Making your own PCBs
I'm just getting started with this process, but if all goes well, this will be
my design flow:
- Draw circuit schematics in xcircuit. Extract a netlist for pcb.
- Create the layout in pcb, using the netlist to verify connections.
- Print the design with a laser printer onto toner transfer paper (Techniks Press and Peel).
- Transfer the pattern onto a copper clad board using an iron.
- Etch the board in ferric chloride.
Since the Techniks paper hasn't arrived in the mail yet, I have been
testing the process with HP photo quality inkjet paper. The results are
not super consistent. Hopefully the Techniks paper will work better, since
it is actually designed to be used like this!
Here is a picture of the first decent-sized board that I made using the toner
transfer process (HP photo quality paper). It is 5 inches by 4.25 inches.
Show me a small closeup
Show me a huge closeup
In the huge closeup, you can see a few places where the traces touched
each other when they were not supposed to. I cut through these parts
with a hobby knife so that they did not connect anymore. Also, there
are places near the edges of the board where the toner flaked off, so
the copper was etched away.
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