T
Thomas P. Gootee
Guest
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MAKING DIY PCBs: New info posted!
-----------------------------------
I have posted some very useful new information about making your own
printed circuit board(s) (PCB(s)), on my PCB-Making webpage, at:
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
The toner-transfer method covered enables producing prototype PCBs at
home from computer-generated artwork (even just bitmaps) printed on a
laser printer (or artwork from a compatible copy machine).
The new information presented includes details of a newly-tried,
low-cost, readily-available type of paper that seems to work
*flawlessly*.
New photos of the various stages of paper pattern and printed circuit
board preparation and production are now included, as well, taken
during the production of a prototype circuit board for an actual
commercial product.
Also shown is the application of the same methods to applying artwork
and text to the component side of the PCB, which also works
*extremely* well.
On-line sources for low-cost blank copper-clad circuit-board material
have also been posted.
I have had outstanding results (100% good boards!), with the new paper
type. PCB track-widths of under 10 mils seem to be no problem. And I
haven't even specifically tried to see what the smallest practical
track-width is, yet, although I've had no problems, whatsoever,
running 0.0067-inch-wide tracks between adjacent IC pins' pads. Even
the o's of the "% signs" of 4-point text, which have smaller diameters
than the 0.020-inch-wide component-lead-hole-location marks that I
use, are reproduced *perfectly* in the copper, both "standalone" and
within copper-filled areas. Very large copper-filled areas are also
no longer a problem. And the paper removal is no longer a problem.
Toner-adhesion is excellent, and survives even fairly-hard scrubbing
with a stiff brush, if necessary.
I think that this paper is finally "good enough"! And I can make
circuit boards in about a HALF-HOUR, from printing the pattern through
having an etched board.
I almost never even bother, anymore, with using a breadboard, since
printed circuit boards are now so quickly and easily made, and work
better than those white "plug-in" breadboards that I used to use so
much.
All of the details are posted at:
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
Regards,
Tom Gootee
-----------------------------------
MAKING DIY PCBs: New info posted!
-----------------------------------
I have posted some very useful new information about making your own
printed circuit board(s) (PCB(s)), on my PCB-Making webpage, at:
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
The toner-transfer method covered enables producing prototype PCBs at
home from computer-generated artwork (even just bitmaps) printed on a
laser printer (or artwork from a compatible copy machine).
The new information presented includes details of a newly-tried,
low-cost, readily-available type of paper that seems to work
*flawlessly*.
New photos of the various stages of paper pattern and printed circuit
board preparation and production are now included, as well, taken
during the production of a prototype circuit board for an actual
commercial product.
Also shown is the application of the same methods to applying artwork
and text to the component side of the PCB, which also works
*extremely* well.
On-line sources for low-cost blank copper-clad circuit-board material
have also been posted.
I have had outstanding results (100% good boards!), with the new paper
type. PCB track-widths of under 10 mils seem to be no problem. And I
haven't even specifically tried to see what the smallest practical
track-width is, yet, although I've had no problems, whatsoever,
running 0.0067-inch-wide tracks between adjacent IC pins' pads. Even
the o's of the "% signs" of 4-point text, which have smaller diameters
than the 0.020-inch-wide component-lead-hole-location marks that I
use, are reproduced *perfectly* in the copper, both "standalone" and
within copper-filled areas. Very large copper-filled areas are also
no longer a problem. And the paper removal is no longer a problem.
Toner-adhesion is excellent, and survives even fairly-hard scrubbing
with a stiff brush, if necessary.
I think that this paper is finally "good enough"! And I can make
circuit boards in about a HALF-HOUR, from printing the pattern through
having an etched board.
I almost never even bother, anymore, with using a breadboard, since
printed circuit boards are now so quickly and easily made, and work
better than those white "plug-in" breadboards that I used to use so
much.
All of the details are posted at:
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
Regards,
Tom Gootee
-----------------------------------