without VAT. They will not be of the same quality but all they are is a LED that emits UV. So it pays to shop around.



clockwork

 

[Andrew Cowan]

About the UV LEDs - the answer is some of the time.

I bought 100 UV LEDs for £4 - they were fine for exposing PCBs and making glow in the dark things 'glow in the dark'. However, they did very little to some UV reactive plastic I had.

When I tried UV LEDs costing 75p each, they made this plastic fluoresce brightly - evidently they produce much lower wavelengths. So in summary, it really depends what the use is for any component - for high spec/consumer/items that need to be very reliable, it is worth getting quality components.

 

[Dippy]

Clockwork, I fully realise that cheap does not equal shoddy automatically(wrong word really). I didn't say that.
Of course it pays to shop around and look and check - I do it myself , I'm not a complete a**hole
(Not a complete one! Almost maybe...)

But the default setting is "cheap" and the "quality" is rarely investigated or reported.
Indeed, there is often a pseudo-competition to find THE cheapest. Not cheap-but-good you will note.

And I have seen many occasions where people buy really cheap stuff without investigating.
Then remedial work is required. Sometimes hours and hours of peeing about and , sometimes, expecting hours and hours of Forum support.
Waste of time and money .... but the owner proudly announces he/she has saved 50p. Aaaaaarrggh!!!

 

[manie]

Well said Dippy, "AAAAARGH !!!"

 

[John West]

I like "cheap but good."

I love "the very best."

I just can't afford it.

Or should I say, I can afford it. But if I purchased "it", it is all I would have, and then I wouldn't need to pay monthly storage on all my "cheap but good," stuff.

Hmmmm. Let me think about that.