gnupic: help - DIY PCB manufacture
Subject:
help - DIY PCB manufacture
From:
David McNab ####@####.####
Date:
29 May 2005 14:48:02 +0100
Message-Id: <4299C808.6070001@rebirthing.co.nz>
Hi all,
I need some advice on home PCB manufacture.
I've created PCB artwork in Eagle - single-sided with 4 manual wires on
the top side - a 65mm x 65mm board with 0.625mm tracks.
On a salesman's advice, I bought a pack of PCB transfer film sheets @
$45 (ouch!) - the kind that you run through the laser printer then iron
onto a plain copper board.
After three failed attempts (varying heat/duration), I've hit a wall.
Most of the artwork transfers onto the board just fine, but with each
attempt I've ended up with 5 or 6 broken tracks. The tracks are so fine
that hand-repairing with an etch-resist pen would be difficult, if I can
do it at all. Also,
Is it just me, or is iron-on transfer film simply not up to the task for
fine tracks?
Would I be better off using photo-sensitive boards, printing onto
transparent film, exposing, developing, etching, developing, cleaning?
For those of you making your own PCBs, what methods are working best for
you?
Or, is home PCB manufacture more trouble than it's worth? Am I better
off finding a company who can do it for me at the best price?
--
Cheers
David
