Introduction: Home Brew PCBs
More by the author:
About: An electronics enthusiast... #Complexity simplified
This ible' is for those electronics enthusiasts who want to start making their own PCBs.
A PCB or Printed Circuit Board is an essential part of electronic gadgets and devices that we use in our day to day lives. It is the board on which all the electronic components of a gadget are soldered together to create a mechanical joint adhering to any particular electronic circuit, called schematic of the circuit which defines various connection between different components present in that circuit.
Step#1 : You need to find the perfect/almost perfect materials required for the PCB.
List of materials required :
Copper board, laser printer, photo paper or glossy paper(i.e. the one you find in those cheap advertisements that come bundled with your newspaper), cellotape, a plastic or glass bowl/box, an old used toothbrush, sandpaper, clothes iron, water, etching solution.
Step#2 : Firstly, take the printout of the circuit(PCB) on the glossy paper using your laser-jet. Cutout the circuit and firmly place it on the copper board(i.e. cut to accurate size for the circuit) and use cellotape to hold onto it. The copper board must be cleaned first using sand paper.
Step#3 : Now use a household clothes iron to transfer the toner from the paper to the copper board. Preheat the iron at the maximum rating and then place it over the copper board. Apply pressure gently against the board using the tip of the clothes iron so that the toner gets transferred easily to the copper board.
Step#4 : After transferring the toner, dip the PCB in water contained in a glass/plastic bowl(no metal bowls can be used). As the paper gets soaked in water, remove paper with the help of toothbrush. Completely remove the paper so that all the extra copper can be removed.
Step#5 : Now dip the PCB in etching solution and constantly rub it using the toothbrush. Within 30sec you will have your custom PCB in your hands. Wash the PCB in constant flow of water after etching to remove extra solution.
Step#6 : Remember to scratch off the toner layer using a sand paper. Rub it gently over the surface.
A PCB or Printed Circuit Board is an essential part of electronic gadgets and devices that we use in our day to day lives. It is the board on which all the electronic components of a gadget are soldered together to create a mechanical joint adhering to any particular electronic circuit, called schematic of the circuit which defines various connection between different components present in that circuit.
Step#1 : You need to find the perfect/almost perfect materials required for the PCB.
List of materials required :
Copper board, laser printer, photo paper or glossy paper(i.e. the one you find in those cheap advertisements that come bundled with your newspaper), cellotape, a plastic or glass bowl/box, an old used toothbrush, sandpaper, clothes iron, water, etching solution.
Step#2 : Firstly, take the printout of the circuit(PCB) on the glossy paper using your laser-jet. Cutout the circuit and firmly place it on the copper board(i.e. cut to accurate size for the circuit) and use cellotape to hold onto it. The copper board must be cleaned first using sand paper.
Step#3 : Now use a household clothes iron to transfer the toner from the paper to the copper board. Preheat the iron at the maximum rating and then place it over the copper board. Apply pressure gently against the board using the tip of the clothes iron so that the toner gets transferred easily to the copper board.
Step#4 : After transferring the toner, dip the PCB in water contained in a glass/plastic bowl(no metal bowls can be used). As the paper gets soaked in water, remove paper with the help of toothbrush. Completely remove the paper so that all the extra copper can be removed.
Step#5 : Now dip the PCB in etching solution and constantly rub it using the toothbrush. Within 30sec you will have your custom PCB in your hands. Wash the PCB in constant flow of water after etching to remove extra solution.
Step#6 : Remember to scratch off the toner layer using a sand paper. Rub it gently over the surface.