DIY PCB - Etching your own (Printed Circuit Boards) at home.

    Here's a quick tutorial on etching a custom PCB at home. All of the materials can be found at your local electronics store or online. Here is what you'll need to get started.

MATERIALS:

sodium persulfate(toxic stuff)

1 sheet of copper clad board(also pretty toxic)

acetone, rubbing alcohol and cotton balls

glossy photo paper

1 sharpie marker

TOOLS:

3 plastic containers(got mine from ordering won ton soup)

1 rough side of a dish sponge or 1 sanding block

 laser printer(or access to)

ironing machine

Dremel or small hand saw

PCB Software (EAGLE)

(CAUTION) 

The materials use in this tutorial are toxic, dangerous and even deadly if not handled properly. Make sure to wear protective gear and to work in a well ventelated space. It's a good idea to wear gloves and a paper mask while following these steps.

GETTING STARTED

    We are going to start out with our circuit already exported from EAGLE, the software used to draw the circuit. The first step is to print your circuit design out on glossy photo paper with a black and white laser printer. Next cut the design out leaving 1/4'' boarder around the outside.

CLEANING THE CLAD

   Cut the copper clad down to the size with a dremel or small hand saw. In order for the ink to transfer correctly to the copper we must first cleanse the surface of any oxidation. Use a rough sponge or a sanding block to remove the first oxidatized layer. Scrub firmly until the entire surface is lightly scored. Use the rubbing alcohol to remove the first layer of grim left behind from the sanding. Use the acetone and remove any excess rust or dirt that may be left behind. Clean until there is no more dirt transferring from the copper to the cotton swabs. Once the surface has been thoroughly cleansed be very careful to not touch the surface again with your hands.

TRANSFERING THE DESIGN

    Turn your iron to its highest setting. Lay the printed design face down over the copper  side of your chip and sandwich everything between a sheet of wax paper. Once the iron is preheated place the iron on the chip and apply at least 40lbs of pressure for a minimum of 30 seconds. Then use the iron tip and continue to put pressure until the paper sticks to the chip. after the chip cools down a bit dunk it in cold water. After a minute take it out and peel the first layer of paper off. Put the chip back and let it soak for another 10 minutes or so before taking it out again. To remove any excess paper, rub the surface with your thumbs or use a soft tooth brush. Inspect the transfer and make sure all of your connections copied over correctly and that no residue left behind from the paper. If you did not get a good transfer start over from step one. Some errors can be fix by drawing over them with a sharpie marker.

 

ETCH-A-PCB

    Alright here comes the fun part. Preheat the sodium persulfate by placeing the container in a bath of warm water for about 5-10 minutes. Place the chip in a container and pour sodium persulfate over until the chip is just covered. Agitate the container constantly for the next 15 minutes or until all of the exposed copper has been dissolved away. Take the chip out of the solution and drop it into a seperate container of cold water. Dry the chip and there you go all that's left is to drill the holes and soldering on the parts.